2012-2013
Roundhouse Community Centre, Vancouver, BC
Romp Festival Victoria BC, 2013

This work was a continuum of Paras’ 2011 work Compartment 114 inspired by Homer’s Odyssey, as a complete re-imagining of the core concepts of the work adapted to a new black box environment while transforming space in a way that drastically affects choreographic choices and the conventional relationship between spectacle and spectator. ODD Essay 114 retained the intimacy of the dance and immediacy of the small spaces through interactive manipulation of light, sound, set design and a unique seating/viewing configuration. Key to this concept was the design of a multi-faceted, movable set that employed light, video and sound that engaged the audience and the performers to create a unique performance experience.

While Compartment 114 explored site specific work in small spaces, ODD Essay 114 investigated constraints within a large volume of space. Paras was intrigued by the idea of this contradiction and how it creates ritual.

Paras stated that “We exist in a large universe, but are bound to a minuscule piece of it. Are we capable of freeing ourselves from our routines? In this work I aim to show the larger picture while exposing the ‘parts’ that make up the proverbial ‘whole’.”