What you don't see

Presented by The Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library, Dana Salisbury and the No-See-Ums perform BARK, an “Unseen Dance” for blindfolded audiences. Dancers reveal themselves and the space through sound, scent, touch, temperature and air currents. The audience is placed within the action and periodically moved, causing shifts in their relationship to the environment, the performers, and one another. Based on non-visual perception, this is the first dance form fully accessible to the visually impaired.

For sighted and visually impaired audiences. This program is not suitable for children.

All New York Public Library programs are free of charge. Register by phone or in person.

March 5 at 2pm
The Richmondtown Library
200 Clarke Avenue (at Amber Street), Staten Island, NY

718-668-0413

March 12 at 2pm
Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library
40 West 20th Street, Manhattan New York, NY
212-206-5400

March 19 at 2pm
Webster Library
1465 York Avenue (near East 78th Street), Manhattan
212-288-5049

March 26 at 2pm
115th St Library
203 West 115th Street, Manhattan
212-666-9393

Dana Salisbury is an independent artist/choreographer who creates events and performances for blindfolded audiences highlighting non-visual perception. Her work has two related branches—the dance company, Dana Salisbury and the No-See-Ums, which creates "Unseen Dances" and Dark Dining Projects which offers sensory feasts for blindfolded audiences. Her work has been performed in a wide variety of settings- theaters, cultural venues, restaurants, festivals, and conferences examining the intersection of arts and science. Learn more here. 

For additional information, email Dana Salisbury,  or call 917-686-7474.

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

More on Dana Salisbury