Align the Fibers : Trees
Align the Fibers : Trees is an interdisciplinary project that presses the boundaries of dance performance processes. We are honoring the history of the land and river, specifically the trees that grew for upwards of 90 years. Native trees planted in 1938 by renowned urban planner Jens Jensen were harvested as part of the redevelopment project of Lathrop Homes in 2016. The trees were saw-milled and are now used to make canoes and kayaks as performance objects. As physical performers with trained bodies, throughout the pandemic, we shifted our creative practice to one that has expanded us individually and collectively as makers learning new physical survival skills, giving us purpose with our bodies. We are building skin-on-frame boats for experimental performances with sound and music on the Chicago River. Partnering with Lathrop Homes Co-Op Woodshop, Bluestem Building and Restoration will offer education and community-building opportunities to build boats for community use and performance.
Lathrop Homes is a Chicago Landmark Section 8 housing project situated along the banks of the Chicago River. The newly renovated complex retains Jens Jensen’s original landscape vision of open spaces for residents with access to the river. Lathrop Homes is now a mixed-income housing project with artist studios. Our studio and wood shop are located here. We want to continue building an artistic community at Lathrop Homes and utilize what we learned through the pandemic as we return to live performance. We are honoring Ralph Frese's 40-year history of canoe making and using plans and licensing through Oregon-based company Cape Falcon kayak and canoes. His plans are based on Inuit/indigenous knowledge of building. We are interested in how performance artists may honor the land and history of making on the river's shores. This work increases awareness to nurture much-needed land, body, and ecosystem healing through making, movement, sound, and performance.