In-Progress

Contemporary dance was pioneered by women and I am proud to be part of that lineage. In the past few decades, women in dance have lost artistic and economic ground. In response to this devaluation of women in dance, I have worked with an all-female company since 1997. I select strong, self-possessed dancers who allow my work to pierce the barrier between mover and viewer. This structure encourages me to see each dancer as unique and to draw upon that information in my choreography.

My current work is driven by a full exploration of the physical and emotional range of women and is framed by issues of identity and community. I use intricate partnering to demonstrate the powerful and uncompromising way that women can relate. I am developing a concept for partnering called cooperative virtuosity in which the sheer strength of traditional partnering is replaced by complex maneuvers that require a shared purpose, intense cooperation and the creation of an alliance. I am interested in what a group can accomplish when working together selflessly.

One of my chosen challenges in working with an all-female company is to present the dancers as strong individuals, each with a unique and interesting performance presence, yet clearly playing an important part within a cohesive group. I enjoy the challenging of finding the balance between the individual and group.