Dancer, composer, musician and writer Kaitlin June’s initial plan of becoming a therapist was interrupted when she decided to follow her true dream of performing.
The
North Carolina native and UNC alumna will perform her first one-woman
show, Lightyear, Friday night at the Durham Arts Council.
The show incorporates dance, acrobatics, live piano and poetry and
explores the creation and recollection of how memories are stored in the
body.
“I was in a program
for a master’s degree in expressive arts therapy, which combines dance
therapy, music therapy, visual art therapy and creative writing therapy
into one degree,” she said. “In this program we had to do a 10-minute
performance about our life in whatever way we chose, so I gravitated to
the piano. After the performance, I broke down crying because I
realized I really wanted to perform.”
June
said she has a rare, highly-superior autobiographical memory,
characterized by the ability to recall specific dates and experiences in
a way most people cannot.
“I’ve always had a fascination with dates and calendars and the way memory works together,” she said.
Although
her performance is autobiographical, June said she hopes the audience
will understand it is not just about her. She said she wants her
performance to represent a journey through the human experience.
“No
matter what race, gender or financial situation, everyone knows what it
feels like to be disappointed or what excitement feels like, and that
is the journey I’m inviting the audience on,” June said. “We all have
different versions because our life experiences are different, but the
common thread is our emotional experience, and that’s what unifies us.”
Writer Rremida Shkoza
said she has worked with June in the past by allowing her to write
music for one of her shows. She said June has a very incredible and
intuitive side as a musician to convey a specific message to the
audience.
"She’s so open to
connecting to the audience,” she said. “Sometimes performers forget that
it’s not the indulgence of performing, but it’s also the connection
with the audience. Her work really reflects that.”
Performance and health communications teaching assistant Marie Garlock said when June creates something, it is about universal human concerns — inspiring people from diverse backgrounds.
“It’s
a fantastic combination of physical powers,” she said. “She is very
strong, athletic and graceful in how she moves her body and brings a
delicate approach to the conceptual material that she’s bringing to
life. She has a powerful physicality, but a nuanced approach to the
ideas she brings to life.”
No comments:
Post a Comment