UNPLUG

ABOUT

Performed by: Anna van Hecke, Catherine Sleeman, Carys Owen, Emelie Swonger, Esther Dimmock, Kozue Inoue, Liezl de Wouters d'Oplinter, Marylin Moggi, Tasha Sauer

Unplug takes a look at how disconnecting can be freeing from anxiety. In some cases upsetting news, the brokenness of the world and social media bullying can all be major causes of anxiety. 

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The piece starts off with poses representing violence, oppression, poverty and manipulation which we are faced with daily either through media or personal experience. The anxiety suffering character here is much more evident and is surrounded by these causes of anxiety around her. There is a prevalent movement sequence to show the oppression and heaviness caused by these external factors. Initially, our anxious character is controlled by these factors as echoed in the movement. 

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Once the character unplugs, here depicted by putting on headphones, the anxiety-causing factors are silenced. Counselling and anxiety support through dance regularly use Labanotation to describe the movement of anxiety sufferers. Movements tend to be small and inward and we see this depicted by the dancer in the first bit of the solo. As the dancer determines that the shutting off of external impetus allows them to be free in their movement, the movement becomes bigger and more freeing. There is now enlightenment and exploration further afield. 

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Next, the character is able to control the movement of the external impetus - symbolising the control one can have over your own mind and thoughts. The anxious character is able to now move these influences further away in a symbolic showing that external impetus does not have to take control and can be dispersed.