PITH
IN CONVERSATION WITH PITH
We sat down with CO-PRESENTS artists Alissa and Caroline of PITH to gain perspective into their inspirations and process leading up to the premiere of their new work.
CO- : What was your initial inspiration for this piece? Has it evolved?
Alissa:
Being in sync and out of sync with one another and with life. Leaving routines and re-entering the whirlpool even when you don’t want to get sucked back in. Finding yourself and feeling lost with yourself. How life is hard, but there is always a return to rawness that drops you back into the reason it’s all happening anyway.
Caroline:
Initially, I didn’t have a specific inspiration that I was desperate to draw on. That’s part of the beauty of working with someone you’re so close to and have so much history with. It doesn’t require me personally to come into the studio with a plan, and honestly, it doesn’t benefit from one. I’m inspired by Alissa and my relationship to her. How she sees me, how I see her, and how we make sense of “us.” It always evolves because we do. We’re learning to carry each other.
CO- : What/who are you bringing into the creative space with you? (Literally or metaphorically or both)
Alissa:
Caroline and I, whatever make believe persona is taking over, emotional chaos, dread, excitement, and healing.
Caroline:
History, memory, wishes, inside jokes, anger, notebooks, Madonna, Colby Rue, nicotine gum, and fear.
CO- : What have been some recent joys for you of being an artist in Seattle? Some recent joys in general?
Alissa:
Recent joys of being an artist in Seattle for me has always been has the playground that Seattle fosters for people to be open and creative. There’s a lot of space for art to be made and I think Seattle cultivates really special artists.
Caroline:
I don’t know if joy can be a feeling one has without the impact of others? Even if felt later in solitude. At times it’s a fight, but I’ve found so much joy in the variety of dance communities I have here, in my beautiful friends, my sister, my love, my access to fresh air and wet dirt.
CO- : How does your dance/making practice inform how you relate to the world?
Alissa:
Dance is everywhere. But a huge part of dance for me has always been escape. It’s a place that makes me regulate and come back to myself and my body. Its sets me up to be in the world in a way that I can handle. Anytime I feel heaviness, if I dance, it shakes me back into my body. That’s a big reason why I dance and will always dance.
Caroline:
Something I think about often is the embarrassment of being misunderstood. It’s inevitable and everywhere, and I believe (I pray to god) that I’m not alone in it. I think everyone wants the relief of being completely seen in their uniqueness. I’ve been looking for it around me; the many ways someone might be sharing something important. Dancing helps me listen better.
Design by Ryan Hunt, photos by Jim Coleman
PerformerS in 10
Alissa and Caroline met in 2021 performing for a local cabaret with not a clue about the other. From there, PITH was born.
The love-child of two dizzy dreamers. PITH, delves into the realms of erotic freedom, bizarre impulses, and individual yearnings.
@saccharinesylphs
