Nothing rivals the experience of being in an energetic crowd during a live performance. You know the one—where cheers, snaps and shouts of friends' names fill the air around you. The kind of energy that seeps into your soul, making you feel a part of a larger, connected community.
That was the experience of Erin Kilmurray's hybrid femme-powered dance party and performance piece, “The Function,” staged in the Land and Sea Dept’s warehouse space on June 7. Inspired during the pandemic to recreate social gatherings' intimate energy, the performance embraced house-party liveliness to explore agency, vulnerability and empowerment. With its bass-heavy music, athletic movement and DIY stagecraft, the audience couldn’t resist catching the infectious enthusiasm.
The DIY nature was one of the performance’s most charming aspects. Before any dancing had even begun, the props were visible everywhere—handheld lights positioned on every side of the stage, coiled cables on the walls and floor, a dangling disco ball, a ladder propped in the back and various color gel sheets strewn on every corner.
The four dancers—Hannah Santistevan, Kierah (KIKI) King, Keyierra Collins and Maggie Vannucci—were in charge of controlling the props, lighting and music throughout the piece. Manipulating the various objects to transform the stage around them, the dancers created, operated and destroyed their own space; imagining what is possible when allowed to envision and rebuild environments, realities and futures.
"The Function," with Keyierra Collins; Photo by Sarah Larson
The dancers included the audience in this transformative experience, with a runway-inspired stage bringing the audience to the very edge of the action and allowing interactions between viewer and performer. Members were asked to wave the color gel sheets, start music and hold interlocking cables to assist in transforming the space for the dancer – creating an immersive experience that allowed the audience to feel the power and freedom of defining one's space.
The dancers reimagined different aspects of femininity while exploring these crafted realities. From playful and lively to contemplative and sensual, the range of emotion offered the audience a celebratory look into what it means to experience and embrace femininity.
A solo by Collins stood out for its unabashed celebration of female empowerment. While other dancers manipulated multi-colored light fixtures, Collins danced amidst flashing hues of pink, teal, and orange. With an electric afro-beat as her foundation, she embraced all aspects of being feminine with powerful presence and movement—commanding the stage with as little as a grasping hand, swaying hips, and a slow, deliberate walk across the floor.
As the music intensified, Collins began blending her slow, sensual movements with quick jabs, body shakes and rolls. Paired with the shifting light, she transitioned seamlessly between different facets of herself, offering a glimpse into a healthy acceptance and celebration of identity.
Santistevan did a short, slow duet with a handheld light that offered a different experience with femininity. By holding the spotlight on herself, she explored the different angles and parts of herself that caused insecurities. Basking herself in full, she became overwhelmed and dropped the light, succumbing to her self-doubts — A different experience from Collins's solo that offered a more nuanced insight into the struggles of reaching total acceptance after years of harmful unrealistic body expectations.
Among the myriad of emotions explored, the most unforgettable were the instances of pure celebration. All four dancers moved with electrifying speed and vigor. The deep bass pulsed adrenaline through the crowd, eliciting cheers of joy. Through the smiles of the audience they waved their plastic sheets, generating an echoing of crinkling plastic and wind. In the pauses between music, laughter filled the air as dancers and audience shared moments of connection. The community built through these intimate moments of joy was the highlight of the evening.
"The Function" made its debut at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago as part of the In Progress series in 2022, showcasing groundbreaking new performances by Chicago artists. Its subsequent month-long installment at the Land and Sea Dept further solidified its status as a fresh and exhilarating addition to the arts scene. This genre-breaking performance of movement, storytelling and community shines a spotlight on female empowerment and exemplifies the innovative spirit that defines emerging art.
For more information about Erin Kilmurray, click the link below.
