Douglas Baker
Douglas is a professional dance accompanist. He is currently employed at the University of Iowa Department of Dance and Community Dance School.
University of Iowa, BA in Piano and Japanese Language 2015
Artist Statement
I had two main considerations when creating the soundscape of “For a Better Place.”
The first was that there is often a lot of accompanying “noise” when we, as a society, try to tackle complex topics. The topic of gender expression and, by extension, womanhood have been in my mind for some time. Someone’s relationship with gender can be labyrinthian, and it can also be simple, but it’s always personal. It’s for this reason, among others, that Satomi’s voice makes up the entirety of the audio.
The second consideration was translating just how much of an impression the interviews had on Satomi. When she relays the stories of all these women, about their inspirations and aspirations, you can hear the impact they’ve made on her. The echoes in the audio represent the idea of “resonating.” Conversations that stick with someone. Memories that float in and out. Thoughts that get stuck on repeat, and all things which take root in someone’s mind.
Douglas is Satomi's performance collaborator as a performance unit, "DS MOVES."
