Light / The Holocaust & Humanity Project

Annual Holocaust memorial day was on April 8.  In commenoration, I recently saw the Colorado Ballet dance performance of  Light / The Holocaust & Humanity Project . Such a POWERFUL expression of one female Holocaust survivor!  The 5 movements showed a progression from the birth of man – Adam & Eve and the Tree of Life, to a wedding celebration, and then quickly transformed into the harrowing scenes of  bigotry, isolation, degradation; with dancers depicting crowded train cars and death camps, beatings, gas showers, death, and ultimately… rebirth and survival as the final movement. The ‘circle of life’ theme carried on throughout this emotional performance. See a short clip of this powerful dance where the choreographer Stephen Mills’ premiered Light / The Holocaust & Humanity Project at the Austin Ballet in 2005.

Musicians, dancers, and artists express the “essence of the human experience” in many powerful ways. Coping is difficult and  inner strength imperative for survival. I find that performances like Light /The Holocaust & Humanity Project transcend other more popular dances, and these types of themes are influential in my own creation of artwork. Reading, theatre, art movies, and dance all invigorate me. Art influences art!

The Tree of Life is common term used in science, philosophy, mythology, and by many cultures and  theologies. It is found in the Book of Proverbs depicting “wisdom” and in the Book of Genesis in relation with Adam and Eve being cast from the Garden of Eden. It can represent the “interconnection of all life on our planet”. The Tree of Life is a powerful metaphor in all art forms. Despite atrocities, life moves on…