Floating Island Dance
Walk around it
Sit under it
Balance it on your head
Turn your head to the right, maintaining contact
Turn your head to the left, maintaining contact
Turn your body to the left, keeping it on your head
Lie down under it
Balance it on one foot
Balance it on two feet
Push it up with your feet, release it, catch it again
Push it up with your feet, release it, catch it again
Push it up with your feet, release it, catch it again
Walk your feet under it
Twirl it with your feet
Release it
Lie under it
Sit up under it
Touch it with one finger
Spin it on your hand
Catch it with one hand
Balance it on your hand while you stand up under it
Let go and walk a few steps away
Balance it on your back
Walk with it balanced on your back
Stand up straight so it falls off your back
Kick it high
Catch it with your leg and hold it there
Kick it high
Catch it with your leg and hold it there
Kick it high
Catch it with your leg and hold it there
Release it
Stand with it curving around your chest
Spin with it, maintain contact with your torso,
Let it unwind, maintain contact with your torso (chest or back)
Rest both arms on it, still touching it with your chest
Let the weight of your arms increase with each exhale
Eventually, press down with your arms with each exhale
Press it almost to the floor
Step over it
Release it
Walk away
Two weeks before the performance, I sent dancers Jean-Baptiste Veyret-Logerias and Brenda Salinas this list of tasks to perform with the floating island sculpture. When I got to Paris, they worked with the sculpture, interpreting and re-arranging these instructions within the basic structure of motion: Begin on the floor under the piece, work your way to be level with it, then press it down and climb over it.
