Still Point

Hana van der Kolk’s Still Point consists of six intertwining solos, examinations of stillness through movement and portraits of the performers themselves. The work is inspired by and features excerpts from T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets, including “At the still point of the turning world neither flesh nor fleshless, neither from nor towards, at the still point, there the dance is.” Through minimal movement passages across space, chaotic physical feats, and the portrayal of an unlikely and endearing character, Still Point offers a variety of takes on presence, stillness, paradox and impermanence.

The industrial setting of Five Thirty Three places the sparseness of Still Point against the backdrop of enormous windows, revealing the activity of the city. Lighting designer Carol McDowell creates a minimal lighting plot that encases Still Point in the skeleton of a theater, enhancing the magic of performance, while simultaneously highlighting the industrial nature of the space and the activities that normally happen “behind the scenes”: people operating technical equipment, changing costumes, and stretching. 

Performers Justin Streichman and Harmony Bench were integral to the development of the work and join choreographer Hana van der Kolk in the performance. Composer and violist Cassia Streb’s original score integrates the ambient noises already present in the warehouse environment with van der Kolk’s choreography.

Watch the entire piece here