SAN FRANCISCO, CA.— Framed within a backdrop of ethereal light, shadow, and natural elements and juxtaposed against hightech visual imagery, Artistic Director Jill Togawa unveils Purple Moon Dance Project’s 20th Anniversary season with The Unforgettable Secret Rhythms of Joy. As the first chapter of a larger work, this world premiere questions the speed at which our lives flow in relation to our increasing dependency on technology. “What would a not-so-fast world be like?” asks Togawa.
A tale for all ages, The Unforgettable Secret Rhythms of Joy introduces the goddess and a magic silver box of invisible webs. Told through the voices of children and adults, this inquisitive work uncovers our sometimes hidden pleasures of reality.
While this first chapter explores our obsessions with time and attempts to juggle the increasing pace of our lives alongside our inherent yearning for physical contact, The Unforgettable Secret Rhythms of Joy is only the beginning of the larger work’s ambitious search for balance in an unbalanced world. Technology inspires innovation, encourages creativity, and maintains connection. Yet, with its refined tools of communication, filtration, and a sea of ‘invisible webs,’ technology more and more overrides humanity’s physiological craving for touch and keeps us in a cycle of ‘unexperienced intimacy.’
Inspired by the speed of her own life and her desire for her five-year-old daughter, Carmel, to grow up appreciating the real world, Togawa aspires to move audiences to rediscover that yearning for human connection and to imagine an integrated balance of virtual reality and realness. “Technology helps us stay connected. That’s a positive thing. That’s what’s exciting about it! People are able to connect with each other instantaneously,” explains Togawa. Instead of rejecting the phenomenon, Togawa recognizes that technology brings simultaneous benefits and challenges. But, for the sake of future generations, she questions, “How do we integrate technology into our lives with integrity?”
For this performance, Purple Moon will be accompanied by two stellar musicians. Laura Inserra will be on the Swiss hang and kalimba of southern Africa, and Tbird Luv will be on the Hawaiian ukulele, flute, and vocals. Influenced by Togawa’s original text and movement interpretations of the dancers, the musicians were not only selected for this piece because of Togawa’s deep appreciation for their artistry, but also because each one brings their unique voice to the creative process. Inserra explains that she and collaborator Luv are “incorporating the sounds of technology with the human body as the creator. As a human being you can create metallic sounds with voice, while the acoustic instrument reminds us of humanity. We are bringing both images together.”
