Entering into Matt Cornell’s PACT Salon was like being ushered into another world – a world where bodies could speak to each other, and movement was a shared currency. From the first moment to the last, we were made aware of our physicality and the different ways in which we can occupy a particular space, thus transforming the meaning of that space. At times it struck me as an interesting juxtaposition – on the one hand, there was a hypersensitivity to our way of being in the world, on the other there was a sense of unabashed freedom.
Observing the performances of others and understanding their process through the panel discussion, I found myself thinking more deeply about what dance can mean to different people. Soon though, we were back exploring the artform for ourselves in a joyful celebration of club culture.
Overall, what stood out to me about the evening was about the way we use and move through space…claiming it for ourselves, and negotiating it in relation to other people.
Emily Dash – Writer/Actor/Speaker
