Senescence

Olivia’s interdisciplinary duet, Senescence, in collaboration with composer and musician, Alex Mah, weaves dance, poetic spoken word, and electronic and live music, to explore themes of aging, end of life care, and loss, highlighted by moments of pathos, humour, and transformation.

Senescence sheds light on the unglamorous yet ubiquitous final stage of life when there is often an unravelling of our autonomy. Emerging from the experience of caregiving for my father, who had dementia and Parkinson’s disease, the work reflects the metamorphosis that occurs as essential features of one’s selfhood are stripped away. Dance, poetic spoken word, and electronic and live music are woven together with humour and pathos. 

Senescence (/sɪˈnɛsəns/): the process of deterioration that occurs in the aging mind and body.

Technical Rider

Choreography and performance by Olivia Shaffer
Music composition and performance by Alex Mah
Dramaturgy and mentorship by Chick Snipper
Voice and theatre coaching by Raïna von Waldenburg
Lighting design by Jessica Han
Costume design by Sasha Schaepe
Text by Justin Veuthey, Olivia Shaffer

This project was made possible with support by the Canada Council for the Arts, the BC Arts Council, New Works, Small Stages, and residencies by SFU, EDAM Dance, and the Moberly Arts Centre.

Past performances:

Acker Stadt Palast
August 5 + 6 | 8:00 p.m.
at Acker Stadt Palast theatre, Berlin, Germany

Vancouver International Dance Festival
March 26 - 28, 2022 | 5:00 p.m.
at KW Studios, Vancouver BC

Saturday, November 16, 2019 | 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 17, 2019 | 2:00 p.m
at The Annex, 823 Seymour Street, Vancouver BC
Presented by New Works.

Co.ERASGA - Salon Series
Friday, September 13, 2019 at Grandview-Woodland Community Place, 2nd floor, 1655 William St. | 7:00 p.m.

Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation - Day of Dance Innovators
Thursday, August 1, 2019 | 5:00 p.m.
at Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, Seattle WA

Small Stages - Summer Series
Saturday, July 13, 2019 at Bute-Robson Plaza | 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 14, 2019 at North Vancouver Shipyards | 4:00 p.m.

Performance footage / video by Sophia Wolfe

Rehearsal photos by Yvonne Chew

Performance photos by Juan E. Contreras