Pulling Scales
Pulling Scales is a dance performance choreographed and produced by myself, Henry Rodríguez. The piece is part of a series of works titled Physical Rootlessness. As its name suggests, this series explores a constantly broken and disjointed physicality. From this disruption and lack of technical foundation, the body dissects its own archive of physical memories to reconnect knowledge and wisdom with a diversity of dance genres and physical expressions. In this series, the body also fully immerses itself in the realm of emotions and explores what it feels as it navigates through each of them to fill that physical uprooting or nothingness.
Pulling Scales is based on the idea of change and transformation. It reflects on the process of awakening, both individual and collective. The approach is connected to my own story, however, it doesn't follow a linear narrative; rather, it juxtaposes, deconstructs, and intersects with other random sub-narratives where reality and fiction are blended. The “caiman, lizard, dog or man” and anything that the audience is open to see, that green character is a symbolism of my birthplace Cuba. Green, sensual, mad and hungry for change. Cuba is known as the pearl and the caiman of the Caribbean therefore the subject in the performance denotes a feeling of been preserved or strictly lucked in an environment not particularly Cuban but where broadcasting and mass media, such as an old television and newspapers, function as devices of high control and domination. Dangerous tools, yet obsolete. The hostile environment represents a loop in which society has been trapped for a very long time, smashed like tiny lizards and cockroaches under yoke of distorted communist ideals and extreme surreal right wing minds.
In this work, I collaborate in the making of costumes with Lea Katrin ( Elle. ), an interdisciplinary artist and creative researcher who explores the idea of fashion, the cloth and the performance with the aim of questioning the ( somatic self - ) healing opportunities of the dressed moving body participating within a group setting. Lea Katrin ( Elle. ) dives in topics such re - coding shapes of evolutions towards the safer, the non - hierarchical approach within choreography making + camera work, a gaze in club - spaces, marginalised groups, peaceful fight for rights of all ( Sex ) Workers , Dancers ( In Training ) , Models and garment/ event producers, among others.
“Remove the rigid plate, the shell, the camouflage. I like to see what lies beyond endurance. Long and dense is the walk towards the core. Pull off your scales to see yourself. To feel yourself. I want to taste the inner walls of your steel body.”
CREDITS
Choreography & Performance - Henry Rodríguez
Costumes - Henry Rodríguez & Lea Katrin ( Elle. )
Videography / Photography - Jos Mauro Witteveen Villagómez & Martin van Drunen
Music - Leaving the Matrix mix and production by L’DELTA
featuring Kelly Lee Owens, Erik Truffaz & Murcof
Premiered at Intimate Portraits and presented by Stichting Kunsten Dialoog, 2024
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
