The Psychosomatic Experience of Obligation
| a study |

October 2023

Chamber Dance Company
The University of Washington
Meany Center for the Performing Arts

Austin Dance Festival
2024; Austin, TX
Rollins Studio Theater; The Long Center

Seattle International Dance Festival
2024, Spotlight on Seattle Now
Broadway Performance Hall; Seattle, WA

Dancers
Olivia Anderson, Derek Crescenti, Chris Kaiser, Cameo Lethem, Andrew McShea, Tariq Mitri, Maisy Neill, Sydney Nguyen, Lucien Postlewaite, Alicia Pugh, Emily Schoen Branch, Maya Tacon

Lighting
Peter Bracilano, Stephen Pruitt + Locke Landis

Music
David Toop, Tomek Kolczynski, Johann Sebastian Bach, Burak Ozdemir, Musica Sequenza, Donato Dizzy, + Anna Caragnano

Text
Written and Mixed by Beth Twigs
(with references and inspirations from Psychosomatic: Feminism in the Neurological Biology, by Elizabeth A. Wilson)

Photography and Videography
Warren Woo + Jim Coleman

The Psychosomatic Experiences of Obligation: A Study, is based off of my current research on gender based violence, specifically within ballet partnerships. The work explores themes of consent, kink, and desire while also practicing healthy communication and trust building within the creation process. The mind and body's relationship throughout the experience, and beyond the experience, of physical trauma is a constant thread throughout the work as well as the application of tools, such as comedy and absurdity, when coping with such trauma.