be ©1994

Choreographed and Performed by Kista Tucker
Music by Nicholas Pike and Danny Elfman
Original Lighting Design by Christian Tucker

The dance"be" is based on the project of defining, if possible,
the properties of timelessness and stillness. What are Timelessness and Stillness? What do they mean to me?

Objective Description

The study of "be" from a Laban Movement Analysis outlook informed me that the absence of the time Effort, the use of Remote, Dream and Stable States as well as Spell Drive, in conjunction with Even Phrasing, establishes the criteria for timelessness in movement. An additional absence of change is necessary to generate a sense of stillness in movement. When accompanied with an extended duration of time, both timelessness and stillness are exaggerated. Both phenomena, timelessness and stillness, are relative to the activity preceding and following them.

For those interested in abbreviated descriptions, I devised formulae that explain both timelessness and stillness:(T = Timelessness, S = Stillness, r = relative, m = movement, tE = time Effort, EP = Even Phrasing, dt = duration of time, -c = absence of change, s = super)

m - (tE) + (EP) = T
T + (dt) = sT
T + (-c) = S r
S + (dt) = sS

I discovered one predictable way of creating a sense of timelessness in movement. Relative to the movement preceding and following the targeted objective, if I eliminate the time Effort, extend the duration of time, and use Even Phrasing I can repeat my findings. Additionally, as long as change is not perceived, the sense of stillness can also be achieved.
As the reader may note, I purposefully use the phrase, "sense of" when referring to both movement subjects of this study. "be" and my interpretations of timelessness and stillness refer to relative perspectives, not absolutes.

Philosophical Understandings

Timelessness is --

• an ongoing flow, like a river or ocean that never stops

Timelessness means --

• experiencing something as nothing and nothing as something
• feeling a bit of eternity
• not being in my own skin
• mobility

Stillness is --

• a quiet child

Stillness means --

• having no change
• security
• being stuck
• invisibility
• stability

fire eyes, knowing eyes ©199

Choreographed by Kista Tucker
Danced by Collette Fuierer, Elizabeth Hoefner, Oreet Jehassi, Meghan Taylor
Music by John Williams, recorded and performance by Itzhak Perlman
and
Music composed and performed by Nicholas Pike
Lighting design by Christian tucker
Costume design by Kista Tucker

fire eyes, knowing eyes is a metaphor for the deep seeded (often unconscious) hurt, anger, and frustration acquired via the act of being born female in a patriarchal society. How, for eons, subsequent visions and actions have been transformed through intuitively informed "knowing eyes" provides ongoing optimism for future generations.

Fractured ©1989

Choreographed and performed by Kista Tucker
Music composesd by Rossini and sung by Marilyn Horne
Original Lighting Design by Christian Tucker
Set Design by Kista Tucker
Costume by Kista Tucker

Fractured is how my life seemed in 1989 when I was finishing my MFA degree at The Ohio State University. I choreographed this dance on a fellow graduate student then the next year performed it myself. I wear a red poofy formal dress, jewels, a tiara, red lace trimmed panties, and red high heels. (The shoes were once black and belonged to my grandmother.)
While this 12 minute dance is performed, 5 coffee makers--perched on pedestals-- brew expresso on stage. Steam from each pot can be seen while I dance my crazy head off.
I remember one section of movement where I actually pretend (while in my formal wear) that I'm a soldier in a muddy field and have to travel on my belly under a pretend, low hung, barbed wire fence. Another section has me waving like Miss America, and yet another farting like my son, who was around 10 years old at the time I created the dance. There are many other images, numerous friends and acquaintances come to mind as I perform this dance.
The audience smells the coffee and after the show, the actual coffee brewed on stage and Oreos are downed at the reception.

Untitled Improvisation c1993

A photo of improvised movement in Jim Dusen's photo studio. I once wore this dress as a Halloween witch costume (I also sprayed my hair black). And, the hat... I wore way back in the 1950's when I was a little girl. It was my Easter hat when I was around 9 or 10 years old.

