In our age of alienation through technology and political divides, simply being together has become a political act. Sp3 deals abstractly with themes of alienation and the technologized body. We call into question the concept of “presence,” and ask how one can remain present, embodied, and engaged, allowing art in general and the body in specific to remain a site of resistance to complacency.

Through pattern-based repetitions that loop and evolve, Sp3 weaves sound and movement into a fabric of shifting performance qualities, approaching “presence” as material to be shaped and cultivating a sensitivity to time unfolding, to environment, to human relation.

Oscillating between analogue and digital synthesis, Sp3’s music relies on algorithms to produce a layered, multifaceted sound world that resides in the territory of pulse pattern minimalism. Sp3’s six dancers create clear, formal architectures that are populated with densely textured movement.

Read the digital playbill here!

Lead Artist/Music Peter Price Choreography Megan Bridge Performers Megan Bridge, Marie Brown, Ann-Marie Gover, Megan Wilson Stern, Zornitsa Stoyanova, Kat Sullivan

Sp3 was developed by <fidget> in residence at FringeArts, Philadelphia.

Featured Photo: Bill Hebert

Nerd Out

Interview excerpt for Sp3 with Peter Price and Megan Bridge. Read more on the FringeArts Blog!

FringeArts: What was the first idea behind Sp3?

Peter Price: Sp3 is shorthand for space, pulse, pattern, presence. So the initial kernel of the work came out of discussions around those somewhat abstract concepts. We knew we wanted to make a work in a way we have not in some time—mostly set choreography to composed music. Our last large piece was to preexisting music by the late great composer Robert Ashley, and much of our collaborative practice involves improvisation of both music and dance. So it had been some time since I wrote a piece of scored music of significant scope and Megan choreographed to it.  We began by thinking about the different ways these concepts map to sound and to the body. What does pulse mean and how is it articulated musically or by a dancer? What does playing with pattern do compositionally or choreographically?

Megan Bridge: Peter and I were having brunch (sans kids . . . rare!) on the day after Dust closed at FringeArts, and we were discussing our next projects. We knew that Peter was going to be the lead artist on our next collaboration, and I really wanted it to start with music. After making Dust I was really excited again about music coming first and letting the body be moved by sound, treating sonic material as a physical phenomenon in the space and figuring out what it does to the other material that occupies that same space. In terms of the evolution of the work, I’d say we started very abstract, just playing with material, but as stuff started to stick we realized it had this dark, uncanny vibe. The mood of the piece started to feel very related to our perception of the world around us right now—tension-filled, edgy. So for me the biggest evolution is witnessing that mood and subtle narrativity weave its way into the work.