Alive from Off Center Season 1 (1985)
An avant-garde omnibus that features works by off-the-wall artists in many different disciplines.
Alive from Off Center Season 1 Episodes
Short Video Artworks
In John Sanborn and Kit Fitzgerald’s Ear to the Ground, percussionist David Van Thieghem “plays” the city of New York as he uses everyday objects as instruments. Zbigniew Rybczynski’s The Discreet Charm of the Diplomacy depicts a cocktail party at the White House, where animals are also invited. Ringside by Michael Schwartz showcases a dance by Elizabeth Streb, followed by a futuristic music video for Laurie Anderson’s song “Sharkey’s Day.” William Wegman’s Singing Stomach features a man contorting his torso to look like a face alongside another segment of Wegman teaching a dog how to spell. Lastly, At Battersea Power Station features a performance by Sankai Juku.
Video Dance
This program opens with a piece performed by the dance group "Maasai," which explores an African tribal dance and its variations performed in 1980s London. The second and final segment, "Parafango," is a collaboration between choreographer and dancer Karole Armitage, video artist George Atlas, and musician David Linton that depicts a woman's surrealistic dream about a man she encounters at a party.