Keep Going! ©1988

Choreographed and danced by Kista Tucker
Music by Luciano Berio and sung by the New Swingle Singers
Original Lighting Design by Christian Tucker
Costume Design by Kista Tucker

A very brief solo based on movement in the three-dimensional diagonal scale. Vera Maletic and Bill Evans are in my mind as I perform this high charged dance.

Little Old Men ©1997

(the term men is used in the all inclusive way)

Choreography by Kista Tucker
Danced by Collette Fuierer, Elizabeth Hoefner, Oreet Jehassi,
Kimberly Kurtz, Meghan Taylor, Carolyn Treeby, Jennifer Wisniewski
Music by Greg Ketchum
Original Lighting Design by Christian Tucker
Costumes by Kista Tucker

Solo
Kista Tucker

Power (alas, old men were/are not always old)
Elizabeth Hoefner, Meghan Taylor, Carolyn Treeby, Jennifer Wisniewski

Solo
Kista Tucker

Society
Collette Fuierer, Elizabeth Hoefner, Oreet Jehassi, Kimberly Kurtz,
Meghan Taylor, Carolyn Treeby, Jennie Wisniewski

Solo
Kista Tucker

Murder
Elizabeth Hoefner, Meghan Taylor

Solo
Kista Tucker

Journey & Home
Collette Fuierer, Elizabeth Hoefner, Oreet Jehassi, Kimberly Kurtz,
Meghan Taylor, Carolyn Treeby, Jennie Wisniewski

One Christmas season I was putting ornaments on our Christmas tree and as I handled the little elves--we must have at least a dozen of them--I suddenly became aware of my father, Robert Harold Robinson. He died in 1987. The seasonal moment was a very touching--the elves, the memory--and I instantly, intuitively decided to create a work with him in mind.
My memories of him are neither as little nor old, but the possibility exists that even though he was six feet tall, he may have appeared little--not old--but ineffective. My heart felt feelings remember him as a person who was sensitive, caring, and conquered. From stories I've heard I believe he was whipped and beaten as a child. To me, he in many ways was a wonderful man--But, wronged! And therefore, his entire life--though seemingly average--was an understatement.

He had an alcohol problem, understandably, and he also smoked. I'll never know for sure, but I strongly feel he was also dyslexic. He was intelligent but not in book learned ways. He had great respect for the classics, especially music, and he idolized John Wayne. He most definitely was a product of his times. And, least I forget, he had a great sense of humor.
Well anyway, this dance has a lot to do with the aspects of strength, weakness, and society's expectations.

Maga ©1994
Choreographed and Performed by Kista Tucker
Music by Christian Cherry and Jan Garbarek
Costume Design by Kista Tucker
Original Lighting Design by Christian Tucker

The initial choreography of Maga was inspired by Clarissa Pinkola Estes' book, Women Who Run With the Wolves. Maga is an archetypal piece. The central figure is a very wise, crone-like woman who is probably hundreds of years old. She is all-knowing and can see into the past to predict the present and the future. She is strong. Through her insight and magic she promotes learning and understanding. Maga is to be loved and feared.
Maga was worked through a Laban-Jungian approach as it related to intuition. The investigation consisted of: 1) the correlation between Effort, Shape and intuition in which there appeared to be a Jungian connection; 2) an enhanced ability to verbally articulate those "things" that were intuited, sensed and felt for years; and 3) other research. It was and continues to be affirming to know that intuitive ways of learning and expressing oneself, generally considered feminine, are valid.

