“Dimensional Embodiment:  Bridging the Languages of Chaos Theory and The Viewpoints”

Abstract:  A brief description of the work

This is a study to present the potential benefit of combining the languages of physics, as described in Chaos Theory, with the vocabulary of Mary Overlie’s deconstructionist performance language, The Viewpoints, within experiential improvisation.  The focus group involved in the physical exploration of such concepts consisted of physicists, dancers, and theater artists. Vocabularies of both physics and Viewpoints were embodied through facilitator lead exercises and later critiqued within discussion based feedback forums by the group.  These direct responses to the embodiment of the concepts provided critical feedback on the usefulness of combining such languages in terms of the artistic-performative process. 

An example of the process?

I researched the languages of physics in Chaos Theory, and then invited physicists, dancers, and theater artists into a room to participate in Viewpoints exploration.  I began by combining languages within the facilitation of the exercises.  For example, when introducing the Viewpoint “Space” to the group, I lead them through a physical exploration that challenged them to experientially notice their own selves within space, describing their sole existence in terms of a dot in space.  Their whole goal was just to experience the entirety of themselves within a blank map of space, not taking in the influences of other bodies within the space, nor the surrounding architecture of the room.  I then began layering more complexities to the Viewpoint Space, languaging the new information in terms of how quantum physics describes space in terms of dimensionality, moving through to the fourth dimension of physics, which is Time.  This provided a very accessible transition for the participants to segue into the next Viewpoint, which is in itself Time.  The overall process of examination resembled exercises that were in form very similar to this example.