“How blue is Blue with Aside @ The Red Room?”

Photos from Aside 12

When you think of the color blue, what do you see? A blue sky? Maybe a rolling sea or perhaps even a sea of tear drops?

When you think of the color blue, what do you feel? Do you feel sad or heart broken, contemplative or calm? Do you think of the most melodious of blue jays or of the  frighteningly dark voids of space? Do you imagine the crooning of a blues singer or the comforting warmth of your favorite blue sweater?

Truthfully, the color blue gets a bad reputation; people see or hear it’s name and they immediately sigh with the weight of the color’s expectations.  It is against this background of Blue and all of its associations, that Red Room’s “Aside” presented moving performances, which illustrated, amplified, and challenged participants’ interpretations of Blue in relation to our senses of touch, taste, smell, hearing & sight.

Rose Najia and her students began the evening with the sense of touch – introducing sensory playground where the audience was encouraged to feel the vibrations emanating from a performer’s cello, basque in the feeling of soft fabric gliding across their skin, and awaken their senses through active listening and vocalization.  With that, the mood was set- all preconceptions that blue was somehow a color of depression and reclusion faded as the senses woke to the many possibilities of Blue.

Skin, voices, and ears alive, the program  progressed to stimulate taste  buds through the creation of a variety of aroma cocktails. Spencer Huang inspired participants to stretch their minds and build their own cocktail experience through atomized infusions paired with bases like tonic water, juice and Stevia. It was an interactive means of understanding flavors and layers in the food/drinks we consume.

We continued with the sense of smell local Taiwanese gourmet chef, Alina Lin, shared how her personal experiences and culinary journey intertwined with fond memories from her past.  Warm weather and clear blue skies were inspirations for her Ratatouille – a homage to fresh seasonal vegetables and aromatic herbs & spices.

After the break with bellies and ears full, the evening continued with a story-song of warning and self actualization.  Tina Ma urged the audience to question whether meeting social expectations is worth sacrificing personal growth and identity.

At this point, Blue had proven itself a chameleon, morphing with the emotional backdrop of each performance.  The program steamed along with powerful illustrations of Blue through music and movement.

Singer/poet Vicky Sun and Blues guitarist Eric Shen transported the audience to spaces of love and longing carefully constructed in the mind’s eye by their skillful melodies. Their individual offerings as well as their collaborative pieces “I’m going to find another you” and “Route 66” truly delighted their captive listeners. (Admittedly, the author too was lost in memories and futures during this musical portion of the program.)

Nudging us back to the present and tantalizing our sight, blue frolicked and danced in a spring-like movement and painting piece that evoked both the subtle sensuality and lively tempo of the evening. Billy Chang‘s closing performance of the evening was enchanting and heartwarming.  Audience members left with bright dots of blue paint on their faces – happily applied when the dancers made their way through the crowd.

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Kristin S. is new to Taipei and is excited to volunteer at the Red Room as a rookie. In her free time she enjoys reading psychological thrillers, exploring new cities, and yoga.