GAMAN

  • Jesse Obremski

  • Various Works

    by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Akira Kosemura

  • Jesse Obremski

  • Jesse Obremski and artists

  • 5 artists

    Original Cast: Kyla Balser, Ian Debono, Blu Furutate, Richard Sayama, Jie-Hung Connie Shiau

  • World Premiere at Arts on Site on May 30th, 2024 and May 31st, 2024. Additional performances at the Jamaica Dance Festival in June 2024

    The creation of GAMAN was made possible in part with funds from Creative Engagement a regrant program supported by the funding agencies Howard Gilman Foundation, New York State Funding, and NYC Cultural Affairs, and administered by LMCC (Lower Manhattan Cultural Council) in 2024.

  • 23-minutes

  • Gaman (我慢) is a Japanese term of Zen Buddhist origin which means "enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity". The term is generally translated as "perseverance", "patience", or "tolerance".

Photos by McCall McClellan and @Jamaica.Funk

“GAMAN utilizes repetition to stunning effect. Gaman is a Japanese term from Zen Buddhism translated as perseverance, patience, or tolerance. As if in an art museum, the five performers move around the space to witness one another from various perspectives. Fast, twitching movements melt into free-flowing phrases marked by Obremski’s sculptural yet soft precision. I’ve always loved watching performers watch each other. Bearing witness, making space for someone else’s voice, evokes reverence, and reminds us of the power of authentic listening. In GAMAN, this witnessing also acts as inspiration. The sound score, a medley of works by by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Akira Kosemura edited by Obremski, features soft piano chords layered with crashing sounds and pulsing beats that mimic the choreography. The piece concludes as dancer Jie-Hung Connie Shiau performs a gestural solo, her hands sculpting the air into an invisible form. Her movements become faster and more desperate as the other dancers stop to watch her, patiently witnessing her futile attempts to manifest something physical. It’s a striking image.”

- Cecly Placenti, The Dance Enthusiast (2024)