ASCENDance explores renewal and transformation in a chaotic world.
This evening length, multi-disciplinary collaboration began by developing the depth, complexity, and movement capability of flat planes of paper using folding processes based on origami, an ancient Japanese ceremonial folding practice, to create large-scale structures. The dancers use the structures to embody movements of ritual and its antithesis, expressing the dichotomy between personal sanctuary and the kaleidoscopic nature of the contemporary world. The structures are a metaphor for the information inundation experienced in the 24/7 news cycle world. Just as information is folded into smaller and smaller bits, compressed into increasingly smaller technological devices, the origami folds contain information about the original unfolded paper that, in its folded state, remain concealed.
Choreographer: Jan Bartoszek
Lighting Design: Ken Bowen
Sound Design: Matthew Ferraro
Video: Petra Bachmaier
Sculptor: Barbara Cooper
Costume Design: Vin Reed
Folding Assistants: Nagi Nakayama, Regina Weithop
Rigging: Michael Reed of Reed Rigging
Victor Alexander, Edson Cabrera, Jessie Gutierrez, Maray Gutierrez, Michel Rodriguez, Katie Graves
ASCENDance
June 21 & 22, 2013
Shared concert with DANZABIERTA (Havana)
Athenaeum Theatre
Chicago
Bailar a Pantalla festival
Guadalajara, Mexico
February 19, 2016
Circling The Square
Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago
April 8-9, 2016
“…this 50-minute multimedia piece investigates the struggle by all life forms, not just human, to achieve transformation.”
– Laura Molzahn, Chicago Reader
Copperbridge Foundation, Art Encounter, Cafe Selmarie, Heritage Bicycles
Special Thanks
Geo Darder, Joelle Louise Orr, and the Copper Bridge Foundation; Joanna Pinsky, Ellen Kamerling, and Art Encounter; Bruce Robbins and Claire Hurwitz of Lillstreet Art Center; Claire Bataille; Jeffrey and Sophia Usow; Kay Burnett and the Hedwig Dances Board of Directors; Jeff DeLong, Allan Chambers, Jerry Kennedy and the staff at the Athenaeum Theatre; Barbara Cooper; Petra Bachmaier, Sean Gallero of luftwerk; Matthew Ferraro; Liviu Pasare; Ken Bowen; Vin Reed; Hedwig Dances’ Ensemble; Jordan Reinwald; Jessica Lesh; Natalie Canizares, Regina Weithop, Keli Campbell, Nagi Nakayama, Amy Leners, Allison Svoboda, Vicki Egonopoulos, Dennis Burke, Barbara Blacharczyk, Matthew Robinson, Heather Buechler, Barbara Hashimoto, Saki Ogushi, and Azusa Nakatani.
Photos by William Frederking