Vancouver choreographer Vanessa Goodman has underpinned her latest dance production, Tuning, with some thought-provoking concepts.

As an example, she tells the Straight by phone that human beings have some things in common with what’s going on inside devices that generate music.

“Technologically, we’re not so different than the conversations that are going on inside of these machines,” Goodman says. “You know, how the information feeds in and is looped back out is similar to how we experience information. And as we process it, it loops back into the physical space.”

Tuning is a duet commissioned by former Ballet B.C. principal artist Alexis Fletcher, who performs alongside Vancouver dancer Ted Littlemore. Through the use of sonic devices, including vocorders, the dancers create a soundscape, employing their voices to amplify what their bodies are saying.

“My practice has been creating sound through looping devices—I guess I’ve been working with that for the last six years, on and off,” Goodman explains. “And it was really introduced to me by the incredible artist Caroline Shaw.”

Last year, Goodman and Shaw made great use of looping devices and microphones in their critically acclaimed production of Graveyards and Gardens.

In Tuning, Goodman wanted to work with someone also experienced in this area. Littlemore, an accomplished musician as well as an imaginative contemporary dance artist, was an obvious choice. “Ted has a remarkable singing voice,” Goodman says.

According to Fletcher, who was also on the phone call, Tuning has brought together different parts of the Vancouver dance community in ways that don’t often happen. Fletcher was associated with an established, project-based company for many years, whereas Goodman and Littlemore struck out on their own through their own companies.

So for Fletcher, commissioning Tuning was “a milestone, careerwise, for me in terms of building my new path as an independent artist”. And she’s delighted that Goodman agreed to take on this project.

“We quickly realized through our conversations that we were both really interested in duet work as a form,” Fletcher tells the Straight. “It was something that I’ve always really felt drawn to, both as a performer and also as a viewer of dance.

“So we started to have some interesting conversations about the intimacy that can be created between two people in duet,” she continues, “and also the very specific journey that an audience member goes on when there are only two performers—especially when it’s a longer and more durational work like this one.”

Fletcher and Goodman also talked about their experiences of isolation and a lack of proximity to other people in the pandemic.

In creating this piece, Goodman felt it was imperative that relationships could be built within the room, in all sincerity, so that this could be reflected in the performances.

Fletcher says that this brings a “vulnerable, transparent energy” to Tuning. “So it really feels like the making of the work is also creating a content of the work,” she notes.