Two major themes of rituals are transformation and regeneration. Cly performs some of the rituals for herself, especially when she is entering into a new phase of her life. Her rituals reflect how individuals are always changing and evolving. Cly also engages in rituals to honor celebrations or ideas that she is passionate about such as the anti-nuclear war protest in Romulus.

Rituals fulfill Cly's dual need for spirituality and community. The rituals are sociocentric events. They are significant to the community because they not only watch Cly's performance but participate in them as well. She feels that many of these communal values are lacking in Western society and tries to preserve this sense of community in her performances by having the audience participate.

Cly's performances are based on a vision and are carefully scripted. Her rituals are performed in a sacred space and any behavior or movement that occurs within the area is significant. In preparation for her rituals, Cly meditates for a long time. Her performances are a continuous cycle that may change the audience's interpretation and perception of Cly's performance art.

The environment of Cly's rituals may consist of music and props. For instance, the masks that Cly uses are hand-made of earthbound materials. They may be painted on as well. While some masks are purely decorative, others have a purpose. All masks represent some type of transformation. Cly feels that masks have a dual function. They conceal who you are, but also reveal another aspect of yourself. Masks could unveil who you want to be. When making masks, Cly is often inspired by people that she knows. For example, one of her current projects is the transformation of a mask into the form of a monkey. The mask was inspired by a former student Cly once knew.

Photo: Cly (on right) and Deborah Jones (Elmira College '62) with totem.

| cly mainpage | performance art | storytelling | birth ritual |