DPJ’s Urban Form series looks at the interplay between movement and surroundings through the lens of dancers and architecture in downtown Phoenix.
Dancer Randee Powell in front of a mural by Joerael JE. Photo: Ashley Baker.
Phoenix is known for its relaxed and understated style. Though we offer the bright lights and flashing colors of a city, we are also a place that takes time to breathe. Downtown has always won my heart for this reason. It is a place that is vibrant, but does not force you to go forward too fast too soon; instead it guides you to find your own sense of adventure.
A previous Urban Form piece showed a smaller mural in the FilmBar parking lot, so this week I wanted to show one of the larger works that graces 2nd Street. When dancer Randee Powell stepped in front of the mural by Joerael JE, I knew immediately what I wanted from her dancing. The beauty of dance is that it can add layers to something that already exists and create new concepts that the work itself inspires. That was the case in this photo: Randee exploded from the colors, hands, and structure that so warmly surrounded her, guiding her to create her own adventure.
