QUESTIONS TO JENA ND NINA ABOUT THE WHISTLE PERFOR MANCE

QUESTIONS TO JEN AND NIN ABOUT THE WHISTLE PERFORMANCE

1. WHAT WORKED  AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THE PURE INTENTION IS STATED AND HONORED THROUGHOUT?  LINDA:  I LIKED BEING TOGETHER..AND HAVING TIME  TO ENTER ALTERED STATE
2. 
   
   
   
   Linda’s statements regarding each performance have been concise and effective so far and I think they set and maintain the intention. 
3.  WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?
   I enjoy recognizing the solemn performative psychic sphere that we set together and noticing how the phenomena and potential of this practice is substantiated. I like having the opportunity to work with each of you and our participants and to make notes of our findings along the way as research of phenomena as a way to keep learning how we might use it more effectively and to continue to experiment with collaborative roles.

LINDA: GETTING HIGH TOGETHER IS A GOOD THING. I LIKE THAT..I LOVED LOVED LOVED OUR TALKING LIKE  LITTLE ROBOTS. THAT WAS SOOOOOOOOO FINE. 

1. WHAT DID YOU DO THAT YOU APPRECIATED AND WOULD DO AGAIN? 
   I notice that my mind is quieter than usual when we perform together and I always like when it occurs that time becomes quickened for some reason, I think this is a clue to something and that happens for me when we are performing together.  I also appreciate how we continue to check in and refine our work. I’m also happy about my ability to change and try new things or recognize when I tried or did something that wasn’t effective I feel greatfull to have the opportunity to do it differently the next time.
2. LINDA: I WOULD MAKE SURE WE HAD TIME BEFORE TO CALM DOWN/MEDITATE/DO A CIRCLE WHICH WE DIDNT DO
   
