Evidence of things unseen

This afternoon, I ferried over to Governors Island to check out choreographer Dana Salisbury's Unseen Dances, a presentation of Lower Manhattan Cultural Council's Swing Space program.


All photos (c)2010, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

While big crowds arrived to take in the numerous, fun-looking offerings of a arts-and-public-creativity festival called Figment, I slipped into a small room at the back of Building 110 (LMCC's arts residency outpost) and joined a small group of people being de-shoed, separated from our belongings, blindfolded and guided around. Salisbury and the No-See-Ums provided a sightless experience of heightened aural, tactile and kinetic awareness, ranging from the amusing (when I briefly got snared in something plastic that failed to give way) to the amazing (a mini-earthquake of rapid, heavy footfalls; outside conversations from two opposing directions, simultaneously hitting each of my ears in a startling demonstration of brain hemispheres).


Unseen Dances comes in two flavors: improvised and choreographed. Feel free to visit anytime during open hours (12-4 tomorrow; 1-5 on Sunday) and sign up to go with the improvised flow. Come at 2pm tomorrow or 3pm on Sunday for the choreographed performance, which lasts 45 minutes. There's no charge.

You'll find Building 110 as soon as you come off the ferry. Look for it to the right of the path, past the building housing the new cafe. 110 is a long brick building with a sign for Figment. Stop in there for restrooms, then exit again and walk around to the building's left side.

Walk down to the far end of the building where you'll find LMCC's special entrance as well as a rather adorable sign for Unseen Dances.

Directions to and schedule for the Governors Island ferry

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