Seattle dancer dreams beyond the pandemic

If we were living in normal times, Liane Aung would be in a dance studio right now.

She’s a member of Seattle-based contemporary dance company Whim W’Him, and they had a performance scheduled to open the end of May.

But these times are most definitely not normal; Aung and her six fellow dancers are holed up at home, like almost everyone else in the region. Aung has a lot of time to think: about her health, about money, and about the future of live performance. In particular, she’s been contemplating the availability and accessibility of digital platforms, and how artists can use them.

“It’s our time to really rise to the occasion,” Aung says. “Tap into technologies to really help us in these moments.

Whim W’Him Artistic Director Olivier Wevers says he’s waiting a bit longer to decide whether or not to pull the plug on the upcoming live shows. In the meantime, he’s been talking to his dancers, and to media specialists, about how to choreograph work specifically for online consumption.

Aung is taking the break to catch up on things she doesn't usually have time for in the whirl of her normal schedule. She’s reading more, listening to podcasts, and taking time to give her body the rest that a dancer doesn’t get in the middle of a busy artistic season. Like many dancers around the world, she uses the internet to maintain her fitness:

“I’ve actually been able to take classes online,” says Aung. Sometimes she participates in these classes with her fellow company members, but more typically they just meet up every morning for a digital check-in. They hang out and talk; Aung’s found it a great opportunity to learn more about her coworkers.

Whim W’Him will pay the company members for another couple of months, through the end of their season contracts. Aung has a second job at a small retail shop; she’s paid through the end of March, but doesn’t know what will happen beyond then.

Aung tries not to worry about what happens if the social distancing mandates drag for several more months. Instead, she’s watching dance performances onlines and dreaming of the day when she'll be back onstage herself, dancing in front of a live audience.