She was the first woman, according to myth, and she let loose all the evils and sorrows of humanity. But Aszure Barton thinks Pandora\u2019s had a bad rap \u2013 and she\u2019s using dance to reimagine her tale<\/p>\n
Aszure Barton is taking herself back to the creation of Mere Mortals, remembering the creative buzz of the studio at San Francisco Ballet. \u201cSam was fiddling around making magic in one corner,\u201d she says \u2013 that\u2019s Sam Shepherd, AKA electronic musician Floating Points, who plays live in the show. Digital art duo Hamill Industries were there too, designing visuals for giant LED screens. \u201cI was in a corner with the dancers,\u201d says Barton. \u201cPrincipals and apprentices, everyone working together. It was a really shared experience, which I loved.\u201d In fact, it\u2019s a \u201ccuriosity for real collaboration\u201d that drives the Canadian-American choreographer. \u201cIf it was just about me,\u201d she says, \u201cthe work wouldn\u2019t be as powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mere Mortals, which opened in San Francisco in 2024, is finally getting a European premiere, at this year\u2019s Edinburgh international festival. While Barton\u2019s memories of making the show are all about human connection, the subject matter is quite the opposite: artificial intelligence. It\u2019s inspired by the myth of Pandora\u2019s box, but instead of a box unleashing the evils and sorrows of humanity, it is reimagined as a cautionary tale about AI.<\/p>\n
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