ESPARTANÆ – Deviani Andrea
What Is the Inspiration For Your Piece?
(The seed of inspiration)
Pronounced EHS-PAR-TA-Nah-Eh
The original idea of ESPARTANÆ came from a moment in my life when I was immersed in feminist theory. My mind was thinking big, about political actions, new possibilities of sociocultural structures, etc. I realized I was “going out” to much –thinking about things that are outside of myself –. I then decided to bring the question inside, to my own being. I started wondering about how I perceived my body and how I would like to perceive it (you know, to challenge the social preconceptions about myself). “What do I want to discover?” I asked myself and the answer was “physical strength” because it was a possibility of my body that I never paid attention to before. From there, more questions came along (what do I mean when I think of strength? spiritual vs. physical? Feminine vs masculine?) and I’m still working on them! Now I think about ESPARTANÆ as a mental map, with one idea in the centre surrounded by all kinds of branches.
What Point In Process Is Your Piece At?
(What stage of growth is your piece at, sapling, sprout, tree, shrub, whatever you feel)
My pieces are never finished; how could they be? I like to create with a strong focus on the moment of creation (how am I feeling with this? Where do I want this to go?) as well as the audience who will be part of the performance. Both things (the present moment & the audience) will always change, so I like to adapt what I created to new environments. If I get the chance to present my work at different times, I always like to twitch it a little (maybe adding a new score, maybe throwing in a new step I learn).
This way of thinking – not being attached to “fix” a piece – also helps me to go beyond the oppressing feeling of “this is not enough” or any other demons every artist face when creating something new. Instead, I like to think “this is as good as it can get for this specific run and I’m proud of it”.
If I had to use a metaphor to talk about this piece (and my work in general) I would simply say “It’s a tree”. Solid in its root, it grows slowly and it is shaped by its surroundings – rain, wind, bugs, etc–.
Approximate or Estimated Duration:
15 Minutes
Warnings or Content Advisories
None
Artist Credits
Nicholas Hardy, Musician
Aaron Macri, Sound designer
Whittyn Jason, Costume Design
Special Thanks:
Flexible Hours: IG @flexible_hours, website flexiblehours.ca
Luis López
Azimuth Theatre