The “19” of COVID19 refers to the calendar year 2019. Seems like eons ago! But it marks the year when this particular virus was identified and so named. I had this crazy notion in March of 2020 to make 19 little pieces and began to create in April, further chart out a plan in May, and now, in time for Valentine's Day 2021, have finished them, thanks to enormous assistance from Ric Petry.
I had long pondered what on earth I would do for the final one. Endings are important and in choreography, are often hard. I had thought we might make a video compiled of short edits from each of the previous 18, but more recently felt like the series needed a big dose of full-out dancing without props and settings. I craved dancing in a theater space with stage lighting and let the series end with an embrace of how expressive dancing can be all by itself, and created a movement recapitulation of the previous 18. Many thanks to OSU Department of Dance Jonathon Hunter for playing with the lights for this.
I did add the text as captions - giving the viewer a choice to read or not, as I took the titles of #1 - #18 and recovered a narrative thread through the series. I share it below... It seemed a good way to tie it all together, as the series feels like One Work.
During the inauguration, Garth Brooks sang Amazing Grace, and turned to the camera asking everyone watching to join in. We did and I felt like probably so many across the country did too. I was moved. So here I offer it as a hymn and a prayer for our country's healing - from COVID19 and from the existential turmoil of laws, beliefs, un-truths, and emotions. I pulled out my beloved tenor recorder, figured out how to lay a few tracks in Garage Band and voila.
Thank you for watching and reading this series; consider it a big Valentine's Day gift. Happy to hear thoughts: petry.37@osu.edu
The COVID-era story:
We have been in a waiting room. It is touch and go. There is no breathing room. We are in the deep end; we hear 1,000, 10,000 and counting. We keep six feet apart and know we can’t touch. We want a prayer for the world while we unpack the pandemic. Our country needs home improvement, good trouble, and we hope the center can hold. Don’t just sit there! Pledge commitment, get in the rumpus room, or do some Social D ancing. Things get skewed but make dinner plans anyway. Soon Blursday will be over. In the coming weeks there will be grace.