By Cathie Arteaga | HDD Production and Festival Intern
Hello, I’m Cathie Arteaga, the Production and Festival intern for Heidi Duckler Dance. Ebb & Flow was the first show that I worked on and had the pleasure to witness. The event took place in Exposition Park, a place that’s very close to home for me. I remember growing up not too far from Expo, my mom would take us to the science center and walk around the rose garden. In the summer I would skate around the park freely, with Boba Time in one hand and happiness in the other.
As a production and festival intern, I was able to go to the park and meet some of the artists while we looked at the site locations. Being able to meet artists was one of my favorite aspects since every individual is unique and multi-talented. Walking around Expo, I admired the park in all its glory. The tall Banyan trees with deep visible roots provided comfort. The day of Ebb & Flow after we set up I was the in-house photographer. I’d go to each site and capture the movements.
Under a big shaded Banyan tree, was HDD Education Director, Belize Wilheim, hosting a fun activity where guests used recycled materials to make masks, and flowers. There was a section where you could write positive messages about taking care of our planet, for future residents. I found this activity very beautiful and necessary. We got to see how scraps could be recycled into something new, which was a great tactic for the Education department to be a part of Ebb & Flow’s theme.
Photography by Cathie Arteaga
Once it was time, the audience gathered up and we walked over to the first site, where musician and inter-discplinary artist, Cody Perkins , presented his piece, Pause of Man: Mountain filled with layers. I had the privilege of being there when Cody chose his location. It was where nature and concrete met, combining to mimic the reality of our world. This piece was very powerful as it took place in Cody’s car. The dancer, Jordan Slaffey, was covered in layers as she danced her way out of the confinement of the car. As she made her way out the layers shedded off, symbolizing renewal and regeneration. With no more layers Jordan was able to move freely and with precison. Reminding us that we need to let go in order to move freely in this world of confinement. The mix that Cody made, that played in the back gave me a feeling of hope.
Photography by Cathie Arteaga
Next up was site two, where The Dance of Samira was performed by Joey Navarrete-Medina. This piece in particular focused on climate change, with a focus on the wind delivering a warning to us humans about the future of the world, if we don’t take the proper steps in caring for our home. As Joey danced as Samira, the deity of winds, I was able to capture amazing photos. He used an umbrella and moved like the wind. The contrast of the red costume and nature was perfect. The site complimented his piece beautifully.
Photography by Cathie Arteaga
The next site was visually different than the previous two. We traveled to a group of big boulder rocks to watch Zhihan Yang’s performance, Underground. She used an aluminum flexible duct in her dance, designed by Yi-Lun Chien. It reminded me of one of those air conditioning tubes. I was amazed by the way she was able to utilize the space and the duct to her advantage. She was able to include every day material in her art in a very unique and entertaining way.
Photography by Cathie Arteaga
Once Zhihan’s striking performance concluded, we headed over to two huge banyan trees with thick roots, where spots of light lit up the ground. At this site, was Bernice Wang and Gurmukhi Bevli. Their Piece Beep Boop Boop, and a Root was interactive with the audience. They had created a game where the audience was able choreograph their movements by moving a mouse and the click of a button. I found this piece quite interesting and open to the audience interpretation. In my mind, Bernice and Gurmuhki were characters who were affected by things outside of their own control, ultimately causing them to move a certain way. I feel this correlates to our everyday world since decisions are always being made without our best interest in mind.
Photography by Cathie Arteaga
Finally, we were led to the other side of the park for Ashton Phillips’ piece, Nest. For this piece I had got to the park early to see how the nest would be built. Dylan Richards and Ashton would work together to build this very intricate nest with scraps from the world. In the performance, they added microphones around the nest so that when touched, it became a musical instrument. They also made their masks out of plaster and this was by far one of the most creative performances. Longtime HDD dancer, Colleen Loverde, used the ropes and the nest to her advantage when moving around the site. She embodied the nest with dynamic and sophisticated movements. I was also amazed by the nice melody that was created during their performance.
Photography by Cathie Arteaga
Last but not least, we witnessed HDD Founder & Artistic Director, Heidi Duckler’s piece, Silent Beasts, which told the story of two silent creatures screaming up to the treetops, while fire lies in wait. This performance had a creative way of focusing on wildfires and how the frequency of them, are a threat to our environment. I loved taking pictures of this piece because the movement felt very intimate. Pauline Lay played the violin while Maija Knapp and Alejandro Perez danced with one another.
Photography by Cathie Arteaga
Throughout this epic, environmental experience, I was able to capture photos, network and admire each artist for their work and artistry. Prior to this I had never seen any kind of dance performance, let alone a site-specific dance performance. It was an honor and a privilege to be a part of the team and learn about the history of Ebb & Flow.
This position is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture’s Los Angeles County Arts Internship Program.
