Performance at Wreck Beach
(choreographed by Yvonne Rainer; performed
in 1972 by Yvonne and a group of Vancouver dancers)
out of a bag
she gave us red balls,
no words
spoken.
in quiet we climbed over
log drift on shore,
assembled slowly on sand,
spread out,
maybe ten standing straight,
facing calm water,
at water's edge.
stood still,
then one by one
red balls tossed
to cool blue-gray
of English Bay.
only arms moved.
splashes,
floating red,
still bodies
facing.
red balls
rocked and rolled
gently
on lapping waters.
slowly, slowly,
body by body
walked on to the next act
in the bay ballet.
red balls,
bobbing on blue,
beneath blue,
remained.