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"In
Out From Afar(m) she introduces a number of communications:
animal sounds, spoken words (alone, in sequence, in
unison), elaborate sign language (I don't know if she
used actual signing or not, but it was completely convincing),
larger and very athletic movement, facial expressions.
When I think of it now, it seems as though there were
actually two distinguishable sign languages: one that
appeared to be standard and another that seemed to be
a new creation. I was fascinated by this signing, the
relationship between hands and faces. The male dancer
in this piece was completely serious, seeming to be
engrossed and to not make eye contact with the audience,
perhaps not to be aware of it. The autistic qualities
of compulsion and deep absorption that characterized
his movements were a contrast to the movements of the
three female dancers. They seemed at times to pantomime
and cavort; at other times their dancing was almost
flame-like, joyous. Once again this piece gives that
feeling of unease that so characterizes Germond's work:
is this funny or frantic? Are the performers communicating
when they speak or just making human sounds? When the
words were chanted in phrases, was the relation between
them meaningful or arbitrary? Ditto for the dancers'
movements. Was there a coherent relationship (among
them) being suggested or were their encounters random,
their responses to each other on the level of reflex
or instinct rather than intention? Germond's choreography
works with languages, the relationships between sign
and meaning."
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Linda Duke, 2000
Curator at the Krannert Art Museum
Urbana, IL
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