Up and Around the Sun *World Premiere*
Choreography: Mira Göksel
Music: Güç Başar Gülle (“Günaydın,” performed by Güç Başar Gülle and Volkan Hürsever); Bass tuning by Caleb Ossmann
Dramaturgy: Sophie Allen
Costume Design: Mira Göksel
Lighting Design: Paul Marr
Performers:
CiCi Kai, Demetrius Lee, Jessica Massimino
Mira Göksel’s Artist Statement:
I believe in letting nature guide movement. Dance that lets the body lead organically, allowing for room to grow and the mind to open up. Creating an open space that doesn’t fall in conclusion when a piece is over, but a process that lingers and hopefully sparks greater virtue and interest for all those involved in each step of fruition.
Foreign Affliction *World Premiere*
Choreography: Jacob Windeler
Music: Jed Kurzel (“Spores,” performed by Jed Kurzel); Chris Christodoulou (“Through a Cloud Darkly,” “A Glacier Eventually Farts (And Don’t You Listen to The Song of Life),” and “Köppen as Fuck,” performed by Chris Christodoulou)
Costume Design: Jacob Windeler
Lighting Design: Paul Marr
Performers:
Jayda Escobar, Skye Kita, Jacob Windeler
Jacob Windeler’s Artist Statement:
My work and movement philosophy reflect pleasure experience with physical exertion. Pleasure is rewarding and is the motivation in my movement. My movement is an outwardly physical extension of emotion, thought, and feeling. I use dance to present aesthetics and imagery. When it comes to creating work and presenting work I like to work without any rules restricting the process. Improvisation and the idea of constantly exploring movement and all the possibilities within set work plays a huge part in my process. I believe gender binaries and other social constructs have nothing to do with dance and when we dance we are simply a human being in movement. For me it all comes down to the internal feeling inside of me and the personal reward that comes from the creative process.
Metanoia *World Premiere*
Choreography: Hoang-Anh (Ashley) Eng
Music: D’Angelo, Gina Figueroa, Kendra Foster, Curtis Mayfield (“Really Love,” performed by D’Angelo and Brent Fischer); Senking (“Great Day” and “V8” performed by Senking)
Costume Design: Hoang-Anh (Ashley) Eng
Lighting Design: Paul Marr
Advisors: Danny McCusker, Marissa Molinar
Collaborators and Performers:
Kasey Aguilar, Drew Allen, Tatum Backer, Penn Burrall, Tricia Dietrick, Jayda Escobar, Sammy Falk, Abby Fuller, Hannah Garcia, Jaqi Gendreau, Rachel Kempenaar, Skye Kita, Adam Ross, Jocelyn Scullion, Alexis Tsiramanes, Katherine Warner, Dawvyn Winters, Monica Zesch
Hoang-Anh (Ashley) Eng’s Artist Statement:
I am a movement researcher that specializes in contemporary fused floorwork expressing human passion and creating as a gift to be shared with others. I am a creative thinker and mover that inspires to awaken the hearts and shift the consciousness of my audience. My mission is to create change and ignite a visceral reaction that leaves the audience contemplating; to be a force that strives to continuously work, learn, and transform; to become an aware and mindful mover; to be a lover of people and the arts. In my work, I value the evolution of the process that is created in the space geared specifically from collaborating with artists. The physical visceral work that I create has been said to resonate deeply for the artists performing, that it ultimately allows the witnesses to experience the same reaction. My intention is deeper than just sharing art. It expresses different qualities, fragilities, passion, and stimulates internal reflection and processing.
Program Note:
Metanoia (n.) the journey of changing one’s mind, heart, self, or way of life.
Our Peace Is Over *World Premiere*
Choreography: Willow DuBose, Talia Stern
Music: Erica Rayner-Horn (“Guided Meditation II,” performed by Erica Rayner-Horn); Billy Joel (“Vienna,” performed by Billy Joel)
Costume Design: Willow DuBose, Talia Stern
Lighting Design: Paul Marr
Performers:
Willow DuBose, Talia Stern
Willow DuBose’s Artist Statement:
As an artist, I aspire to create a safe space for the strength that comes with emotional vulnerability, unapologetic ambition, and genuine curiosity to find the intention behind our actions—inside and outside of the studio. As I continue to expand my field of work, I aim to provide a perspective of sensitivity through transparent communication, the posing of questions, and the clarity of my intentions within a collective process. Moving forward, this approach will help to implement a greater sense of unity and genuinity within the dance community.
Talia Stern’s Artist Statement:
Movement is the vehicle that takes me out of myself and at the same time, back into myself. I am my most present, authentic self when I am dancing. My obsession with dance is planted in the deep and endless exploration of body and mind. In my opinion, uniqueness is one of the most important aspects about art. Collaboration has been my pathway to identifying my own unique artistic world. When I am able to connect, research, and process with honest, hardworking, passionate humans, I end up a better, more versatile version of myself. I am driven by the power that comes from the collective. The dance community is liberating and will continue to give the gift of power, love, and light to the world. Overall, I love being an artist; I love the challenge, the lifelong pursuit, growth, and endless energy and exploration.
Program Note:
When your mind is at its busiest, who is your person that will listen? When you feel completely alone, who is the person that will sit by your side? When you’re dancing like no one’s watching, who will blow off a meditation to join you? Peace and chaos, let’s go through it together.
Our Peace Is Over, choreographed and performed by Willow DuBose and Talia Stern, is about the person who will stand with you, laugh with you, move with you, and find stillness with you through all the highs and all the lows. We hope you feel all the feels tonight. Peace and love, Talia and Willow.
Revelry *World Premiere*
Choreography: Alex Meeth
Music: Georg Friederich Händel (Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major, HMV 348: “Ouverture,” “Adagio e staccato,” “Menuet,” and “Allegro,” performed by the English Concert and Trevor Pinnock)
Costume Design: Alex Meeth
Lighting Design: Paul Marr
Digital Artwork: Nolan Wollmer
Performers:
Penn Burrall, Teresa Castaneda, Trea Dipkin, Ava Grebe, Rachel Kempenaar, Lila Kushner, Marissa Miller, Adam Ross, Isabella Soo-Hoo, Rhapsody Stiggers
Alex Meeth’s Artist Statement:
I believe art possesses the power to transcend our narrow understanding of time and space. As gravity is to the very shape of our universe, art is to the very shape of our humanity. What we can imagine and symbolize brings us closer—it is our collective consciousness and special relativity. As a poet of movement, words, senses, and thought, I hope to empower others, advocate for change, and strengthen unity in our shared, miraculous existence.
Program Note:
“[One] who has never looked on Sorrow will never see Joy.” —Kahlil Gibran