it's a matter of ...

“It’s A Matter Of . . .” an original evening length show created by Updraft: a conspiracy of movement, looks at the range of human comings and goings, from our place in the cosmos to the pain and poetry of our departure from life.

The work is more than somber, employing lengths of suspended fabric, flying dancers supported by harnesses and dynamic lines, inviting the audience to revel in the humor, love and mystery that is life, along with those same elements as they apply to death. The use of personal narrative and the strong connections among the dancers make for an exploration that is at once disquieting and irresistible.

Eight dances mark the passage of the physical body and its attendant spirit and soul through the spaces we know, those we are discovering, and those we cannot yet know.

“Skylines” begins the journey—an investigation into our cosmic origins and immediate relationships, framed within a structured improvisation. (10:00)

“Nativity” a solo for dancer with aerial fabric, reveals the momentum and urgency that attend our physical entry into the world. (6:12)

“Earth School”, a solo for dancer on rope and harness, takes us on the wild ride that is life, complete with mistakes and risks. (6:48)

“Points of Departure” examines the experience of loss at various stages of the lifespan, making novel use of aerial fabric in addition to the floor and the dancers’ bodies as bases for trajectory. (10:17)

“Some Natural Tears” invites us into the world of a child who has lost a father through the letters of that child, written later as middle-aged man. Two dancers on a double trapeze interact with the narrator to chronicle the confusion and clarity that distinguish such a loss. (9:00)

"Anam Cara", a bungee duet, speaks to the fleeting experience of finding our soul friend in sleeping dreams after they have left us in this life, expressing the comfort and security that we often find in this meeting place. (5:00)

"The People Behind Us" looks at our connections with the living that support and sustain us after a loss, reminding us of the steady progression of life. The unique aerial and stationary apparatus that populate the work set in motion a deep sense of renewal. (5:30)

"Exodus", the final piece on the program, dares to express the perspective of the dying. A solo on aerial fabric, the dancer takes leave with grace, fears and courage, moving ultimately to the place beyond our knowing. (7:00)