The Order of Flo
May 3, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE —–
Dancer and choreographer Rivkah French (Houston) and philosopher Maggie Malady (Denton) are presenting “Order of Flo,” a queer-focused, interdisciplinary performance and installation curated by artistic researcher Jeanette Joy Harris, on May 15th at 7:30 pm at a private residence in Montrose.
Drawing on themes from queer theory and responding to COVID-19, “Order of Flo” playfully dances along the lines of destiny at the intersection of bodily motion and mindful emotion. Melting the presentations of drag, queer bodies, and weird minds, “Order of Flo” trans-imagines dance, tarot, poetry, and glossolalia. The evening welcomes a co-revelation of dancers thinking, philosophers moving, and audiences emerging.
“We are pleased to have found a place where performers and audiences can safely interact. Performance has been hit hard by the Pandemic. ‘Order of Flo’ gives artists an opportunity to share the work that has been incubating,” says French, an independent choreographer whose most recent work explores non-binary drag performance. “Belial, Gemini the Twins, Kayla
Mason, ShyLah, Urethra Burns, and Michelle Reyes will join Maggie and me in a performance that interrogates gender norms and performance, itself.”
“Order of Flo” is part of Harris’ on-going interdisciplinary project “Possessing a Common Logic,” which is supported by Houston Arts Alliance and was a Let Creativity Happy grant recipient. French was introduced to Malady through “Possessing” and what started as a Zoom-based conversation evolved into an in-person performance. “Maggie and I have known each other for over twenty years. I am thrilled to have introduced him to French so people can experience how a dialogue between philosophy and choreography can open up new locations of thought,” says Harris.
Malady, who is currently pursuing a PhD in philosophy from University of North Texas, is equally involved in public and institutionalized philosophy. “My intellectual projects naturally move between disciplines, ideas, and locations and are performative, by nature,” says Malady. “This format allows for a type of robust engagement that most audience members will have never experienced.”
“Order of Flo” includes “Morse Covid,” a special guest sound/video installation by NY/TX artist anthamatten-dominguez. In this project, the RNA sequence of the coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) has been translated into Morse code, yielding a powerfully meditative musical and video “transmission” of the information embedded in the virus–with the intention of facilitating a new relationship, and a potential healing experience, for the viewer.
“Bringing together multiple disciplines to create a cohesive work of art is at the heart of ‘Possessing,” says Harris. Interdisciplinary work with a focus on performance and politics is not only part of Harris’ creative practice but is central to her research at European Graduate School where she is pursuing a PhD in Philosophy, Art, and Critical Thought.
Past “Possessing” presenters include Maria Azar (University of Maryland – College Park), James Ball III (Texas A&M University), Camilla Cannon (George Washington University), Isa Fontbona (University of Girona), Jennifer Mabus (University of St. Thomas), Melissa Noble
(Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center), and Miranda Zapata (Texas Woman’s University). Upcoming presenters include Leslie Aarons (CUNY LaGuardia) and Julia Barbosa Landois (Houston).
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Details:
When. May 15, 2021 – Doors open at 7:30 pm and performance begins at 8:00 pm.
Where. Private residence in Montrose
Tickets. $30 per person, $50 for duet. Tickets can be purchased though Eventbrite Admission includes performance, talk-back, Queer Bucks to tip performers, and participation in group Tarot.
Contact:
Jeanette Joy Harris
jjoyharris@gmail.com
832-709-6793
Jeanettejoyharris.me
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