choreography of a passing moment

place:

air street london

date:

9 nov. 2009time:

12:15-12:20

step one, observe:Within our site studies I have been observing and recording the social interactions of people using different methodologies. This week is notational. I visited Air Street at the lunch hour on a monday from say 11:30-1:00ish, and found an empty stoop in which I could sit out of the way and observe/record what was happening around me. I began to notice a repetition by different people of the same motions and ways of moving through or interacting with the space occurring. These particular qualities started to sort themselves out as different Characters in my mind. Each Character playing a role in the dynamics of the everyday, specific to this time and place but with a universal quality to them.

These are the characters, on the following pages >>>

the mover: this person is walking solo, they are on the way to somewhere and seem to have a clear idea of where that is, there is no hesitation, they are passing through, usually at a quicker pace than others but some are not in such a hurry. they are not too interested in whats around them. the majority of people fit this description.

mobile: as this person is speaking on their mobile to someone who could be anywhere in the world, they are usually not fully participatory in this world that they are physically in. for all we can see, they are having a one-sided conversation with a little device, although we in fact know there is someone on the other end. the texter also falls into this category, instead of speaking into the phone and seeing where they are heading, the texter is often staring down into a little screen and typing a message to send to another mobile device as they walk, thus they have no notion of what is happening around them, and are more likely to bump into someone else or walk out in front of a car.

headphones: quite similar to the mobile character and also fits within the mover category. this person is slightly removed from what is happening in this world because of the music playing that only they can hear; it is like a personal soundtrack, a kept secret.

twos: twos are usually in conversation. they can consist of couples, two women, two men, two friends; it is as yet undetermined if a person and their dog counts in this category, but is being considered. many times they are shoppers, carrying bags full of stuff that was just bought, or business men wearing their pinstripe suits and looking importantish. they are out for coffee or a bite to eat, or any number of things you might think up.

threes: there also can occasionally be found groups of three (or more) people walking together, this can make walking next to each other difficult as one person usually has to walk behind. a group of three tends to be less decisive, they can be found to stop on the corner to discuss where they are headed.

family: a mother pushing her baby in a stroller, a toddler wobbling along, a father with his little munchkin riding piggyback. much of the time it is the mother or the father with the child, once in awhile they are all together- I imagine this togetherness happens most often on the weekends. because of the child, they tend to move slower than the others around them, stopping on corners to hold hands before crossing the street, etc.

pointing, lost & confused: much of the time these three traits show up together, but sometimes a pointer can be separate from lost & confused. this person(s) is generally a tourist as they are out of their known setting and are more keen to notice what is around them with fresh eyes. they tend to have a guidebook or map that is taken out to reference and get them back on track, while referring to the book/map they also tend to move out of the way against a buildings edge. sometimes they will ask another character for directions, this initiating an interaction among strangers. sometimes a photograph is made.

stop in the middle of the street: its seems this character(s) get to the middle of the street and then suddenly realize that they dont know where they should be heading, or they get distracted with something else around them, and they just stop, right there in the middle. stopping in the middle is sort of okay at this location as there is not high traffic and the street is small, but without fail a vehicle will drive up and honk their horn to get this character moving again. they are not necessarily tourists. many times they will stop, then turn around and head back the same way that they had come from.

stop on the corner: sometimes this occurs because the person has run into someone they know and an informal contact ensues before they separately continue on, this is a fun scenario. sometimes many people are stopped together on the corner to wait for a vehicle to pass, then en masse they continue on. sometimes a person alone just stops for a moment, for whatever number of reasons.

the cycler: this person has two speeds, either he/she is cycling by which means they pass quickly, sometimes having to dodge the pedestrians (especially the texter) or he/she is walking their bicycle wherein the narrow sidewalk becomes an obstacle course trying to get around people and the street furniture, etc. when walking the bike, the person may be looking for an unoccupied pole or railing upon which he/she can lock their bike to and then continue on to their final destination via foot. within the cycler category there can be found subcategories of: the safety cycler, dressed in a bright neon vest and riding a get you around town whatever bike; the pro, very fit and riding a fancy, geared up, fast road bike; and the too cool hipster in tight jeans riding a fixed gear, many times this is a bike messenger; among others.

step two, notation:Separately, but in connection with the Character development, I researched different types of notation used to record events. I was most intrigued with dance notation; it produces beautiful line forms that simply show motion, and it provides an applicable method for me to follow. I then used the ideas and symbology of dance notation to translate and notate a segment of what I observed on air street from 12:35-12:38 on the 9th of November at Air Street. Each of the characters began to take on their own movement, the parts of a body following a sequence of steps and movements to create a language, which when written together, a choreography ensues.

The Characters of Air Street are seen performing >>>

stand, look at a map

1

2

4,53

man1: walks in front pushing a strollerman2: stops on near corner for truck to pass, then continues across the road diagonallyman3: points, from opposite cornerman4,woman5: stand, look at a map

Act 1

1/f

1/f

1/f 2/i

2/i4,5/g

2/i4,5/g

3/g 2/i4,5/g

2/i4,5/g

2/i

2/i3/g

2/i3/g

the end