3. WHAT DID YOU DO THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE? LINDA: I WOULD NOTTTTTTTTTTTT  CORRECT  ANYONE DURING THE PERFORMANCE..LIKE  "POKE"SSOMEONE/NOT TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO IN A REAL TIME MANNER WHEN WE ARE IN THAT ALTERED SPACE. I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS CLEAR THAT BEING FOCUSED/NOT LOOKING AT THE AUDIENCE/ WAS IMPORTANT SO THAT I DIDNT FEEL SO EAGER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN DURING THE PERFORMANCE.For whistle Portraits I didn’t wear any shoes and that was very un-nurse like. For Piano Portraits I felt too central and disregarded my instinct to be behind the piano because I couldn’t see how that would be possible. LINDA: I ACTUALLY DDINT MIND YOUR NO SHOES.  SEEMED NATURAL BUT IT WILLBE BETTER WITH WHITE SHOES. COSTUME IS VERY VEYR IMPORTANT AND A NEAT AND CLEAN AND NURSE LOOKING COSTUME IS NECESSARY. I WISH WE HAD HAD A DRESS REHEARSAL AND I HAD SEEN WHT WE WERE WEARING BEFORE WE BEGAN.  BECAUSE I WAS DISTRACTED BY OUR NOT BEING  CO-COSTUMED AND THAT TOOK AWAY FROM MY CONCENTRATION.  IT IS MY ISSUE BECAUSE I DID NOT ASK FOR A REHEARSAL FO CLOTHING, NOT YOURRRRRRRR ISSUE..
4. WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER PERFORMERS DIDNT WORK. IS THERE AN HONORING OF COSTUME AND THE LOOK OF EACH PERFORMER THAT THE COMPOSER AGREES WITH AND THAT AGREES WITH THE PERFORMANCE?
   I noticed when looking at the video that it seems to be distracting when we as performers engage in other non-performative but normal actions such as adjusting clothes or fixing hair,  LINDA:  I AGREE THAT FOR THIS PIECE, BEING SUPER MEDICAL SEEMED  ESSENTIAL .etc. i think we should allow ourselves to enter a solemn performative mode where we become conscious of not engaging in extraneous body movements and also  we should try to be deliberate about not making eye contact with the audience except when we are meant to. STAYING STILL SEEMS CORRECT.. 
5. HOW CAN THAT BE ADJUSTED FOR NEXT PERFORMANCE? If we take time beforehand to center our bodies and breathing and psyche so that we can feel grounded and not fidgety. This takes time and practice for me so I need to be earlier and have more quiet time beforehand.WE MUST AGREE TO A TIME SITUATION WHERE WE ALLOW AT LEAST A HALF HOUR TO WARM UP THE NEXT TIME WE WORK TOGETHER?  THIS SEEMS CORRECT.  IF IT SAYS  2, THEN 130 WE ARE ALL SET UP TECHONOLOGICALLY AND READY TO GO.  ALSO,  I FELT A KIND OF  PUSH TOO MANY TIMES DURING THE EVENT.  LIKE  A WHISLE WHEN THERE COULSD AND REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A  LISTENING.  I FELT  COMPELLED AND NOT INVITED, I FELT PUSHED AND NOT  ACCEPTED, I FELT  FORCED BY LOUD AND UNNES=CESSARY SOUND MAKING AND NOT IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF  LISTENERERS...BUT IN A GROUP OF   "DOERS"   ...WE MUST AGREE TO LISTEN AND NOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT JUST  DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.  AND MAYBE  DO SOFTLY SOMETIMES AND WITH FEELING AND NOT WITH  FORCE.  IT IS A VERY DELICATE  DANCE, ALL OF THIS.  BUT WE CAN DO IT. 
6. HOW TO DO PR IN THE FUTURE SO IT GIVES CREDIT TO THE "COMPOSER" AND MENTIONS THE OTHER PERFORMERS CORRECTLY?
   Doing Piano Portraits I felt it was clear that Linda was / is the composer / orchestrator of that and that Jen and I are doing experimental supportive roles since Linda had been working with Piano Portraits before working with us and continues to refine her approach on her own. I think this is clear in the first PR images where we put Linda’s name first and in bigger letters. In regular PR text Linda’s role as arranger is less apparent except for the fact that her name appears first. Maybe from here on we should articulate that more clearly by saying it something like “ ....Portraits BY Linda Mary Montano WITH Nina Isabelle & Jennifer Zackin.” (By and with not necessarily in caps)WE MUST NOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT  EVER BE SHY TO TAKE CREDIT AND I THINK NAMING IN AN ORDER THAT DOES SO IS OIMPORTANT TO THE ME TOO /FEMINIST AND TRANSPARENCY MOVEMENT. IF WE DONT SPEAK UP, THEN WE WILLBE  SQUASHED. IF WE CONTINUE TO BE IN EACH OTHERS ORBIT WE SHOULD AGREE TO BE TRANSPARENT.
7. ANYTHING YOU WISH TO ADD AS A QUESTION? I’m sensitive to incorporating objects and elements that are not part of my culture such as the rattle but I deeply respect Jen’s family connection to Puruvian culture and practices and while I understand and agree with the use of shakers and swooshers for energetic moving and clearing purposes, I feel more comfortable when I can find and use elements that are relevant to my own culture and environment for instance trinkets or pebbles in a jar or can or a baby rattle, musical toy rattle, or my own fingers, hands, arms,... anything not decorated that seems to attach itself to another culture apart from mine. Once We used a small fluffy yellow Christmas tree as an energy swisher, I feel at ease using found objects or something we might make from materials we have access to, or a feather duster, etc. does this make sense? Also, considering spectatorship, what would our point in referencing another culture be within the context and intention of our performance. I feel comfortable with all of our other visual elements and that they are relevant and convey something connected to our intention.LIKE THE PEBBELS..I ALWAYS  USE  A REAL WHISTLE BUT THAT MIGHT NOT WORK HERE.  I ALSO  AGREE THAT THE LESS REFLECTIVE OF  ANYONE ELSES CULTURE IS A GOOD THING . HOW ABOUT EACH OF US BRING A JAR WITH PEBBLES? AND WE ALL USE IT NOT JUST  MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.  THAT SETS UP ALSO  AN ATMOSPHERE OF  COLLABORATION.
   
   
   
   

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT PERFORMANCES AFTER THEY ARE COMPLETED : A GUIDE FOR PERFORMANCE ARTISTS:

 IN THE  SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATION:  Linda Mary Montano 2018

1. WHAT WORKED  AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THE PURE INTENTION IS STATED AND HONORED THROUGHOUT?
2.  WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?
3. WHAT DID YOU DO THAT YOU APPRECIATED AND WOULD DO AGAIN?
4. WHAT DID YOU DO THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE?
5. WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER PERFORMERS DIDNT WORK. IS THERE AN HONORING OF COSTUME AND THE LOOK OF EACH PERFORMER THAT THE COMPOSER AGREES WITH AND THAT AGREES WITH THE PERFORMANCE?
6. HOW CAN THAT BE ADJUSTED FOR NEXT PERFORMANCE?
7. HOW TO DO PR IN THE FUTURE SO IT GIVES CREDIT TO THE "COMPOSER" AND MENTIONS THE OTHER PERFORMERS CORRECTLY?
8. ANYTHING YOU WISH TO ADD AS A QUESTION?