Beautility

At a quarter past noon, Monique Jenkinson, in a wedding gown with a long train, appeared at the top of the stairs under the magnificent San Francisco City Hall rotunda. She preceded to roll herself, in slow motion, down the staircase, unwinding the dress luxuriantly as she went, until it extended the entire length of the steps. The assembled crowd took scores of photos from all angles. 2 girls lay themselves down next to the train & had their picture taken. Couples about to be married stopped to pose with the spectacle in the background. It took Ms. Jenkinson 20 minutes to reach the bottom, at which point she sat up with a blank yet frightened expression. I thought of the mad scene in Lucia di Lammermoor. Ms. Jenkinson continued walking slowly out the rotunda. A minute later she ran back up the steps & made her final exit as the crowd broke into applause.

§ Monique Jenkinson
Beautility
Costume: Mr. David

Rotunda Dance Series
April 1, 2011
San Francisco City Hall