Solo performance is a widely argued subject in terms of its definition.  Some solo performances include audience participation where as a lot of solo practitioners claim that this is strictly not solo performance.

A lot of performers use their strengths and personal skills to convey their desired message.  This led me to think about my abilities.  Instantly what came to mind was my passion for weight training.  The idea of putting the body under unnatural amounts of stress so it has to ultimately reform bigger and stronger to cope with these excessive traumas on the body.  This prompted the idea of physical stress on the body and how much it can take.  Maria Abramovic’s work often includes physical strain on the body especially when analysing and defining the limits of the body.  Her work pushes the image of danger to the forefront of the audience’s mind, giving the performance a risk factor. This risk factor can cause the audience to feel uncomfortable.  An example of this is Marina Abramovic who performances  allowed “her body to be slammed, pushed past, or otherwise stressed as in Rhythm 0, of 1974” (2012)

The idea of putting my body under stress in the form of body weight exercises. Proceeding the performance I will set personal bests on each exercise and display them during the performance. A timer will be present that will count up until I physically can’t continue the exercise. Sometimes I could fail and sometimes I could succeed. Risk factor could be placing thumbtacks under certain exercises or even sandpaper.

Rough Ideas

1. 12 minute set of specific body weight exercises, time limit. some obtainable, some a hard struggle. Slow hard music in the background.  The idea is to show what the body is capable of if its pushed to the very limit.  Topless to show the strain on the body.  Need count down timers and a rope.

2. Possibly write my own song, 10 minutes long, acting out the different types of people who gym.

3. comedy sketch, physical, water on the body. (elaborate later)

4. Perform something that blurs the boundaries between something comedic and vulgar? The outcome is merely judged on different perceptions.

 

 

Works Cited:

Article, 2012, Body Art, Available at: http://dating-au.com/body-art/