Conventional knowledge is death to our souls, and it is not really ours. We must become ignorant of what we have been taught and be instead bewildered. Destroy our reputation. Be notorious. I have tried prudent planning long enough. From now on, I’ll be mad.” ~ Rumi
Rumi’s poem precisely captures my core gut feeling in this creative process. On stage, two ends of a process are presented: artwork & viewer, artist & interviewer, choreographer & dancer, mind & emotion, like Cain & Abel.
Abel is both a figure and a symbol. As Cain’s brother, he is the sacrificial figure, but also in Hebrew he is the symbol for “vanity of vanities,” which for me is a reminder for ease & calm in the face of eternal life, one that does not truly end in a single incarnation. “Abel” invites the audience to wonder – what is art, or truth? In an attempt to let go of the ‘true sickness’ of our exhausting seriousness & remind us that death is not truly scary but is most likely our gateway to what simply comes next..