One ©1991

Danced by Kista Tucker
Music composed by J.S. Bach, Georges Bizet,
David Hykes & the Harmonic Choir
Original Lighting Design by Christian Tucker

This solo was choreographed in 1991 as a preliminary study of stillness. In 1989 I presented my MFA Cunningham project which explored Merce Cunningham's philosophical and artistic aspects of movement. Nearing the completion of the project I discovered John Cage's use of silence. With no time left for expansion of my thesis project, I decided to pursue silence/stillness at a later date. One was this continued pursuit and the beginning of a rather lengthy and involved investigation. Also, around the time One was choreographed I viewed a video of Butoh artist, Kazuo Ono in a piece titled My Mother. I was influenced by Ono's use of theatricality and time. So, these two influences, stillness and Butoh, influenced the choreography and performance of One. I believe this solo is like a mobile statue, a statuesque mobile.

As with other women's issues, the use of the body is a concern. The use of the body in One does not represent a sexual being, but rather, a being immortalized--as a statue in a museum would be.
Other thoughts that come to mind when I think of this dance are: muscles, wrinkles, color, distance, and objectivity.

Progress ©1993

Danced by Hannah McClure & Sophia Roberts
Music by Jessita Teyes and Grupo Yaqui
also danced by Collette Fuierer and Junko Ishii
Original Lighting Design by Christian Tucker
Costumes by Kista Tucker

A photo of the trail of rocks left behind at the completion of this duet. Native American music and values are a large part of Progress. It is truly a piece that is danced from the inside out.

Rooms in the House ©1986

Choreographed and danced by Kista Tucker
Music by James Stepman
Original Lighting by Christian Tucker
Set Design and Costume by Kista Tucker

During the last three years I lived in San Antonio, Texas I had a friend who had multiple personalities. Of course, I didn't know she had multiple personalities when we first met, only after we got to know and trust one another was this secret learned.
Rooms in the House began as a form of self therapy for me so I could deal with the frustrations I encountered with my friend. Wanting to help her and also wanting to grow personally, I decided movement in the form of choreography was needed. I created Rooms...
The dance contains fragmented aspects of my friend--Sissy, Joyce, Patricia, P.J., and other personalities (the name nearly everyone knew her by is purposely omitted), as well as my own personal attitudes as an individual and a mother.

Salvador's Morning ©1997

Choreographed by Kista Tucker
Music by Kronos Quartet
Danced by Luann Alvaro, Elizabeth Hoefner, Kimberly Kurtz,
Meghan Taylor, Carolyn Treeby
Original Lighting by Christian Tucker
Costumes by Kista Tucker

This is one of my works dealing with aspects of absurdity. At times the piece is quirky, strange and at other times it is utterly beautiful. What is beauty? Relationships in Salvador's Morning--as in most of my work--are an important provision.

Trio ©1996

Danced by Elizabeth Hoefner, Meghan Taylor, Kista Tucker
Music composed by Arvo Part
Original Lighting Design by Christian Tucker
Costumes by Kista Tucker

Trio, a dance for three women, was created with an enlightened sense of design. Picturesque, form, engaging, abstract, spatial, beautiful, inspirational, simplicity... are terms that come to mind when remembering the essence of this dance.

Two tears in the dirt,

He cried in his own child grave.

The Victims ©1981

Choreographed by Kista Tucker
Music Unremembered
Danced by Sandy Dunn, Beth Kurburski, Kista Tucker
Original Lighting Design by Christian Tucker

A trio choreographed and performed in 1981 in San Antonio, Texas. It was one of those doomsday pieces. It also made a good picture.

Untitled Improvisation 1993

A shared concert mini-series brought modern dance and ballet together. Pictured are me, Kista Tucker and Jamie Leverett in an improvisational moment enacting movement typical of our artistic styles.

PHOTO -- Jamie Leverett, Kista Tucker

.

Untitled Improvisation c1984

This photo was taken in San Antonio in the DanceArt/S.A. studio located at 3020 N. St. Mary's St. The studio was once a laundromat.
I was moving about the studio improvising when my husband, Christian Tucker, took the shot. The shirt I wear in the photo was great. It has since been dyed dark grey and used as a pattern for a jacket I wove on my own jack loom. (The shirt currently sits on a closet shelf, unworn.) When I see this photo I'm reminded of Gregg Lizenbery