This is the fourth iteration performance of the project Tend by Julia Rae Antonick. Thank you for coming to our Dress Rehearsal. We expect there might be a few things to iron out during these shows, we are so grateful for your humor and generosity as we make all the hiccups we need to make before we officially open the doors to the public the following week.
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INTRODUCTORY DESCRIPTION
Tend imagines a world where your monthly, weekly, or yearly dance appointment is a legitimate need. Matched with a dancer/technician for an hour long appointment, the interactive performance envelopes the guest in a highly structured choreographic journey designed to respond to interests and needs that emerge on the day of the visit. Weaving together consensual touch, conversation, music, and movement, Tend offers a much-needed opportunity to rest, recharge, reflect, and foster connection.
ARTISTIC INQUIRY DESCRIPTION
Tend is a service-based performance experience fulfilling a socially requisite and biologically exigent allogrooming need. Structured as a one hour appointment, the self-care informed dance and music scores simultaneously envelopes the audience while leaving space to allow your nervous system to settle, contemplate the inherent power differentials in human interaction, and allow the somatic possibility of conflict resolution in true social grooming form. Colliding necessity, extravagance, and irrelevance, it imagines a world where your monthly dance appointment is a legitimate need, a necessary line item in your personal budget. A haptic, phatic, and kinetic service providing a much-needed place to rest, recharge, reflect, reconcile. An environment supporting small talk, catching up, grooming bodies and relationships in turn.
In short, come ready to chat, be touched/touch, and watch a performance made especially for you.
+ For Tend, audience members select an hour-long appointment in order to attend the performance. Friday and Sunday appointments are available between 12:15pm - 5pm. We also encourage booking repeat Tend appointments if you are able after you have had your first appointment.
+ All touch that will happen during the appointment will go through a process of informed consent by checking in verbally upon arrival. If at any time during the service there is less touch wanted, you are welcome to communicate this verbally or by draping a specified blanket over yourself during the show. If you are desiring to come experience the show from the position of someone not being touched, please stop by the gallery during our show hours and let us know.
+ Tend performances take place at The John Michael Kohler Arts Center - Social STUDIO.
+ To see who the technician for each appointment is, select a date + time in the TICKETS tab, and click MORE INFO under the ticket type title.
+ If you would like to learn more about the technician with which you've scheduled your Tend appointment: click here.
+ For a full list of the artists who have contributed to this project please click here.
+ To read more about our ticketing prices and structure, click here and click Ticketing Philosophy.
+ We intend to significantly challenge the audience and simultaneously practice radical care for each attendee, inviting people into a safer space to delve into inherently uncomfortable but rewarding material. As is customary with some Khecari performances, all prospective attendees will need to fill out an audience interest form to ensure open communication and informed consent for the work they intend to experience.
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* We welcome all people with disabilities to our events. If you require a specific access service to fully participate or have any questions about accessibility, contact Julia Antonick at [email protected]. Please be in touch as soon as you know you would like to join us so we can make sure we have the accommodations ready for you on the day you will attend. All requests are needed 10 days before your booked service.
** The Kohler Museum is wheelchair accessible. There are minimal scents present in the space except for the smell of the use of cleaning wipes between clients on surfaces, peppermint essential oil used to refresh the space before we open the house at 12:15pm. We will be asking people to be mindful of wearing highly scented products. One technician speaks both Mandarin Chinese and English. Children are welcome to come to the appointment with an additional caregiver to experience the work from a seating bank nearby. If you need to bring dependent children without a caregiver coming in addition to you, please be in touch with us so we can arrange the support you need. Service animals are also welcome. All other access services available upon request 2 weeks before your service. Please contact [email protected]
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Photos by Kristin Weinberg, pictured are Tend performers Helen Lee, Enid Smith, Chih-Hsien Lin, and Gina Hoch-Stall.