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This spring I had the exciting opportunity to participate in a performance collaboration for a women's boarding school in southern Virginia. It was not only a chance for me to teach and watch my movement, but also the chance to collaborate professionally with two of my classmates from Denison University. In April, I spent three days at Chatham Hall in Chatham, VA teaching my original choreography to the students of the school's dance department, run by Brittany Jackson, with whom I danced at the Denison dance department. The pieces I taught the girls were to the music of Caroline Spence, a singer-songwriter based in Nashville who also attended Denison with me a few years ago. Caroline Spence is super talented and is making a name for herself touring regularly and has recorded one full album and two EP's, with another full-length album on the way. Besides being a wonderful human being, her music is soulful, honest, catchy and original Americana folk - check her out and get listening. When I returned to Chatham in May, I was also joined by Caroline herself, who accompanied the dancers live for their end-of-the-year showing. I was honored to be a part of this collaboration of three college friends now working professionally together to combine our talents to create an original (and joyful) performance by passionate dance students.
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I am thrilled once again to be performing with Contradiction Dance this spring for my third consecutive season, and to be contributing as choreographer for our upcoming show, "#DanceAboutDC: The Joe's Experience" happening April 26-27 at Joe's Movement Emporium, right outside D.C. proper in Mt. Ranier. Besides performing in multiple pieces including a modified solo Getting from Here to There from Contradiction Dance's March 2014 show "Walk a Mile", I am also presenting the next version of my site-specific work in progress entitled Lay(her). Inspired by a cathartic year in my life and family's - namely my sister's battle with cancer - I craved to create a piece that is, in a nutshell, about kindness. Through movement that accents angles, contrast and complexity, I want to remind that humans are just humans who are all fighting a battle underneath our public personas, and why a little ounce of anonymous compassion can go a long way to coexist with other humans in shared spaces. This piece was first performed at Meridian Hill Park in NW D.C. in September 2013, and I'm proud to have its Joe's debut. As a little sneak peek, here's some rehearsal footage of Lay(her) we spontaneously videoed on a phone last week (hence the not so great quality, apologies).  "#DanceAboutDC: The Joe's Experience"
#DanceAboutDC is an ongoing series by Contradiction Dance of site-specific pieces taking place all over the DC metro area. This is our third installment, following outdoor showings in the summer and fall of 2013. This next iteration of #DanceAboutDC is a unique site-specific treat. With original choreography by company members and artistic director Kelly King, site-specific pieces will take you (the audience) through the nooks and crannies of Joe's Movement Emporium (an educational space for all things movement from aerial to hip hop in Mt. Ranier, MD). You'll be mobile and in the middle of it all with your choice to experience the dances the way you choose. The pieces will then lead you into Joe's black box theatre for a final trip through our imagination(s) and the choreography, with the company presenting more work on the stage. Plus, after each show, we're throwing an after-party for all audience members in the Joe's spacious lobby with food, drink, music and art presented by local artisans and partners of Contradiction Dance. FUN! Intrigued? Come see the full piece in motion and the other wonderful things we've made for you to see! Contradiction Dance & Joe's Movement Emporium present: #DanceAboutDC: The Joe's Experience April 26 at 8pm + April 27 at 7pm Joe's Movement Emporium 3309 Bunker Hill Road Mt. Ranier, MD 20712 *$20 General Admission/$15 students, seniors, artists/$10 youth *BONUS! Buy tickets online here & get a $20 Lyft credit! |
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