TRIGGERED is a live performance work that powerfully communicates the experience of dissociating, whilst maintaining a mostly functioning life. The development process will explore ways of communicating, with BODY, SOUND and IMAGE, the lived experience of one woman with a history of childhood trauma.
TRIGGERED is the concept of director Rebecca H Russell, and it draws on her own experience of living with a history of childhood abuse. Drawing on the stored energy of emotions in her body and mind, TRIGGERED aims to express the raw emotions of trauma, transferred into a show with dance, sound, projection and illusion. TRIGGERED is an experiential performance that will blur the lines of reality and illusion, shifting the audiences perception by tricking them into believing one reality before exposing another to simulate the lost moments and patterns of the mind during dissociation after being triggered. TRIGGERED ventures into dark places but always emerges into a place of bravery and hope with good doses of humour and intrigue.
TRIGGERED brings together an exciting team of Regional and Melbourne based artists: movement artist (butoh and trance dance) Janette Hoe, Physical performer Christy Flaws, sound artist Thembi Soddell, video artist Dotahn Caspi and designer Ken Evans. TRIGGERED uses technology with a medieval mindset. During the development process, the collaborating artists will work with health professionals and a targeted audience of adults living with a history of childhood trauma.
TRIGGERED draws on the history of trauma and art to specifically explore the experience of functioning adults due to the fact that much of the conversation around trauma is centered around extreme experiences and people who are considered highly at risk. The TRIGGERED project aims to break the silence and open up some space for discussion around the very common, expertly hidden and isolating experience of living ‘normal’ lives but with the ongoing undercurrents of living with trauma history. TRIGGERED aims to set the scene for rich and much needed conversation. This conversation has started, WE WANT TO MAKE IT LOUDER!
TRIGGERED will use innovative processes to explore a challenging subject. It will draw on the research and experience of psychology and trauma informed yoga practice, to investigate the concept of trauma informed contemporary dance and physical performance. Sound artist Thembi Soddell will work closely with Rebecca to interpret and inform the movement and image, drawing on her extensive practice-led research into the representation of firsthand experiences with mental illness and emotional distress.
TRIGGERED will explore the interactions between body, sound and image and the complex responding, reacting and initiating interception between the three. The movement will shift between being driven by sound and image and driving the sound and image.
Pending Funding.
