ALESSANDRO MAGANIA
HARDOCRE
creation Alessandro Magania and Kourtney Rutherford
text Kourtney Rutherford
choreography Alessandro Magania
music by Mathieu Eveillard
props Kim Macron & Simone Peretti
performed by Jack Frederick, Kim Macron, Alessandro Magania, Simone Peretti & Kourtney Rutherford
Toying with the concept of crafting charisma, Hardcore plays like a series of takes from the shooting of an infomercial for a program that aims to correct undesirable physical habits - namely sincere emotional manifestations.
“Charisma is something you can ignite, stimulate, and work just like your intellect... Fit Factor 5 makes you fluid in a new physical language, replacing manifestation of eagerness, like nodding in agreement and smiling while talking, with EFFECTIVE/ SYNTHETIC/ GESTURES that will make you magnetic. Magnetic to those you desire. Magnetic to those who didn’t even know you existed.” - Excerpt
Taking its cue from fitness and self-help videos, interviews and exercise demonstrations are played out by the program creator/guru and a selected participant, while a duo of technicians continuously resets camera angles, and with live scoring by a musician. The threat of spontaneity coming unhinged is set against the contrived principles imparted by the workout, and of filming in itself, as a reflection on the value placed by our society on restraint and manufactured appearances.
HARDCORE premiered at Dixon Place (NYC) as part of Little Theatre, Vol XV, No. 1, September, 2014.