Namely Performance

Performance artist Claire Porter's newest piece, Namely, Muscles, begins to answer one of Shakespeare's most relentless questions: What's in a name?

With nomenclature at the heart of Namely, Muscles, Porter portrays Forensic Autopsy Muscular Surgical Specialist Dr. Nickie Nom. The character's preoccupation with the bodily form causes her to write 30-plus poems about its functions, appropriately titled Namely, Muscles. Porter uses this conceit to actively interpret 68 major muscles of the body through dance and script.

Porter's one-woman production - an intersection of dance, theater and comedy - will be performed this Friday in the Ark Dance Studio on East Campus.

Duke Associate Professor of Dance Carol Childs studied under Porter at Granville University in Michigan, and she has grown to know Porter as more than a performer. According to Childs, her sophisticated work touches on elements that have characterized her past experiences, including stints as a mathematician and an educator for the deaf.

Porter, now based in New Jersey, comes to Duke after production works spanning the globe. She has been commissioned for a wide range of companies, from university dance programs to Domino's Pizza - yes, you did read that correctly. This diversity of experience leads to her ability to please a wide range of artistic tastes, Childs said.

"She gives you a place and a storyline," Childs said. "Her work is accessible even for those who haven't experienced Dance Theater before."

Namely, Muscles - brought by the Duke Dance Program - will show Friday, Jan. 31st at 8 p.m. in The Ark. Call 660-3354 for reservations. It's $7 for the public and free for Duke students. The Ark's intimate setting only holds 100 people, so to muscle your way inside, get a ticket ahead of time.