MicroDanza by Fernando Melo
A dance that becomes a game of optical illusion. The dancer projects on a film her doubled moving image. It is as if she were inside a glass bell, which distorts her vision of the world and keeps her from connecting with the people around her. The spectator, disorientated at first, can choose whether to enter her world or remain distant and alien.
The Bell Jar invites the audience to observe a dancer through an optical lighting film. This glass-like structure creates the optical illusion of a double image and a sense of disorientation to the observer. Behind this frame, watching the simple actions of a person becomes a unique visual experience. I have always been interested how watching a performer can be an exercise in empathy. The simple fact of observing another human being can challenge existing habits of thought and open up new perspectives. Particularly in times when, too often, conformism and fear seem to prevail, understanding the actions of others through empathy is crucial to our co-existence.
Fernando Melo