"Circling the Shrinking Sea"

PALM DESERT, November 30, 2017 -- What’s a vital discussion without any movement? Bursting onto the burgeoning creative scene of the Coachella Valley is newly formed, intergenerational movement collective Desert Movement Arts. Comprised of local dancers, choreographers, somatic practitioners and dance teaching artists, Desert Movement Arts will debut CIRCLING THE SHRINKING SEA AT THE CLOSING RECEPTION FOR ‘Salton Sea: An Artistic Discussion’ on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 at 6:00p.m. at UCR PALM DESERT.Circling the Shrinking Sea evolved out of the dancers’ research into the many birds that live or migrate through the Salton Sea, and of seeing the many groups with disparate (or competing) interests and needs begin to come together for the greater good. A sextet aged 8-74 respond to the outdoor space facing the gallery, including stairs, benches, and rocks as they dance bird motifs and flock as pelicans, burrowing owls and herons. As they return to human movement, they solo, pair and circle, inspired by folk dances and community dances. Enveloping the multi-faceted performance is an evocative sound score by local dynamo MLN17, known for her eclectic mixes and provocative, multidisciplinary installations. Listen closely to the layers of the compelling composition, featuring the creative group’s field recordings of distinctive Salton Sea soundscapes. The piece invites the audience to connect to the resilience and mutability of the moving body, while discovering the migratory birds and community rallying to repair the Salton Sea. Before and after the dance, enjoy the visual art exhibition in the gallery. The displays shift perspective dramatically, from stunning and unnerving photographs to intimate textures of a mixed media installation, with unusual found objects and tons of salt.  Over 30 artists and 100 art pieces fill the walls, illustrating a deep dive of interest and complexity.