For the duration of Rita McBride: Arena Momentum at Dia Beacon an expanding body of artists, performers, writers, musicians, and dancers activates physical and virtual spaces as part of a series of engagements with McBride’s Arena (1997). The series, collectively called Momentum, curated by Alexis Lowry, is initiated by Rita McBride with choreographer Alexandra Waierstall and the experimental performance collective discoteca flaming star (founded by Cristina Gomez Barrio and Wolfgang Mayer).
In 2023 + 2024, Alexandra Waierstall will present choreographic interludes within the exhibition, bringing together local New York professional dancers and her frequent collaborators from Europe in a unique gathering – a first of its kind. This event will foster a connection between these communities, the public, and the sculpture Arena’s physical space. Alexandra’s choreographic practice has a rich history and has engaged in dialogue with the Arena in various contexts since 2016. The invitation this time is to consider a form of joint negotiation and alignment of bodies in their constellations, relations and interactions, a practice of shared empathy in the context of space and time.
The choreography itself opens a space of attention in which everyone present can find themselves. The group of dancers will make cyclical encounters with the work and one another, growing and changing individually and as a group. discoteca flaming star simultaneously engages in small acts using sound and drawings, connecting with the dancers and audience.
“As we propel this practice into the future, we are creating a material that can be adapted for further use, generating valuable knowledge. Through research and deep investigation, we explore the gathering of bodies in dialogue with the body of the Arena.“
Momentum is durational in nature and visitors are invited to come and go as they wish while Arena is being activated. Visitors may walk and sit amongst the performers on Arena as the performance unfolds.
