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| Chamber Dance Company dancers Megan Brunsvold and Wilson Mendieta Photo by Steve Korn |
Though last weekend overflowed with dance legends and star-power, this weekend tops it for sheer volume of shows happening simultaneously across the city. Get ready for this jam-packed and diverse line-up:
Chamber Dance Company
October 11–13 at 7:30 pm and October 14 at 2:00 pm, Meany Hall
Founded in 1990 by Hannah Wiley, the Chamber Dance Company, which is composed of candidates for the MFA degree in dance at UW, presents its annual showcase. This year centers around the women pioneers of modern dance. CDC will present a suite entitled On Their Own that features nine solos choreographed between 1906 and 1944 by Ruth St. Denis, Ethel Winter, Helen Tamiris, Jean Erdman, and Mary Wigman. Also on the bill are Susan Marshall’s Arms and Louis Falco’s Escargot. Tickets available here.
Lead Bunny
October 11–14, 9:30 pm, Hedreen Gallery
Lead Bunny, which portrays an individual’s journey of undergoing change in the face of conflict without breaking. The work is a consolidation of dance-maker Paige Barnes’ ongoing exploration of the themes of conflict and reconciliation. Animator Stefan Gruber, with sound composer Rosten Woo, creates “lead bunnies,” creatures that fill up with lead and then leak it. Along with live vocal compositions by Paris Hurley and Bob Barraza, as well as costumes and masks by Jme Frank and Ret Harrison, the performance is a true interdisciplinary experience. This weekend’s performances are part of an ongoing exhibit (October 1–31) that chronicles the project’s creative process through five different interactive media stations. More info about Lead Bunny can be found here, and to reserve a spot at the show email leadbunny@paigebarnes.in.
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| Paige Barnes’ Lead Bunny Photo by Bruce Clayton Tom |
Men in Dance Festival, Weekend One
October 12–14, 8 pm, Broadway Performance Hall
On the bill for Weekend One are a world premiere by Wade Madsen, an excerpt of the new work TREby Markeith Wiley, and a sure-to-be-entertaining special guest from Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Robert Dekkers, named one of the 2011 ‘25 to Watch’ by DANCE Magazine will also be performing the duet, Interference Pattern, with Patrick Kilbane of Portland ’s Northwest Dance Project. Also on the bill are works by Iyun Harrison, Mike Esperanza, Jason Olhberg, Christopher Montoya, and Deb Wolf. For more info and to purchase tickets visit http://www.menindance.org/. MID is also hosting master classes during both weekends of the festival; for the class schedule click here.
Amy O’Neal
October 12–14 and 19–21, 8 pm, Velocity Dance Center
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| Amy O’Neal Photo by Gabriel Bienczycki |
With the audacious title, The Most Innovative, Daring and Original Piece of Dance/Performance You Will See this Decade, Amy O’Neal/tinyrage presents a solo work developed in her year of residency at Velocity. In a nonverbal lecture/demonstration O’Neal reflects on and deconstructs her many and varied influences from hip hop culture to classicism, Big Boi to Cyndi Lauper, as well as dance teachers who have inspired her. The work aims to question gender and racial stereotypes while using “the ass” as a cultural study of the complexity of identity. Tickets available here.
Performing Race: Speakeasy Roundtable
October 14, 4:30–6 pm, Velocity Founders Theater
As part of the discussion surrounding concepts in Amy O’s performance, this roundtable will feature O’Neal, Iyun Harrison (Seattle ), Robin Sanders (Memphis/San Antonio), Jhon Stronks (Houston ), and Susie J. Lee (Seattle ) in a panel and community conversation framing the themes of Race in Dance and Racial Realness.
Extra Extra!
To make life even better for those voracious dance-goers seeing several of these shows this weekend, MID, Amy O, and CDC have teamed up! Take your tickets stub from one of these performances to any of the other two, and receive a $2 discount on admission.
Coming Up:
And if the weekend leaves you wanting more, there’s more to see early next week!
La Sylphide Screening
Monday, October 15, 6:30 pm, SIFF Film Center
SIFF’s Ballet in Cinema program continues with a screening of the Bolshoi Ballet presenting La Sylphide. One of the oldest Romantic ballets, this is an adapted version of August Bournonville’s original production, now re-staged by choreographer Johan Kobborg. More info and tickets can be found here.
Book Club Happy Hour
Monday, October 15, 5 pm, Back Room at Liberty Bar ( 517 15th Ave E )
As part of an ongoing conversation surrounding Amy O’s performance, Velocity is sponsoring interdisciplinary events, like book clubs, master classes, and speakeasy conversations. This Book Club Happy Hour and discussion will revolve around the text: Hip-Hop Realness and the White Performer by Mickey Hess. It will be facilitated by Vanessa Dewolf and Syniva Whitney.
Monday, October 15, 5 pm, Back Room at Liberty Bar (
As part of an ongoing conversation surrounding Amy O’s performance, Velocity is sponsoring interdisciplinary events, like book clubs, master classes, and speakeasy conversations. This Book Club Happy Hour and discussion will revolve around the text: Hip-Hop Realness and the White Performer by Mickey Hess. It will be facilitated by Vanessa Dewolf and Syniva Whitney.
