The Party Project by Tahni Holt (everyone is invited!)
December 19, 2007
Music created and played by: Kate O’Brien-Clarke, Corrina Repp and Joe Haege; Lighting by Bill Boese
Saturday, Dec. 22nd 4p; one performance only
South Waterfront neighborhood
Meet at the Bella Espresso Cafe, 3580 SW River Parkway
Portland-based dance artist Tahni Holt has been creating The Party Project as part of her month-long residency in the South Waterfront district. Drawn from the cinematic experience of viewing movies on screen, the performance takes place inside three different buildings in the SWF neighborhood – a condominium, an unoccupied retail space and the Artist in Residence studio, and uses the situation of a party to explore the phenomena of watching and being watched. The performance will be seen through the windows and balconies of these spaces. With hot chocolate or cider in hand, audience will stroll between these sites, watching the performance from the outside. The event will end as a large party/gathering in the AiR studio for the entire “cast” – inside performers and outside observers. The work has been developed and rehearsed on site in collaboration with a 30-person cast of both experienced dancers and volunteer movers.As research for this event, Holt has spent many of her residency hours in the studio watching movies that contain classic party scenes – Lolita, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Party, 8 1/2, and the list goes on. The project additionally makes reference to the dilemma between the public/private that is so often evident in architecture that incorporates wide expanses of glass surface area that invite and/or allow observation.