One Breath is an Ocean for a Wooden Heart
One Breath is an Ocean for a Wooden Heart performed by Lisa Bufano and Sonsheree
Giles, and was premiered December, 2007, at the “Extravagant Bodies” Festival in Zagreb,
the Capital of Croatia. This performance was also performed for audiences in Dubrovnik,
Croatia; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Washington D.C., Jacksonville, and San Francisco of the
United States of America.
Top of Form
It is IIt is an uncommon dance performed by disabled and abled duo dancers. This type of
dance shows the connection between physical transformation and identity. For performing
this kind of dance, dancers put on a 20-inch wooden stilts on their arms and legs. The
stilts, which are made of common objects used on daily basis, are meant to create illusion.
Visually, these stilts are enthralling tools of transformation and change. In this
performance, the dancers were transformed into animated furniture; magical toys; legged
insects, gazelle, and birds. The impact of the performance is uncanny and unworldly since
the two different bodies navigate a motion and sound that is enabled and restricted by the
use of these stilts.
During the development of this performance, Sonsheree experienced being away from the
ground by the usage of the stilts. Through this performance, Lisa’s performance as a
15-year-old apparel user was lauded. Besides being disconnected throughout the
performance, Lisa and Sonsheree stayed connected to each other throughout the
performance until they parted.
Speaking Bodies