PrismOcean

PrismOcean Project Description

PrismOcean is an improvised sound-body collaborative performance by butoh-inspired dancer Lesley Suzanne Dean (US) and ambient musician Dirk Markham (UK), incorporating emotional free-dance and live experimental dronescapes. Dean’s pursuit of yoga and struggle with chronic illness flow into the dancer’s intense style of physical theater, which expresses frustration with the limitations of her body as an instrument, turning it inside out in order to escape and transcend it. Navigating the projected geometry of the music, the movements explore among other themes the desire, attainment, and letting go of control. The vessel for Dean’s exploration of space comes in the form of spontaneous compositions by the Scottish electronic sound artist Markham. Electro-acoustic guitar loops are sampled and processed in real-time generating other-worldly sonic sculptures. These have a transcendental quality and while being ambient in nature, also provide the pulse for the PrismOcean performance as a whole.

Lesley Suzanne Dean (Dance) Short Bio

Hailing from suburban USA, Lesley Suzanne Dean studied the techniques of ballet, jazz, and modern dance styles as a youth, but her discovery of yoga in college opened the gates to authentic movement expression. Dean forged a deeper consciousness of the physical body by taking part in Spirit Yoga Berlin’s teacher training in 2011, cultivating conditions for creative and spiritual growth. As a singer/songwriter (aka Alfred Ladylike) and avid listener of music spanning free jazz to gamelan, Dean sensitized their ears accordingly. Their 2013 diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was both a set-back and a supreme challenge to connect with the here and now. Artistic goals include flow-state exploration of inner and outer geometries by solving strength-and-weakness equations in psychedelic environments.

Dirk Markham (Music) Short Bio

Dirk Markham grew up in north east Scotland and has been making experimental recordings since his years studying philosophy at Edinburgh University in the 90s. While an ongoing exchange with Forest Records still provides a strong bond to Edinburgh, Markham has been residing in Berlin for the last 15 years where he originally worked for Gudrun Gut’s indie label monika enterprise and is now part of the development team at Native Instruments. Dirk’s experience in the music industry feeds into his own music and continues to be a great inspiration. Equal parts music fan and composer, as well as producing his own music he is always looking to support fellow artists which he does via his work with Digital in Berlin which includes a monthly radio show, online magazine and hosting regular events.