Descent to the Underworld

Description:

Descent into the Underworld was a dance performance conceived by Abraham Rogatnick during his recovery from major heart surgery. It was developed with dancer Colleen McGhee, a friend who was caring for him at the time and whom Rogatnick had not seen perform before.

In the work, McGhee performs as a mourner who attempts to descend to the underworld to find the one she has lost. This journey draws on literary precedents including Orpheus, Dante Alighieri, and The Swan of Tuonela, and concludes with her weary return to the world of the living.