Marissa Wong/The Falling Company
Departure
Photo credits: Cara Tench
Marissa Wong/The Falling Company
The Falling Company is a nonprofit dance company under the direction of Marissa Wong. Formerly known as the response. and founded by Amber Funk Barton, the company provides a homebase for creative work from a singular woman of colour. The company’s work is reflective of the artistic director at the time while maintaining parallel values through each transition. The Falling Company is a platform for continuous learning, expanding knowledge through self development and inner reflection. Through accessible/relatable storytelling that reflects the human experience, The Falling Company creates art curious in the process of growth, including the undoing of historical and systemic structures. The Falling Company invests in genuine collaborations through meaningful, long lasting connections. Inclusive spaces are created where generosity is prioritized, and supporters can celebrate their individuality. Relationships are strengthened through sustainable practices that value the well being of its artists.
Departure
‘Departure’ is a 50-minute solo choreographed and performed by Marissa Wong. The piece is about past experiences, how they impact decisions, and diverting from patterns formed by these experiences. Inspired by Bessel Van Der Kolk’s bestselling book ‘The Body Keeps the Score’, this work explores the physiological response to emotional triggers and conversely how those triggers influence physical patterning . The performance is shaped by an improvised structure where recalled memories become prompts for movement and choreography. Memories include past experiences, relationships, trauma, turning points etc. The audience witnesses the performer's inner turmoil as she challenges her need to control against her desire to let go. This work demands intense vulnerability from the performer, allowing the audience to reflect on their own experiences. While watching this piece, audience members will observe the emotional landscape and fortitude within a process of growth.
Photo credits: Cara Tench
Performance History of Departure
May 28 & 29, 2021. Presented by TWObigsteps Collective in partnership with The Dance Centre. At the Faris Family Theatre in Vancouver, BC
Project Details
Project created by: Marissa Wong
Key Collaborators: Choreographer/Performer: Marissa Wong
Original Music and Sound: Jamie Bradbury
Lighting Design: Jonathan Kim
Styling and Costumes: Meagan Woods
Dramaturg: Chick Snipper
Rehearsal Direction: Hayley Gawthrop
Stage Manager: Kayleigh Sandomirsky
Livestream Operator: Yasuhiro Okada
Audience: General Audience
Length in minutes: 50-55 minutes - Full length work
Space required: The work was built for live performance in a theatre or gallery. The work is improvised and adaptable to alternate indoor venues.
Preparation required: It would benefit the work to have a 2 day technical residency. 4-7 hours minimum tech time is recommended to adapt and stage the performance.
General technical requirements: Stage: Presentation requires wings or curtains. Performance can adapt to different floor surfaces with notice and a tech day in advance. The work can be presented with or without stage lighting. Props: a pile of clothing attached to fishing wire. Sound: Music for performance is run by our stage manager using QLAB from a laptop. Microphones may be requested for larger venues.
Availabilities: March/April-June 2022, Fall 2022 (Sept-Dec), Winter 2023 (Jan-March), Spring 2023 (April-June), Summer 2023 (July-Aug), Fall 2023 (Sept-Dec), Winter 2024 (Jan-March), Spring 2024 (April-June), Summer 2024 (July-Aug)
Number of performers on tour: 1
Number of support staff on tour: 4 staff on tour including stage manager, lighting designer, sound designer, rehearsal director
Community Engagement Activities
A community-level movement class will be offered prior to the performance to adults and youth, no previous dance experience will be necessary. During this 1.5 hour class, participants will access body awareness through movement prompts. Somatic suggestions will guide participants through a meditation-like class, and offer participants a similar improvisation score created for ‘Departure’. Classes will be offered by suggested donation of $10-$20, and no one shall be turned away due to lack of funds. This structure recognizes the financial and systemic barriers that supporters may face while touring in diverse communities.
A week leading up to the performance, a 20-minute Instagram Live discussion with a local dance artist will be facilitated by Marissa Wong. The discussion will focus on the artistic process and allow a local artist to share their creative process. A month before the performance date, local artists will be contacted and briefly interviewed to find the right fit for the facilitated conversation. Selection for participants will prioritize BIPOC, female-identifying artists based in a movement practice but not limited to dance. The artist involved will be paid a small honorarium or access to view the performance for free. The Instagram Live video will stream on The Falling Company’s social media as well as the local artist’s. The Falling Company’s and local artist’s followers will have access to comment, ask questions, and be involved in the conversation.
Contact: Marissa Wong/The Falling Company, info@thefallingcompany.com
Website:thefallingcompany.com
Facebook: thefallingcompany
Instagram: thefallingcompany