Guest House
New Works is a transnational performance ensemble and Engaged Scholarship course at Brown University that utilizes research-to-performance methodologies towards the development of new theater for the concert stage, educational outreach programs, film, international exchange projects, festivals, and for tours throughout the US.
For the Spring of 2019, New Works presented an hour long performance called the Guest House based on the eastern philosophy of the body's energy centers. The entire show was a collaborative effort of the New Works students and international artist groups, under the mentorship of Prof. Michelle Bach-Coulibaly. The video presented below documents a seven minute original solo piece, a combination of a monologue and Kathak (Indian classical) fusion dance, that was a part of the larger ensemble. The core idea was showcasing the energy center of the heart as a bird through dance and poetry. The documentation presented here is a part of a solo monologue followed by a group performance piece based on the conference of the birds. This part of the performance laid emphasis on the 4th energy center, the heart chakra and the monologue speaks of acceptance of the body, respect towards the body and, stepping off the rubbles of body image issues.
The Monologue
I was 20 when I first met her.
There she stood, naked, staring at me from the other side of the mirror.
I was initially repulsed by the image of her.
Crooked toes, hairy legs, flabby stomach, rough uneven skin, a bulby nose.
Then something miraculous happened.
We locked eyes, and a silent conversation followed.
She gracefully swayed her feet to music.
She flaunted her broad hips that someday would carry a child.
She showed me a mole beneath her left breast that she adored.
She played with her luscious locks brushing against the curve of her back.
She traced a beautiful scar on her collarbone from the previous night.
We lock eyes, stare, just stare.
Her eyes fierce and full of Love.
Beautiful. Nurturing. Powerful.
She is I. I am She. We are as naked as we could be.
Shedding leaves, shedding shame and making room for flowers to bloom.
Nervously, we walk towards each other.
Our footsteps sing a symphony, chest rising and falling with each soft breath.
We are just a touch away.
Do you feel the warmth of her embrace?
The magnificence of her presence?
Her soft hum, a lullaby?
The rhythm of her gentle heartbeat
that Gives and Gives and Gives?
Our souls intertwined, braided into a colorful rainbow.
I look at the reflection.
You. Me. Us.
We are all just the same.
We are Earth.
And all things Earth Are Beautiful.
