2023 / co-habilitation
1
2
3
image descriptions: [1] A wide-angle overview of the performance space, shaped in a triangle with audience on three sides. Alyssa is laying down near the center of the frame holding a microphone attached to a long cable. There are rolls of dance flooring positioned around the space in a scenography: some crumpled on the ground, others in their rolled form positioned either upright or against other furniture in the space. [2] program text reads: co-habilitation, at the convergence of choreography and blind/low vision rehabilitation, this research proposes ‘co-habilitation’ as a way to reconfigure the patient-therapist relationship. Dance flooring (Marley) is taken as a duet partner, as a prosthetic, as a patient and a therapist, while audiences are invited into a deconstructed studio-clinic where bodies directly implicated in the systems of dance and disability perform together. “The last 16 months at a.pass have weathered me beyond restoration, but as with the potential of any weather - outer, or inner - the force of its insistence has blown ‘me’ away, dragging me to the edge of disrepair. And it’s at this edge of merging and un-worlding that the resonance of embodied practice remains.” Alyssa Gersony Gabi Vanek, lighting design and audio engineer [3] program text reads “end communications”
photo credit: Fabien Silvestre Suzor | visuals: amy pickles
venue: a.pass / Brussels, Belgium
2021 / portraits, Rīga
1
2
3
image descriptions: [1] A portrait of Alyssa in a black turtleneck tilting her head to the side. She obscures her face with her left hand. She is focused in the foreground, and the background is out of focus with shades of white, green and grey. Her hair is chin-length and is bleached to pale pink [2] A closeup portrait of Alyssa crowding the frame. Exposure flares and snowfall create smudges and distortions on her face. Alyssa is looking directly at the camera with a soft expression. [3] A full length portrait of Alyssa standing in the Baltic sea, looking back over her left shoulder and smiling toward the camera. It is snowing and she has a piece of white vinyl draped over her back, obscuring her body from the neck down.
photo credit: Leonardo Taddei | Kodak Ultramax 400, 35mm on Nikon F90, scanned with Epson v700
venue: Fotostudija Imagine / Rīga, Latvia
2020 / Flesh Brush Skin Show
1
2
3
4
5
image descriptions: [1] Alyssa is laying on her side wearing a leather jacket and is grinning with her eyes closed. Marley dance flooring is rumpled behind her. [2] A close up of Alyssa who stands bathed in red light, singing into a microphone that is illuminating her face blue. Her expression is enthusiastic. She wears a tan jumpsuit. [3] A film still that frames slot machines blurred in the background, and a reflective black helmet in the foreground. [4] Alyssa crouches atop a white pedestal wearing a cowboy hat, fur vest, and leather shorts. Her face is obscured. [5] Alyssa is gently draping a leather jacket over a TV monitor showing surveillance footage of a guinea pig cage. She wears a tan jumpsuit and has a soft expression.
photo credit: Mark Lanning | Canon 6D mkiv, 70-200 mm lens, editing done in Lightroom
venue: Englert Theater / Iowa City, USA
2019 / Junk King
1
2
3
4
5
image descriptions: [1] Alyssa is in a gallery with a projector and colored lights. She stands draped in white garments with her upper back curved and her arms gesturing. Shadows are cast on the wall. [2] Alyssa lays on the floor prone with a piece of wood balanced on her back. The projection skims her body and illuminates the corner. She wears white pants and a white long sleeved shirt. [3] A film still featuring layered, brightly color images of Alyssa working in the gallery. The image is pixelated and high-contrast. [4] Alyssa and Paloma are independently placing scrap pieces of lumber around the gallery. A live feed projects their movements. Alyssa is in white and Paloma in black clothing. [5] Alyssa holds her costume while diving to the floor of the gallery. Her costume billows and small indiscernible numbers and letters are projected onto it.
