In the era AI, artificial sensorial inputs are supplanting the voice of nature. We live in a time of virtuality. As a consequence, we are losing the experience of nature’s most simple grammar and we neglect its core: a connection to the universe.
In this videopoem, dancer Asuka Watanabe goes back to the basics. She achieves unity with her surrounding by exploring its soothing effects on the body. The intuitive movements echo the simplicity of nature’s grammar. They reflect the slow pace of the ebb under a clear marine sky. The music by Thomas Shaddock and the poem by Elodie Glerum create a simple microcosm for the dancer. It is a cocoon recalling the opening frame of the video: a sun surrounded by a clear halo forming an eye. Although the dancer moves on sharp rocks, she does not feel pain. She perfectly identifies with nature. The idea is to abolish the artificial duplicity splitting the self from nature. Here, we form one. It is the quest for unity. A single being blends in with their surroundings. The movements, the music and the text reflect the slow pace of the tide under the eye of the sun.
Dance and editing: Asuka Watanabe
Music and voice: Thomas Shaddock
Poem and voice: Elodie Glerum
The project is part of the subtheme The Ecology of Language - Poetry and Environmental Action.
Author
Asuka Watanabe
Asuka Watanabe, originally from Japan and based in The Netherlands, trained at the Joffrey Ballet School in the US and the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. She has danced with choreographers such as Maurice Causey and Sagi Gross and taught at Amsterdam University of the Arts, the dance company De Stilte, and Amsterdam Dance Centre.
In 2018, she launched the “Asuka Method,” offering classes, workshops, and online lessons that blend dance, yoga, and holistic movement, with a focus on cultivating awareness. Asuka believes in grounding ourselves in nature to create authentic happiness and freedom.
Author
Thomas Shaddock
Thomas Shaddock is an experienced music producer from the UK but now based in the Netherlands, known for blending natural sounds with a modern touch to create engaging and distinctive music. Originally studying music production at the University of Middlesex, he then went on to have a string of releases on US based label; Section 8 Records.
With a passion for combining organic elements and contemporary production techniques, Thomas crafts soundscapes that feel both authentic and innovative. His work reflects a thoughtful balance of creativity and technical skill, appealing to listeners who appreciate music with depth and character.
Author
Elodie Glerum
Elodie Glerum is a writer, poet and translator holding the dual Dutch-Swiss citizenship. She is the author of novella "La belle époque" (Paulette éditrice, 2016), collection of short stories "Erasmus" (d’autre part, 2018), and novels "La constellation des naufrages" (L’Âge d’Homme, 2018) and "L’allumette de Pandore" (La Veilleuse, 2024). Elodie is laureate of a Pro Helvetia Literary Work Grant 2018 and of a Fondation Leenaards Cultural Grant 2022.
