Walking with Dolly

When we first landed on the land in Twello, we noticed the difference between Dolly and us in approaching the place. We orientated ourselves by sitting and talking, while Dolly was sniffing everything, chewing on her favorite findings, running around, digging holes and marking her territory by barking. We immediately saw how we could learn from her in getting to know the land.

She also had her ways of helping us during the proces. Whenever we would fall back into to much sitting and talking she would bark at us, inviting us to play. She became our reminder to not get stuck in mental processing, but to explore through the body in movement. We took her actions like chewing on branches and digging in the ground as methapors. It became a way of thinking that we could apply on everything we did.

It wasn't about becoming a dog, but about a way of exploring, getting to know something by interacting with it.

But we also started digging, following her example, which became our main research.

When taking Dolly out for a walk we tried to somethimes turn roles around. She would take us out for walk. Without using a leash, we would see where she wanted to go and we would follow her as she would follow her nose. In this way she brought us to some really nice unexpected and hidden places..

Staying in the moment and in the body, with curiosity and playfullness became the tools that Dolly taught us.

And so we started calling her our dramaturg.