Prana Vriksha

PRANA VRIKSHA (Tree soul)

Choreography: Anjali
Music: original score by John Armstrong
Images: Anne-Marie Gaston
Head-dress: Andree Poulliot

This piece was inspired by a short Japanese “Noh” play concerning a tree that seeks salvation. It affirms the divinity of nature. A priestess enters and performs rituals, after which the tree, on learning that it can possess a soul, dances until it unites with the infinite. The transition from priestess to tree is marked by a change in rhythm from 7 to 9 beats. This piece was premiered on 3 April as part of the Espace Musique series at the National Gallery of Canada. It was choreographed with the assistance of the Laidlaw Foundation.

Electronic score produced at the University of Ottawa on a MacPlus/Vision/EMU Proteus/Kurzweill K2000R/A bunch of patch cords!