Amanda Tipton/Photo courtesy
As DanceAspen grows, the company is now offering more performances throughout the valley and will present its first engagement at TACAW, “Bloom,” on September 5 and 6.
The company thrives on pushing the boundaries of movement and expression through the embodiment of innovative choreography.
The show at TACAW includes “ANIMAL,” choreographed by Noelle Kayser, “All the World Is Green” by Matthew Gilmore, and a film by DanceAspen artist Madeline Scott.
“Part of what makes DanceAspen’s performances so dynamic and high energy is the unique creativity and collaboration the company fosters from within. As a collective, the company looks for artists who can do it all – perform, choreograph, manage and direct,” said Lucy Lea Tucker, LLC. Ltd. Creative Strategic Branding and Communications.
Because dance careers end early due to the physical demands, the company encourages dancers to explore other roles in the dance field. Scott, who earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in ballet education and her Bachelor of Science in nonprofit and community engagement from the University of Utah in 2017, is also into film production. She shot her third and latest play, “Iris,” at Boogie and Gail Weinglass’ Merry-Go Ranch.
“It is inspired by the concepts of the importance of perspective (within) the concepts of duality,” she said, citing examples of life and death, calm and anger, light and darkness, and slowness and speed.
A composition by Michael Wall, a friend from Salt Lake City, features a variety of instruments. It begins with a quiet violin in the background, and then, halfway through, heartbeats signal a change. Seven dancers reflect the tension and anxiety that builds, and it ends with a surprise, Scott said.
Kayser’s “ANIMAL,” meanwhile, presents technically innovative choreography. Kayser created the work for Meredith Harrill and Jonah Delgado of DanceAspen for a gala in Orlando, Florida, and now they are performing it for the first time in the Roaring Fork Valley.
“During the creative process of Noelle Kayser’s duet ‘ANIMAL,’ the dancers recall Noelle calling the piece ‘an exploration of the interplay between the modern brain and modern instincts,'” Scott said. “It’s an athletic, emotive piece. It’s really animalistic, but it’s extremely engaging – just the details of the dancers moving in space. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
DanceAspen co-founder Gilmore has also created a first called “All the World Is Green.” In this 30-minute contemporary piece, dancers explore the emotional experience of the world from the perspective of safety and discover that life is not always perfect. As the music changes about nine times, it is anchored by a poem by Anne Sexton called “Noon Walk on the Asylum Lawn” as duets and solos appear and disappear.
“Matthew’s new work is a collaborative process with the dancers. We all had the opportunity to voice our ideas to further enhance the world he created for this story to unfold. This contemporary work will completely transform the space by replacing the typical dance floor with bright green turf,” said Scott. “As a professional dancer, I have never seen anything like this before, so this is a show I definitely don’t want to miss.”
The company will also perform three other works, including Penny Saunders’ “In His Hands,” which is being revived due to popular demand, said Kaya Wolsey, DanceAspen’s director of operations.
“DanceAspen’s ‘Bloom’ embodies the cutting edge of contemporary dance, seamlessly blending innovative choreography with the latest trends to redefine the boundaries of the art form,” said Scott. “It’s a little more experimental, but I think audiences will appreciate it. From a creative perspective, I’m really excited about it. It takes dance to a place not many people would expect – it’s definitely edgy.”
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