DPJ’s Urban Form series looks at the interplay between movement and surroundings through the lens of dancers and architecture in downtown Phoenix.
Dancer James Flores. Photo by Ashley Baker.
“Learning to let go” – James Flores
The Arizona Science Center on 7th Street and Washington inspires curiosity, both inside and outside of its modern concrete walls. Phoenicians come here to explore the scientific mysteries of the world through interactive experiences. The blend of the expansive concrete staircase, the glass, and the art found outside the science center in the Heritage and Science Park inspired the scene that dancer James Flores and I created within this space.
Like science, art is a lifelong experiment where the constant is knowing that there will be an infinite amount of ways to approach the movement, the look, the feeling. When James entered the position, I asked him to try to push himself as far as he possibly could, to explore all possible approaches. Within this investigation he found the emotional clarity to let go and showed how our interaction with these downtown spaces spark discovery and offer enlightenment.
