Creatures!

About 3 years ago, a friend started doing what she called "the Creatures" as a performance piece at the Little Red Studio.  I was entranced and fascinated with the back story and way that Cody embodied this whole world in these short movement/dance based performances.  I wanted to be a Creature too, but was too- I don't know, scared to intrude, I suppose, by asking if I could collaborate with her.  Instead I took on other roles that fit within the world she had conjured.  That was exciting, but it left me wanting more.

Time when on and Cody included other performers in the Creature' world, eventually moving on to other projects, including starting a business.  One of her last collaborators, Eva, continued on and did a 3 day long story-line and ambient performance at the 2009 Seattle Erotic Art Festival.  It was after SEAF last year that I approached Eva about collaborating with her.  I confessed the pull that the Creatures had on me and my affinity with the concept and performance.  We started rehearsing and injuries kept us from our proposed debute in the January LRS Dance Concert.  Sadly, due to our schedules filling up, we shelved the project.

My sweetie puts on a fetishwear dance and social party called Fete Nuit at the CSPC on the 3rd Friday of every month. Sometimes there is a theme and February's theme invited people to dress up as animals and animal associated humans. (One of the best costumes was the Animal Testing Lab Scientist.)  In a flash of inspiration, I called up Eva. Upon describing the party, I suggested we use it as a chance to rehearse in full make-up with a "Handler", neither of which I had done until Friday.  We made a bit of a date out of it, letting the first part of the evening be about immersing ourselves in the roles and playing with each other and our Handler, aka the Mean Man, as Creatures.  By far, the most fun we had was Eva & I fighting over food.  After a rest, we work-shopped our interactions and refined my movement style as a creature. Incredible fun!  Definitely as satisfying and fun as I had hoped.

An exciting feature of the Fete Nuit parties is the photographer on hand offering people a chance to get a keepsake photo of their costumes.  This month Distinct Glimpse was generously donating his time and skills with camera and lights.  Here is one of the photos of us in character and in costume.  Unfortunately, my Creature isn't a very good model.  I need a little more practice being her.

The only bad thing about being a Creature is being on one's knees for so long.  And most of the Center is carpeted which resulted in my poor knees being abraded by the end of the evening. I will be purchasing knee pads asap.  I want to find something geared toward dancers so that they are not too bulky.  And as far as costuming goes, I would love to find someone who can make me some wrist and hand guards out of leather.  I would love to have something that protected the heels of my hands that could possibly offer a bit of support to my wrists.

Not sure when we will be able to do that again, but we will definitely perform as Creatures again.