Indeed, it is these images of the so-called ‘jumpers’ that inspired BBC Radio 2’s first artist in residence, Thomas Small, to create Within This Dust, a brave dance-theatre show that reminds us that the Falling Man was ‘somebody’s husband, somebody’s son’.
First performed in full in 2012 at the Edinburgh Fringe, the show has since been performed across the world in countries such as Berlin and Sao Paolo. Most poignant however was in 2017 when Shaper/Caper were invited to New York to perform the show as part of the 9/11 Memorial Museum’s 15th anniversary programme at Ground Zero.
With survivors and affected families present at the event, the performance drew in a large standing-room-only crowd, with Cliff Chanin, Director of the 9/11 Memorial Museum, stating that it was ‘reverent and honest’ and full of ‘thoughtfulness and commitment’.
Combining dance with audio recordings, spoken word and film, Within This Dust explores themes of loss, survival and humanity and prompts us to remember the value of living.