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GLORIA (2007) 50 minutes

TEXT

GLORIA is composed through the layering of two individual solos, moving between one iconic posture and another. The dancers invoke a set of fleeting images within their abstract, mobile diagram. Each solo was developed separately and then conjoined. As a result, they inhabit a space of quiet stillness and isolation in which the body is viewed as sculpture simultaneously dead and alive.

Space becomes denser with emptiness as it unfolds. The two dancers are only connected in ways they themselves cannot imagine. The common setting is illuminated by stark continuous lighting, while each of the costumes suggests a graphic sense of the body. An original sound score drawn from everyday street noise includes melodic fragments of song as a respite from the work’s density, but just in passing.

 

Directed by: Maria Hassabi
Performers: Hristoula Harakas, Maria Hassabi
Set Design: Scott Lyall
Sound Score: Maria Hassabi
Sound Design/Engineer: Jody Elff, George Helidonakis
Lighting Design: Joe Levasseur with Maria Hassabi
Costumes: ThreeAsFour
Dramaturgy: Marcos Rosales

 

SHOWS

2008
– (Duet) In-Presentable Festival 08, Madrid, Spain (June 21)
– (Duet) COIL Festival, PS122, NY (January 11-12)

2007
– Premiere: (Duet) Performance Space 122, NY (November 7-10)
– (Duet) Movement Research Festival, NY (June 8)
– Premiere: (Trio) BALLROOM MARFA, Texas (May 11)

2006
– (Trio) AMBUSH at Chez Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY (November 18)
– Premiere: (Solo) TSEH-Springdance/Dialogue, Moscow (July 28)

 

PRESS

“A piece of pure theater”
THE NEW YORK TIMES, Roslyn Sulcas, November 10, 2007

 

CREDITS

GLORIA was co-commissioned by PS122, Allison Sarofim and Ballroom Marfa. GLORIA was made possible in part with public funds from the Manhattan Community Arts Fund, supported by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the generous support of Foundation 2021 and individuals Nicolas Petrou, Maggie Varadhan, Thea Westreich.

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