12/08/2016
Applying for a BRC Honorarium for the next iteration of the Elemental Flow Dojo:
Art Installation Title:
Rite of Flow
Project Summary:
Rite of Flow is a unique performance stage on open playa. It features a padded raised stage surrounded by racks w/ hundreds of every type of flow performance tool, so anyone can try any type of flow art while world-class masters come to teach. Yoga and flow by day, fire and projections at night.
Physical Description
The stage will be 5' tall with a 37' X 37' footprint. It will have 5' wide ramps on three sides for access, and a raised DJ booth on the 4th side. In the daytime we will have shade extending from the DJ booth across the stage to the two opposite corners. The shade will be retractable for evening fire. There will be flame effects off of the poles and the DJ booth, as well as projectors mounted for mapping the stage itself and the wall below the DJ Booth.
Most significant are racks of tools surrounding the skirt of the stage, with 100s of every size of staves, poi, hoops, fans, swords, meteor, yoga mats, etc available for all to use. The racks will be beautifully decorated with different elemental art highlighting the location of the tools so participants can return them when complete.
What is the philosophy of your piece?
Flow arts is an emergent discipline encompassing a huge range of forms of physical expression. Arising from the fire spinning and juggling communities, it has come to encompass acro-yoga, glow-stringing, hula hooping, belly dancing, breakdancing, parkour, martial arts, aerials, circus arts, and more. This eclectic melange of movement practices shares one thing: the altered state of consciousness known as the Flow State.
When one experiences "Flow", time and self melt away. Just as one's inner critic recedes into the background, a greater capacity for innovation, problem solving, and expression takes hold. It truly is one of the best experiences in life, as one's abilities seem to increase manifold and previously inaccessible tricks and movements come with ease.
Historically, this was a key feature in our ancestral hunter/gatherer's survival. With the advent of agriculture and civilization, what once was vital to our daily existence was relegated to the arena of sports and entertainment. Many go through their whole lives without experiencing the ecstatic state of Flow, or chase after it vainly as an adrenaline or endorphin ju**ie.
Flow Artists are the lucky few who have intuitively incorporated a practice into their lives that allows them regular access to this altered state of consciousness. The Rite of Flow aims to initiate thousands more participants into this practice, literally gifting them the tools, space, and permission to express themselves radically and fully.
Mission & Interactivity
Flow arts and fire spinning have long been a crucial component of Burning Man. However, they haven't always been very accessible to novices and virgins. Previous stages, while impressive and incredible for existing fire performers, were intimidating to many of the uninitiated.
Rite of Flow addresses that by providing free, decommodified flow toys of every shape and size for anyone to use. We aim to have one of the most accessible, participatory installations in the history of the playa, where anyone can find their flow. We'll encourage existing artists to come and share their mastery, while also challenging them to push their boundaries and experiment with tools and elements outside their comfort zone.
We also are excited to feature musicians as DJs as well as VJs who can project their artwork onto the stage and interact with the performers and fire artists. We'll have nightly ceremonies to transition the stage from flow to fire, and themes for different days to encourage diversity of participation.
The flow community has long been an integral part of the Burning Man experience, and we aim to create an art piece and performance area that honors their mastery and dedication while encouraging neophytes and aspirants to participate in ways they otherwise never would have dreamed.
