What does it mean to achieve glory? Shay Kuebler wrestles with this question in Glory, his new dance work premiering at this year’s Chutzpah! Festival. The work is a follow up to his debut, Karoshi, and serves as a bold study of violence and its glorification.
The idea for the show came out of Kuebler’s experience growing up watching action stars like Sylvester Stallone, Steven Seagal, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. “I was in martial arts and theatre, and I grew up with a love for action films,” said Kuebler. “I used to make up imaginary fight sequences. I realized how much violent material we were referencing and just [accepting] to be around.”
Kuebler has noticed a trend of violence becoming more acceptable, as viewers become increasingly desensitized. “It keeps being glorified and amplified, and there is a loss of the essence or truth [of what is actually happening],” he explained.
“In some ways it’s just part of human culture; war is something we never escape.”
Abandoning the usual association between victory and glory, Kuebler explores the grey areas of those fighting who don’t want to and the implications of associating something positive with war. Cycles of revenge that lead to endless wars can also be fueled by cultural or religious influences. “The passion they feel for their cause pushes forward this idea of glory,” he said.
Films also support this glorification of war, Kuebler explained. “The more we’re exposed to violence, the more we normalize it. Then it has no bearing on the truth of the matter.” The idea of what is honourable is also an idea that is dealt with in Kuebler’s choreography, and he believes that the idea of honour has also been sensationalized by the media.
Along with an ensemble of five other dancers, Kuebler will perform his athletic, martial arts-inspired choreography, drawing on hip-hop and contemporary dance styles. The show also involves many technical video, sound, stunt, and costume elements that will add to the excitement.
In particular, Kuebler will be using a special stunt harness, commonly seen in action and kung fu movies. Worn like a vest, ropes can be attached to the harness in many different places, and it is used to secure a stunt person when they are blown back in an explosion or similar scene.
“For some people, a glorious life is having a huge house and a couple cars, but for some it’s sharing it with their family,” he said. In the end, Kuebler, an advanced martial artist of Shaolin kung fu, tai chi, and chi gong, describes his idea of glory as serving a purpose greater than oneself.
“To live with glory is to live with some form of selflessness,” he said.
Glory will be presented by Shay Kuebler Radical System Art from February 21–23 as part of the Chutzpah! Festival. For more information, visit chutzpahfestival.com.
