Monday, September 24, 2012
photo gallery GloATL: The Search for the Exceptional
Posted by Dustin Chambers @dustchambers on Mon, Sep 24, 2012 at 3:14 PM
The original performance of The Search for the Exceptional took place at Historic Old Fourth Ward Skate Park back in May. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding with the city about turning the park's lights out for the film presentation, Micah Stansell's cinematic projections were confined to a series of iPads. Fortunately at Maddox Park, the situation was much different. Unlike the original run of the show, there were no skateboarders zooming by the dancers in the once-abandoned pool, which gloATL helped to clean up, but there were lights, fog, and gorgeous visuals. Stansell's projections were presented within circular frames and told the story of 1950s housewives whose homes slowly submerge into water. And yes, during filming they actually sunk a set into a pool to make it happen, it was quite a production.
The piece took place in Bankhead, off of Donald Lee Howell Parkway (formerly Bankhead Highway) and it drew a crowd from the surrounding neighborhood. Some locals sat or stood around the pool, but many, if not most, watched from behind the fence around the pool area. I spoke to one man who called me over from the fence. He asked, "What is this? I mean what does this mean? All I see is ballet dancers in a pool. It's not bad, but what does it mean? If I were to bring my kids to this tomorrow night, what would I tell them it meant? How would I explain it?"
These are all good, and frequently asked questions about glo performances that don't necessarily have answers or need answers. I didn't know how to respond because I personally didn't know how to explain the performance so I said as much. But I didn't mind not having an answer. I think that there's beauty in embracing things we don't understand, and sometimes turning off our brains' "what" and "why" filters to allow music and color and movements to drive our emotions can help us get closer to an understanding than anything.
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