Where are you now, and what is your status quo?
I'm in my small apartment in Montreal, Plateau Mont-Royal area. It's been six weeks now. I never been home for that long I think... With my family, we built a cottage in the countryside about ten years ago. I'm planning to go there when it's possible, it seems that next week it will be. That would enhance the self isolation thing a lot... I am conscious that it would be a privilege, and I would enjoy it profoundly, after all those weeks in my old little noisy place in Montreal...
If you are in quarantine, what routines have you made for yourself?
When I came back from Europe after a tour was cancelled right while we were doing it, I had to self isolate. I could go out on my own, so I biked a lot and took a lot of photos. Since then, everybody had to be in quarantine, kind of, so the end of mine didn't really show... I'm yet to find a routine that is effective and productive work wise. I was supposed to be in a studio right now, in creation, in Bergen..., by the way... It is taking me a while to switch to another mode. i'm trying to work on some songs, but it's so different. From a big group mode to a total solo mode. I'm cooking a lot, that helps, it's concrete, and I always loved to cook. That's one thing I like about being home.
What do you read?
I read the newspaper every morning, old style, to keep my eyes of a screen for at least a little while. I also read some sci-fi at night. I'm reading a novel, Black Out, by Connie Willis. Kind of an interesting timing, that book about past traumas, big events. What are you watching? I'm trying to see documentaries about the financial system lately. So I continued... I recommend Four Horsemen, it's depressing and motivating at the same time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fbvquHSPJU But I am also looking at old movies and some tv shows, like Westworld, sci-fi again.
What are you listening to?
A lot of electronic. I think I listened to the integral work of James Blake three times since it all started. Maybe because it helps me in my song writing attempts, to listen to a minimal and clever ways to create songs. But I'm also discovering some new voices, mostly in hip hop. Seems like there is always something happening there. I am looking for some good podcasts about politics, sociology anthropology, any ideas?
How do you move?
I run every other day. I would like to run more, but my dance life had that effect that my knees can only take one serious run every other day. I move a lot in front of my screen, because I had to finish semesters at University and Cégep here. I was preparing productions with students, that are not happening. But the semester had to find an ending. So I asked for video studies, and we worked on them in teams, with videoconferences. It makes me move in the small frame of my webcam, to express things that are impossible to express in words. Well, it really shows us how much of the movement teaching/sharing is based on showing it, being it.
What inspires you?
Mmm. I don't know. It feels hard to really be inspired. But what inspires me in other ways are the people who are able to think clearly in the situation, who are able to work on continuing important conversations about citizenship, freedom, solidarity, in ways that go beyond this precise emergency.
If you could send a message that would reach everyone, worldwide what would it be?
Maybe, to try to take this moment to see what is in there, in you, what is you, what is framing you, and how it is so permeable to events, invitations, even propaganda?... How even what we think we are is all linked to others, images, constructions... We are normally constantly bombarded with possibilities, opportunities, and it's hard to see what are the things we really need, are really attached to. Maybe it's hard to focus now, because of anxiety, insecurity... But at the same time, the situation is visible, we know what is preventing our focus. It's hard to see clearly, but I know that we're given a perspective on our ways, and that is precious.
We also see that authorities have the power to make things happen, or prevent things to happen. I hope that it will bring more awareness on how important it is to take care of our democratic institutions, to enhance them, re-legitimize them, because we now see how powerful the States/governments are over their citizens. My big statement would be: Take that power back, give the power to the democratic conversation. The way out of this mess is to have access to information, is transparency. With fear, temptation is for authoritarianism, but I think that the way is in sharing. Sharing strategies, sharing mistakes... like in creation, I think that the sharing of intentions and the sharing of experiences is what works.