Choreographer Donald Byrd is curious about the impact of his new dance piece, "The Beast," a penetrating work focusing on the issue of domestic violence, which will play at the Moore Theater tonight and tomorrow night.
"In a community like this," he says, referring to Hanover, "there is a tendency to say, 'It's not our problem,' or to stereotype the people involved."
Certainly, few would deny that Dartmouth students and other community members lead a somewhat sheltered, isolated existence.
But, then again, the issue of violence is more important and far-reaching than one might expect.
Byrd suggests that aggression is a part of human nature: "Clearly humans have violent impulses, and there's a certain kind of pleasure that we get from violence."
Indeed, violence, in a broad sense, manifests itself regularly at Dartmouth.
Sporting events, for instance, are a popular outlet for the aggression of many students. "Athletics is controlled violence," says Byrd. "When you play tennis, you're not really hitting the other ball -- you're hitting the other person."
The homecoming bonfire, frat hazing and rituals, and even some students' intense work ethic conjure up adjectives like "primal" or "aggressive." High campus awareness of the issues of rape and sexual abuse contributes to the grass-roots relevance of Byrd's message.
Nevertheless, the issue of domestic violence, both physical and psychological, is far from the minds of many people, owing in part to its inherent "hidden" or "concealed" nature.
Byrd casts a spotlight on this dark place in human society with his piece, employing a variety of techniques to ensure that the audience is both enlightened and entertained.
Borrowing from German Expressionist Bertolt Brecht, Byrd imbues his performers and stage with a strong emotional "fire." In characteristic non-linear style, Byrd says, "dot A does not necessarily predict dot B" and the action moves along not through tight plot, but on "emotional, thematic continuity."
Although the piece focuses on the relationship between two central characters, several other dancers serve a crucial symbolic role in the drama.
These dancers augment the emotional intensity at scenes where the main characters interact, becoming the "embodiment" of the characters' alter-egos.
Everyone can identify with the abstract concept of aggression, but Byrd insists on the social import of domestic violence: "I think that most people in America have witnessed domestic violence," he says.
Recalling a personal experience involving his grandparents, Byrd suggests that "even one incident of domestic violence ... impacts one's life profoundly."
In his research for the work, Byrd encountered a variety of people involved with domestic violence, including social workers, police and support groups. He met both abused women and batterers, learning about the mechanics of abusive relationships.
After his experience with the issue in real life and in performance, he says that domestic violence, like most types of aggression, is truly a matter of "power and control."
Perhaps "The Beast" refers to one's control of the beast within, as Byrd's work asks, "When is it OK to direct violence at another person?"
