miracle of movement
What began as a 100 days of dance project in September or 2015 has morphed into a body of work blending personal journaling, site specific improvisation, environmental art, and community collaboration. If you are a musician, dancer, yogi, artist, or filmmaker and are interested in collaborating, reach out to me via Instagram @laurakathrein
statement
My work is like the unexpected conversation you strike up with a stranger on an airplane. This metaphor is relevant to both my personal movement practice “Miracle of Movement” and my roll as a community organizer. The work centers on breaking down barriers. It is very rare that two strangers can maintain a conversation on a plane for three hours. At some point both parties always comment on how special these connections are. Inevitably you learn something from your row mate and they learn from you. Inspired by these moments of breaking down barriers and sharing information, I see the role of dance being a connective force between individuals and their communities.
My personal practice, “Miracle of Movement,” allows me to step into a space and be completely present in order to have a dialogue with the environment and its inhabitants. Whether a long collaboration or a meeting of the eye, I am sharing experiences and connecting with others through movement.
By broadening the idea of what constitutes as the environment to include a person’s community or home, I see my personal and professional work as environmental art. I strive to facilitate a dialogue between person and environment. A major goal in my work is to help people develop a greater sense of stewardship of place. Ultimately this idea will expand to encourage empathy and understanding of others and our place in the natural world.