photo credit: Miranda Meyer | Nikon D700
venue: University of Iowa / Iowa City, USA
2019 / untitled (Marley)
1
2
3
4
5
image descriptions: [1] In a gallery a large structure of Marley dance flooring is standing in isolation. It is twisted and folded into a three-dimensional shape that resembles a fan. There is gaffer tape on the floor in overlapping patterns. [2] Marley dance flooring is reshaped into a massive pile at the far corner of the gallery creating an abstract 3D shape. [3] Marley is cascading from the wall to the floor. Alyssa’s legs and feet are visible out from beneath the Marley. She wears a purple spandex unitard and work boots. [4] A close up of Alyssa’s loose palm and purple sleeve in the foreground coming out from underneath a fold in the Marley. Her palm is relaxed. [5] Marley dance flooring is twisted and reshaped into a massive pile at the center of the gallery creating an abstract 3D shape. There are outlines of black and grey gaffer tape on the floor.
photo credits: [1-2, 5] by the artist | iPhone [3-4] Melissa Airy | iPhone
venue: University of Iowa / Iowa City, USA
2018 / this hole that is a wall that is a well
1
2
3
4
5
image descriptions: [1] Alyssa stands on stage, her body wrapped in white gaffer tape. She wears a white hard hat and gloves with her face in shadow. [2] Alyssa bends her knees as she gestures forward while holding the white hard hat in front of her face. She is in an industrial space. [3] Alyssa stands holding a white cowboy hat on her head. Most of her skin is exposed as she faces the camera. [4] On stage Alyssa bows forward wearing a white hard hat and her skin covered in a web of white gaffer tape. Her face is obscured by shadows created by the side lighting and a white cowboy hat rests on her back. [5] Alyssa sits on the stage floor, squinting as the side light hits her face. She is wearing the same costume as the other images.
photo credits: [1, 4-5] Miranda Meyer | Nikon D700 [2-3] Anna Maskava, courtesy of the Rīga Performance Festival Startelpa
venue: University of Iowa / Iowa City, USA & RIXC: The Center for New Media Culture / Rīga, Latvia
2017 / Watching the Clock
1
2
3
4
5
image descriptions: [1] Alyssa stands with her hands outstretched to the side and her palms facing up. She wears a mask covered in flowers and is illuminated by the orange LED rope light. She wears an orange jumpsuit with shorts. [2] Alyssa stands on stage, her weight in her left foot as she points down and tilts her head to the side. She is in profile and wearing an orange jumpsuit with shorts. [3] A closeup of the LED rope light is in the foreground. In the background Alyssa is crouching, looking toward the light, wearing the same costume. [4] Alyssa holds the LED light from its end, positioning it at her stomach. Her eyes are closed as she stretches the light in front of her. [5] Alyssa wearing a large puppet head built and shaped with papier-mâché resembling a tall man’s face. She holds a basket and holds a flower in her hand. She is wearing a large dark green trench coat.
photo credits: [1] Ian Douglas [2-5] Lívia Sá | Canon 6D, edited in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop
venue: Movement Research at the Judson Church / New York City, USA & Triskelion Arts / Brooklyn, USA
2015 / this place with the pretty-sounding name
1
3
4
2
5
image descriptions: [1] Alyssa is sitting on stage in a spotlight with a computer and audio interface. She is holding a microphone and speaking into it as she smiles. She wears a green tank top and black athletic pants in all photos. [2] Alyssa is mid-lunge moving from downstage to upstage with her back to the audience. Her hair flies behind her and the microphone is visible in the bottom left corner. [3] Alyssa is upright, has her left leg extended on the floor and her right elbow gesturing up as her head bows and her hair flies. [4] Alyssa is pushing off the floor, her weight toward her right side as looks toward her left foot with a soft expression. [5] Alyssa is upright and she holds her stomach. Her eyes are closed and her skin is dewy.
photo credit: Alex Escalante, courtesy of Gibney Dance
venue: Gibney Dance / New York City, USA