Rakiya orange biography books

Culturebot contributors Stormy Budwig and Tara Sheena explore the dialogue-as-criticism form of performance review. In their conversation, they speak about the work of Alex Rodabaugh and Rakiya Orange in a split bill curated by Miguel Gutierrez for the inaugural DoublePlus series at the new Gibney Dance: Agnes Varis Performing Arts.

A critical conversation meant to convey their unique experience, they touch on Rodabaugh’s absurdist politics in his new work for eight performers g1br33l; Orange’s shifting identities in her solo Aziza; and how form acts as both a clarifier and complicator of dance work.

Excerpts of their conversation, edited for consistency and taking place two days after witnessing the performance, are below.

Tara Sheena: [On Alex Rodabaugh’s work] It was impressive how they made so much out of so little space.

The performers were so enclosed in the space, contained by this hexagon. You know how sometimes you see the space and it either looks larg