4OUR, choreographed and directed by Joe Laughlin, is a lightning-doesn’t-strike twice kind of production. This production pirouettes into Vancouver for a one-night only performance on September 19th before darting off to New Brunswick, as ephemeral as the moments in human existence it depicts. Much like the defining moments in our existence, the impact of this production doesn’t quite fade away. It lingers wistfully at the edges of our consciousness.
Memory is a prominent theme of the play, and 4OUR does justice in exploring this universal and human concept by stripping it down to its raw, personal form. Throughout the piece’s kinetic expression of emotions and human dynamics, bodies entwine, detach and undulate as silhouettes materialise, linger and disperse. The result is a moving evocation of the transience of relationships, and the persistence of memory. The power of this piece lies in its emotional intensity: every movement reverberates with feeling.
Heather Dotto, one of the 4 dancers, graciously agreed to discuss the piece’s conceptual background and the broader significance of dance as a medium.
HCUBC: What does the performance mean to you, symbolically?
Heather: A lot the images are inspired by memories and are family-based. A lot of the sections in the piece remind me of relationships with my mother, my father, and my brother. I’ve drawn a lot of memories from when I grew up with my cousins and parents. Because it is a multi-generational piece, there is such a large age gap between the 4 of us dancers. We’re all from a different generation and it reminds me of how I used to interact with the generation above me and the generation above that. I think this production is really special because the 4 of us are very good friends and we don’t really recognise the age gap when we’re talking to each other or dancing with each other, but I think that’s what the audience sees and I find that really special.
HCUBC: I see. So the main message or feeling that you want audiences to come away with would be this exploration of the intergenerational familial dynamics and relationships?
H: Exactly.
HCUBC: Do you explore other aspects of familial relationships, both the positive and more disturbing aspects?
H: Absolutely. I think there is every part of the familial relationship within this piece, like meeting somebody for the first time or being born. The production also includes the expectations of your children growing up, and the miscommunication between a parent and a kid or between each other. There’s so much love in this show, but there’s also a lot of struggle.
HCUBC: So do you convey this struggle through your movement? Do you draw on your own personal experiences? Is there some spontaneity to the choreography?
H: I think that the piece, as we like to call it, is structured so it’s not choreographed to a T. We are allowed to have a lot of freedom and what Joe [Laughlin] would want as our director is for our reactions to be real and to be happening in the moment. The way we react to one another is natural and in the moment during the show, and it totally changes every time we run the piece. The feelings that come out of the dancers is going to be different every time you see it.
HCUBC: Where exactly did the director gather his inspiration from to produce this piece?
H: It was an organic process and it was very special. Joe Laughlin started working on a duet with his longtime friend and colleague Gioconda Barbuto, and it was originally Gioconda’s idea to bring in two other dancers, Kevin Tookey and I. The chemistry was excellent, and the mix of energy we got from one another was a really magical kind of feeling. In the summer of the premiere of the show, Joe and Gioconda lost their dads, which really played into the piece. I was the youngest in the show at the time, and we had to step up and make sure that they were okay, which reversed our roles in that moment because they are older than us. Because they were mourning their dads at that time, a lot of that feeling comes into the show.
HCUBC: Is there any image that you would like the audience to visualise while they are watching the show to enhance their perception? For example, the production strikes me as very dream-like. Would that be an accurate description of the piece?
H: Yes, I think it’s like a dream, or a memory, or a figment. My wish is for people to watch it and be reminded of the memories they’ve had with their mom, dad, or maybe their sibling. I want the audience to be able to see a part of themselves at any age throughout the show. Ultimately, the show is about love.
HCUBC: So basically, even though the piece does explore the more tormented aspects of familial relationships, you want the audience to leave feeling like there is some sort of redemption present in all relationships?
H: Yes, and in the loss of somebody.
HCUBC: That it’s something people can overcome and work through?
H: And to always look back and use those memories as inspiration to move forward.
HCUBC: What would you tell people to expect from the various elements that constitute the piece?
H: Like many arts disciplines, this piece is multi-disciplinary. We have amazing projection and sound design. We have a whole crew that put forth an art form to bring this piece together. Dancing is just one element of the piece. I would tell people to expect that they are going to walk into a different world, and it’s not going to be just dancers on the stage. We really transform the space and transport them for the hour.
HCUBC: Would you say that as a dancer, you communicate nonverbally what cannot be fully expressed in words?
H: Definitely. I think a dancer’s job is to be in the moment, and breathe in the moment. It’s not about acting. It’s about reacting to one another. There are times when I look at one of the cast members as my mother and a few minutes later I’m looking at the same person as my child. We have to really believe this relationship, and believe that’s who they are in that moment. All these feelings have to come through in the way we move and the way we look at each other.
4OUR is running until October 4th. Purchase tickets and find details for each city here.