Maia Chao: American Idle

Times Square Arts Public-Artist-In-Residence Maia Chao developed a live performance for Time Square by observing the social behaviors in the public plazas of one of the city’s busiest centers. The hour-long performance, choreographed by Lena Engelstein, will take place on Wednesday, July 9 at 3pm, 6pm, and 8pm in the middle of Times Square.

Drawing from pedestrian gestures and movements, American Idle meditates on the intimate choreographies of modern life in the hyperreality of Times Square. The piece explores the effects of fractured attention, techno-mediation, sensory overload, and the beauty and struggle of being in an environment designed to distract.