Dance and photography will intermingle for Ghosts of Rorschach, a performance and art exhibit inspired by the famous psychologist's inkblot tests.
Working with photographers Alina Sotskova and Ian Sparks, the experimental project marks the first collaboration for Victoria dance company Broken Rhythms.
“I’ve had people reach out to me after shows, saying that they had written poems based on our performances,” artistic director Dyana Sonik-Henderson said. “So it’s great to now be completely connected during the process.”
The presentation will include a viewing of photographs developed by Sotskova and Sparks, which use dancers to form imagery akin to inkblots, followed by short performances of the images in motion. The night will be interspersed with interactive segments designed to look at the audience’s impressions.
“One question that came with the original photo project was ‘what do you see?’” Sotskova, also a doctoral student of psychology at the University of Victoria UVic, said. “The reactions that people have had continue to surprise me – people can see a fairly abstract photo and project something concrete onto it.”
Ghosts of Rorschach takes place at Dance Victoria Studios, 2750 Quadra Street, on July 26 at 7 p.m. The event is by donation with profits going to the Women’s Sexual Assault Centre.