Emily Johnson’s SHORE
“Our bodies as everything; our bodies are culture, history, present and future, all at once,” reads a quote off of Emily Johnson’s tumblr page. Johnson grew up in Alaska; she’s a Native American artist of Yup’ik descent. Her performances are far-reaching, grounded in the idea that all kind of movement can be qualified as “dance.”
At On the Boards she’ll perform SHORE in Dᶻidᶻelaľic̆/Dkhw'Duw'Absh (Seattle), which will feature storytelling, local dancers as well as two choirs. It literally takes the audience out of the theater. The performances begin a block away from OtB with an outdoor show and then a “ritual walk” back inside. Johnson’s performances always include a large community engagement component and her visit to Seattle included a day of volunteering earlier this week as part of Indigenous People’s Day. On Sunday, there will also be a potluck feast open and free to the public at Daybreak Star.
If you go: Emily Johnson’s SHORE, On the Boards, Oct. 15-17 ($25)—F.D.
