Resistdance began as an exercise to exorcise my impotence after the 2016 election. Parallels surrounding feminist issues and societal attitudes exhibited both today and during the 1960s haunted me.
I began drawing Go-Go Girls.
Gestural lines conveying attitude and defiance allowed these women to move together, expressing themselves through their shared dance. The movement became cathartic and evolved into semi-abstracted, fluid pieces exploring through mixed media my personal views of current issues relevant to women today.
Themes examining sexuality, female views of ourselves as sexual
creatures, and how society views sexual freedom, as well as expectations
of “acceptable” feminine behaviors - became part of the compositions -
how women are “veiled” yet must continue to dance out of their confines.
1960s music also influenced my work - memories of dancing as a teen,
becoming aware of my body and my own sexuality - how one can move
through dance and feel free and how, now, 50 years later I am affected by those same rhythms.
The compositions; organic, gestural and rhythmic allowed me to move and speak through the layered patterns; incorporating symbolism, in part, from Catholicism, Hinduism, mysticism, mythology and “DiNapoli-ism” - developing into semi autobiographical works.
Sometimes the materials guided the composition, revealing surprises I had to puzzle through. Other times I directed; adding fluidity,
spray painting patterns, adhering lace, editing lines -
creating deliberately improvised studies of strong
resilient women taking control.
Dance becomes a metaphor for the importance of movement -sexual freedom and unity - the movement. I explored my attitude toward the female body as well as sexual mores - real or imposed on women.… but always in the forefront of the works -the rhythm, the dance, the movement - expressing defiance, flexibility and hope - Resistdance