The theory behind movement

Informative talk

She began performing and later started teaching dance. Norah spoke on the topic, ‘Dance Installation:Synchronous Objects — Degrees of Unison’ at the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan in the City recently. 

The talk was an interactive screen-based session developed by William Forsythe, Maria Palazzi and Norah. In this installation, those present were witness to the deep structures of a dance masterwork, ‘One Flat Thing’, and the generative ideas contained in it.

The core of the work was an investigation into the systems of relationship that make up the visual. The dancers enacted a parallel performance of Forsythe's choreographic ideas. This installation, designed by Norah, gave people a special experience of the work through interactive kiosks, a series of selected animations in HD video, and a multichannel sound experience.

Talking about visualisation of dance, Norah says that it helps to delve into the circulatory system of movement. “We try to decipher patterns and what they mean, through this exercise. Every movement has a meaning and that’s what we try to find out through this exercise,” she says.

About collaborations Norah says that she and her team have visited colleges and spoken to people but very few actually understand the need for synchronisation. “It pays to invest time to share and understand what goes into movement.  It helps to look at the choreographic practices across the world and gather knowledge on the same.,” she adds.

Norah is an artist based in the United States whose work centres on choreographic knowledge as a locus for interdisciplinary and intercultural creativity. She seeks to unlock the deep structures in choreography and find in them new strategies for navigating the complexities of contemporary life.

‘Synchronous Objects,’ her most recent collaborative project with choreographer William Forsythe and animator Maria Palazzi, was launched at the Wexner Centre for the Arts in 2009. Norah is currently presenting both works as part of a global tour in Europe, Asia, and the Americas produced by the Goethe-Institute's Forsythe Modul curated by Petra Roggel.

Those present at the talk say they got an insight into movement and dance as an art form. Jyoti Krishnan, a dancer says that such discussions help one understand what constitutes movement. “You not only learn about the different movement but try to look at it with a scientific bend of mind,” she says.