dance a smell

Our bodily experiences shape the way we think, feel, and perceive the world around us. By introducing a new element into our movement repertoire—smell—we can potentially transform our perception of reality. In a society that heavily emphasizes visual stimuli, embracing the power of our sense of smell may initially feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable.

In the “Dance a Smell” performance, we aimed to create a group experience that utilized odors as a source of inspiration for movement. Participants were invited to step into a world where their bodies would respond to scents in unexpected ways, fostering new multisensory connections. Collaborating with the talented smell artist and perfumer, Clelia Prestige, we gathered a diverse group of individuals at Villa Trabia in Palermo to embark on this interactive experiment.

Enriching the sensory tapestry

During the performance, participants were presented with a range of distinct odors, each one evoking unique sensations and emotions. As the scents wafted through the air, the participants allowed their bodies to respond, translating the olfactory stimuli into a dance that was both personal and collective. Afterwards, the group came together to share their experiences, weaving their dances with poetic words that painted a vivid tapestry of their inner worlds.

To me, their dances and the lyrical expressions that accompanied them felt like a precious gift. The feedback we received demonstrated that movements inspired by odors carry a profound emotional resonance and depth, offering a new dimension to the art of dancing. By incorporating scent into the dance vocabulary, we open doors to unexplored realms of expression, enriching the sensory tapestry that defines our human experience.

“It is akin to gazing through a window composed of numerous fragments of differently colored glass, forming a vast mosaic. And suddenly, it shatters.”