Dance Theatre Group's Blog

Last fall, I recalled how many times I had heard my suburban neighbors tending their lawns. I thought of the patterns they made, mowing one direction and then another, and the sound of the machines – the mowers, trimmers, and the leaf blowers. Sometimes there were swarms of men mowing, raking, and trimming. And this goes on for months on end. While I don’t share this passion for the perfect lawn, I thought it might make for an interesting piece. Not all of my DTG dancers have ever mowed a lawn, but they’ve been getting into character with great zeal. After all, we can all see the fixation for the perfect lawn as a metaphor. In fact, I’m calling the piece “Perfection” and I’m hoping the slightly obsessive/compulsive behavior will be something that resonates with the audience. When it came time to costume the piece, the other two mentors questioned if the “Mad Men”/”Stepford Wives” inspired attire should be replaced with flannel shirts and jeans. But I opted to keep the formal costumes. Though it is bizarre to see the juxtaposition of the dresses with the mowing-inspired movement vocabulary, the tailored dresses and precise patterns are both examples of the quest to achieve a certain look. I hope those who love their perfect lawns won’t take offense.