The Hunt Evolution

The fire video I just posted today was recorded at a live performance at the 2014 Kansas City Renaissance Festival. It's of our "Fight/Hunt" choreography...or, should I say, the most recently evolved version of that choreography. One of the fun things about working together for so many years, and working with the some of the same pieces for so many years, is that we get to keep refining those pieces and exploring the possibilities of how they can evolve. This is our most perfect example.

Back when I was in art school, in 2009, I conceptualized this piece for my Fiber Art class. I was to be the Prey, and Cyricx was to be the Predator.  I designed costumes of linen, leather, wood, stone, and bone (actually the inspiration for the title of this blog). 

Me in the Prey outfit
Photo by Pseudography Image Forge

Cyricx in the "Predator" outfit
Photo by Pseudography Image Forge

We went out to a remote campground with plenty of trails and clearings in the woods, and recorded the first version of "The Hunt."

I danced around lightly, blithely unaware of the predator stalking my every move, until his first attack reveals him! It then becomes a chase - a Hunt - until he captures me at last. Clearly there wasn't much choreographed here - we had a couple of joint moves planned to points in the music (E Muzeki's "MacSuibhene's Trill"), and everything in between was freestyle.

Funny thing was, it was in mid-November, and it was below freezing outside. In these outfits, well, there's no way to wear anything underneath them...ahem...ANYTHING. Cyricx and I had only been dating for a couple months at this point, and maybe it was his willingness to go through this cold hell for my wacky project idea that proved to me that he loved me! (It truly was miserable.)

Then, we wanted to take this piece to the stage at KCRF, with the Sonic Sidhe Tribe. At first, it was only a little more developed than that night in the woods. Performance with the Sonic Sidhe Tribe at KCRF 2009:

And then we structured it more, and explored a more sensual side. Performance with the Sonic Sidhe Tribe, at KCRF 2010 Pubsing:

 


 In 2012, as we were developing Tricks of the Light to be its own stage show, we were exploring using this choreography as part of a dramatic storytelling set. For the story, we needed to have a fight before the Hunt portion, which introduced the section in the beginning before Viollca pulls out the fire fans. The story set was a flop out at the RenFest, but we immediately adjusted our entire show and turned it into a comedy. During the rest of the RenFest season, as improv onstage and interaction with the audience happened, the latest version of "The Hunt" was developed. Performance as Tricks of the Light, at KCRF 2014:

From the beginning, "The Hunt" has transitioned from being an artistic 'interpretive dance' style piece, to a non-interactive showcase piece, to a sexy and sensual "seduction", to a dramatic fight scene, and lastly to playful comedy. We have had a lot of fun with it, and it's still one of our favorite pieces to perform! I hope you like it as much as we do. 

Mother Earth Goddess Gown by Kelsey Byram

I'm getting my Etsy shops going!  ElementalWear Boutique has handmade clothing and costumes, inspired by the elements and by the OtherWorld, that place where dreams come from and past, present, and future exist together. My quilted goddess garment is the highlight of the shop!

Shattered Sky Quilts carries art quilts, functional quilts, and quilted accessories. "My Meditation" is currently listed, and I'm working on quilting purses and messenger bags to be listed too!

HOW is that skirt staying on?

I've fallen into the bad habit of uninspired, straightforward sketches of new clothing ideas and concepts, more like technical blueprints, with no character or concept behind them.  I'm trying to break this habit...here are a couple of sketches:

Sexy warrior-woman!  Totally impractical, also totally hot.

More based in reality.  I am actually going to make this one for sure!

I still have a ways to go, but it feels really nice to be doing this again.  I think that was one downside of getting so busy with school - I resorted to simply the fastest, easiest way to get get the idea down on paper, so I could move on.

These bring up an interesting point... I find that a lot of my designs, specifically those for women, get labeled as "risque" or "slutty."  That isn't the point, and it's kind of sad that if a woman shows off her beauty or shows her stomach or something, she's looked down on.  I think female bodies are beautiful!  And while I do intend for the outfits to be seductive, in a sense, that seduction should come more from the woman's feeling of empowerment and confidence from wearing that outfit, rather than how much skin the outfit is or is not showing. I want women to step into the clothing and feel like a Goddess. No matter her body size or body type, when she wears this piece it helps her stand taller, lift her chin, and know - not just think, but KNOW - that she is sexy and strong and capable. That she can conquer the world. And I know, from years in theatre, that the donning of a costume or outfit really can change a person's demeanor. As a costumer, there have been so many times when I have seen an actor only get partway into a role, until they don that costume - and then suddenly they are this character, and they FEEL like that character. They are no longer just acting like they feel it.

And anyways...personally, I hate having my stomach covered. It's just uncomfortable.  When I wear tops that don't cover my midriff, it's actually more about being comfortable in my clothes, and not about trying to draw any sort of attention.

Cyricx the Ranger

I finished Cyricx's new RenFaire outfit! We are quite happy with it.  The material is a pretty heavy-duty cotton, with several layers in key spots, so hopefully it will stand up to his intense use.  I stayed pretty true to the original design (the concept sketch is in my previous post), since Cyricx and I worked several layers of meaning and intention into the details.  We also had strict requirements for the fit of the outfit, because of the range of movement he needs for spinning.  While we both loved the last pair of pants I made for him that were based on Japanese hakama pants, we soon discovered that the wide legs were a major disadvantage when trying to spin staff, poi, puppyhammer....well, just about anything!

On the right leg: The runes Wunjo, Sowlio, Kenaz, Raidho.

On the left leg: "Tricks of the Light," the name of our performance duo.

 

 The sleeves have a pleated section to allow for extra elbow space and arm movement.  The folded-over cuff is intended to stand up to the heat from Cyricx's nunchucks. 

The sleeves zip off!  (Shhhh! No one can see the zipper.  Lace-on sleeves would be more appropriate, but have you ever tried to lace something on or off in the 30 seconds in between pieces while onstage?  Not doable!)

Oh yeah....and the hood zips off too!

I love how this picture shows off his nice hair... *happy sigh*

 And the adjustable waistband, since our weight fluctuates so much between Faire season and off-season.

I'm still hoping to add beads and shiny things, but when I say shiny I don't be mean bright - I'm imagining earthy copper and bronze.  Just enough to add that metallic glint.

The Story Begins

    I am the vessel that carries the Otherworld into this world.  My creations were conceived in another time, another place, but born in this world as prophets.  Each piece carries the essence of an aspect of spirituality, without also carrying the established meaning of any specific religion.  The warm glow of fire in darkness, chanting and music, ritualistic motions, processions and journeys, script and symbols - detached from proselytizing, these things carry individual meaning to us all.
    My materials are intimately connected to the world that they are a part of.  Leather, stone, wood, bone, and linen are children of the earth, and are reminders of the grass beneath your feet, the bark under your hands.  Silk, glass, mirrors, and shimmer are children of the sky, and are reminders of the wind in your hair, the feeling of raindrops on your skin. 
    A costume is not complete until it is worn, a mask is not complete without the face concealed behind it.  Empty of the bearer, the costume is still and silent like a relic in a museum.  Someone once wore it, someone once knew its meaning, but its life is lived, its history condensed to a few short phrases tacked on the wall beside it.  Time does not leave anything untouched, and its passage is recorded in accumulation and decay.  Time binds us all together.