What would it feel like succumbing to regular unconsciousness? What would it feel like seeing distant darkness? What would it feel like weaving in between death? What would it feel like drowning frantically in concert with and floating blissfully?
This choreographic dance film explores themes related to my lived experience of seizures as a disabled artist. The work is an experimental project, with potential development into a full length performance piece. This forms as part of my embodied research. The film navigates the intersection of consciousness and mortality, where my experience of seizures allows me to access a realm that transcends the physical body. I want to emphasise that this exploration is not about suicidality, but rather about the spiritual and mental dimensions of my experience. There is an experience of spiralling and flashing of pictures, which can be compared to a fast movie reel. Thereafter, an experience of calmness, much needed quiet, a temporary exit from the chaos of human existence and in between observing death in the far distance. Despite the physical discomfort, the film presents a perspective on death as a profound and beautiful aspect of human existence. By exploring this complex theme, I aim to share my unique perspective and contribute to a deeper understanding of this human experience of mine.
Production Credits
Concept
Sasha Fourie
Choreographer and Performer
Sasha Fourie
Editor
Sasha Fourie
Cinematographer
Lance Pong
Lighting
Che Wei
Assistant
Hsaio Yin Peng
About the Artists
Sasha Fourie is a South African artist with a career of almost two decades, engaged in a multifaceted practice across choreography, dance, theatre, teaching and cinematography. She holds a Diploma in Dance Education and BA Honours in Dance, both obtained from UCT Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies. In addition, she is an internationally certified yoga instructor.
Sasha has danced professionally with esteemed companies and artists in South Africa while developing her own choreographic works. Her teaching and education experience spans from pre schoolers to professionals. She has been commissioned to create choreographic works and short films. Her short films have been screened locally and internationally along with winning awards. During her time living in Asia, she worked in the dance industry and studied cinematography, expanding her artistic capabilities. Sasha shares stories of her disability and advocates for more women of colour to be in leadership roles, especially within the dance sector, as it is lacking across South Africa. Sasha has been a panelist for several festival discussions and conferences discussing topics such as creating a digital footprint within the arts, the body as an archive, choreographic methodology, accessibility and consent to name a few.
Currently, alongside with her freelance work at Unmute Dance Theatre she is expanding her artistic horizons through studying Argentine Tango, continuing to pursue her solo career to tell her own choreographic stories.
Above all else, Sasha would like to be known as a thinker, observer, introspector and artistic being, not for accolades, titles and awards. Sasha says, ‘My art is here to grapple with subject matter, investigate, research and question all through technical consciousness and the scope of my senses then offer that to those who wish to witness it’.
- Programme type: vFringe
- Genre: Film
- Duration: 4 minutes
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Ages:
ALL AGES
- Language: English
