burst! is part of an ongoing investigation by Gesel Mason that seeks to reimagine our identities and create space for individual voices to impact our collective community. Using contemporary dance and movement techniques, burst! is developed as an extension of Mason’s project Yes, And. This methodology works to unravel our current perceptions of self and society in search of freedom; the freedom “to find” and to “be found” from a recalibrated place.

The term “burst” can mean many things – bursting with joy, with laughter, with color; or a burst of anger or violence. To “burst” can also be to rupture or to disrupt. This work is one chapter of a larger investigation of this concept, developed in part through Mason’s work at the Texas Performing Arts/Fusebox Festival residency program in fall 2020. As time continues to march forward, how do our shared experiences and voices shift? How can we find ourselves amidst this ever-changing landscape? What can we learn from this moment and how do we find our own unique voice while holding space for each other?