EARTHLING DANCERS STAR IN SPACE 50 – Seattle Dances

When the world feels chaotic, wanting by means of a telescope has all the time offered a way of consolation for Diana Cardiff. The veteran Seattle dance artist nonetheless treasures a decades-old photograph of the moon that her dad took of their yard. 

“After I look as much as the sky, I really feel a way of marvel, fable, magic, curiosity, and hope,” Cardiff says. 

These emotions from childhood at the moment are propelling Cardiff’s newest mission: House 50. Co-produced by Cardiff and her 30-year collaborator Sara Jinks, this dreamy selection present attracts from human curiosity about outer area, as represented in popular culture, mythology, science, and extra. 

The manufacturing contains Robert Lawson singing Misplaced in The Stars, and a number of other movie and multimedia tasks led by Cardiff and Jinks in collaboration with numerous artists. However dance is the connective tissue by means of this theatrical night. Learn on for a sneak peek of the dance items within the present, as advised by the choreographers.  

Joyful destruction 

Set to Kate Bush’s track Whats up Earth, Jenny Could Peterson will wreak havoc on a prop cityscape, addressing the concept of Earth as “different.” Peterson’s collaborators embrace Julie Mack Boyce (scenic design), Kaitlin McCarthy (choreography), and Annie McGhee (fellow performer).  

“The previous few years particularly–I’ve been feeling–not tremendous passionate about Earthlings and their doings,” Peterson says. “I simply suppose we could possibly be doing a significantly better job. If the previous few years have taught me something, it’s to have the ability to sit comfortably with disappointment. So in a means, this piece is my indulgent and hopefully a bit of bit humorous means of destroying every little thing so we will begin over. Bye-bye people, now you’re actually stardust?!” 

Tiny beams of sunshine within the darkness 

Becca Blackwell is bringing her work as a stage supervisor and lighting designer into a brand new movement-based solo. The primary supply of lighting for Blackwell’s piece are her gloves, which comprise small battery-operated lights.

“After not dancing all through the pandemic, I’m utilizing this solo and the reentry again to efficiency as a chance to find what my relationship with dance is now. I’m very curious to see what the result might be. The track I’m utilizing begins out with saying, ‘Girls and gents, we’re floating in area,’ which is what I’ve been doing since 2020: rolling with the punches and floating in area.” 

Conventional Japanese dance, mythology 

Quite than making a mashup of classical Japanese and modern-dance, Gabrielle Kazuko Nomura Gainor’s duet with Truong Nguyen affords particular moments of each traditions. Created with steering from Japanese dance artist Kazuko Yamazaki, Nomura Gainor reimagines the Shinto solar and moon deities, a married couple, by means of Twenties gangster (yakuza) tradition.  

“This piece explores the duality of energies, together with masculine and female or gentle and darkish, that exist inside us. Finally, on this story at the very least, the solar goddess comes out on high, and the moon god is pushed out of her orbit, compelled to comply with her throughout the sky. Within the West, the female Asian physique is seen as unique—disposable even—present for the pleasure and repair of others. This piece is a dramatic, juicy drama that may hopefully be as enjoyable to observe as it’s to carry out. However we, the 2 dancers you see onstage, are additionally talking to folks like us: Asian girls, femmes, and queer of us. The title of the piece (to start with, lady was the solar) can be the title of a historic feminist textual content from Japan.” 

‘We’d prefer to make a contact with you’ 

Diana Cardiff will revamp her piece Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft that premiered at Ten Tiny Dances in 2015. On this humorous solo carried out on a 4’ by 4’ platform, Cardiff dons a tinfoil helmet and brandishes a lightsaber 

“House 50 is a love letter devoted to my dad, Ed Cardiff. It’s by means of his eyes and thoughts that I developed  my appreciation for the great thing about science and the universe. Outer area is infinite and my want is that this present touches on some side of outer area that resonates with every viewers member.”

Extraterrestrial duet 

In House 50, Eric Pitsenbarger and Wade Madsen star within the movie Two Little Males In a Flying Saucer. The married couple are additionally making a duet to be carried out reside between Pitsenbarger and Hendri Walujo. 

“We’re SO intrigued by the potential of aliens. In preparation for this present, we’ve been watching all of the ‘documentaries’ of sightings, autopsies, and extra—reliving our personal encounters (actually!). We’ve been influenced by America’s 1950’s-style secrecy and authorities profiling, in addition to the ‘sacred cows’ of contemporary dance. Hendri has been so recreation to hitch in and assist increase the bar.” 

A slammin’ Carl Sagan tribute 

In Amy J Lambert’s ensemble piece, the choreographer honors a science icon utilizing a treasured hip-hop track from 90s childhood. 

“Personified by seven completely different dancers in pink turtlenecks, Carl Sagan takes a chance to jam out to certainly one of his ‘favourite’ songs that didn’t make it on the ‘Golden File.’ For the reason that first time I watched the film Apollo 13, I’ve been a giant fan of outer-space. Creating Carl “House Jam” Sagan didn’t really feel like a tough attain after years of admiration, and I’d prefer to suppose he’d be tickled by the over-the-top enthusiasm showcased within the dance.”

Cosmic dancers

Karen Garrett de Luna selected the track “Cosmic Dancer” by T-Rex for her duet with Alex Goldstein. A Buddhist, de Luna loves how the track alludes to the 4 sufferings (beginning, outdated age, illness, dying) by remembering how lengthy we’ve been dancing. The whimsical feeling connects completely different threads of beginning, play, and dying all through.

“My actuality is that at virtually 50 years outdated, life isn’t what I imagined it could be in my 20s. I’m glad that there are elements of me which can be softer and extra compassionate. And there are elements of me which can be nonetheless overcoming fears and studying new issues. I nonetheless need the artwork I create to be good, related, insightful, lovely and acknowledged. However greater than that, I’m comfortable that I proceed to create issues. It’s a miracle that this tradition, which doesn’t intrinsically worth artwork, hasn’t killed my dreaming self.”

House 50 performs April 28, 29, 30 & Could 1 at The Erickson Theatre. Tickets are $30 and will be bought on Stranger Tickets at https://bit.ly/3AzkRky. Within the case that the final admission ticket charge is price prohibitive, please contact the manufacturing group at [email protected] to discover volunteer alternatives and/or to obtain a particular low cost code.

Associated