Dan Nguyen
Sculpture
My practice is focused on defying conventions of dance theatre in order to explore otherness. My appearance and dance are othering because I am choosing aesthetic choices that differentiate from popular dances such as ballet. Within my dance/video work, I often employ unusual documentation methods such as using a drone or action camera to manipulate how we see reality and create a surreal world within digital space. My work takes place in non-traditional theatre settings so I can explore other ways of interpreting theatre.
By wearing outfits that make me look almost unhuman I look at ways to interpret how we view a dancer. Is there a specific way for a dancer to look and could the dancer be an object? My performances take place in a variety of settings such as a natural park and a garage. The stage is a wonderful opportunity for the dancer to interact with, and a diverse stage setting offers a lot of different ways to create dance performances. Different camera angles and technologies are utilized in my work to allow the audience new ways to view a dance performance. My movements break away from popular dances that incorporate high-flying athletic motions, instead, I use awkward and regular movements to show that dance is diverse.
My appearance, movements, and utilization of digital camera technologies in my video performances all incorporate a sense of surreal otherness. Like contemporary dance performers before me, I investigate this style and add to the definition of dance theatre.