History - Utah Arts Festival (1995)
June 25, 1995 - Amphitheater Stage, Triad Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

History | History Text | History Posters | 1995 | Video
Photographic Memory (1995)

Choreographers: Elizabeth and Jimmy Miklavcic
Music: (Video Credits)
Costumes: Elizabeth A. Miklavcic
Set Design: Elizabeth and Jimmy Miklavcic
Set Construction: Jimmy H. Miklavcic
Lighting: Jimmy H. Miklavcic
Dancers: Elizabeth and Jimmy Miklavcic
Location: Amphitheater Stage, Triad Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Length: 11:09 minutes
Description
Inspired by the title of a poem by William Butler Yeats, To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures, from the book Responsibilities: Poems and a Play. Elizabeth pictured as she read this title, dancers in frames instead of paintings. She thought of old photos on bureaus of great, great grandmothers and grandfathers posing in their Sunday best for a family portrait.

Danced by Elizabeth and Jimmy Miklavcic, Photographic Memory is based on the concept of a troubled relationship. In this case, the couple begin together then split apart, and come together again, ending when Jimmy finally disappears, leaving for good. The dance movements combine moments of stillness as if frozen in a picture frame; constrained, resistant, slow motion movement, as well as fast release movement symbolizing moments of freedom for the individuals, especially for the female dancer. Her sadness by the eventual leaving of the man could be interpreted in such a way, that her life ends when the relationship ends.

Elizabeth and Jimmy performed Photographic Memory twice on this day. The first recording focused on Jimmy's character, and the second Elizabeth's, with the idea that the two videos would be edited together one day, which never happened.