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Karen Harvey Dances presents WETLANDS

Karen Harvey Dances presents WETLANDS

Dates:

Monday, February 18, 2013 - 5:35pm

Feb 22 & 23 at 7:30PM

Wetlands is an intimate dance theater experience
Directed, choreographed & performed by:
Karen Harvey
In collaboration with performers:
Jin Ju Song-Begin (dance)
Andrew Broaddus (music & dance)
Benjamin Garner (music)
Rene Kladzyk (vocals)
Thea Little (music & dance)
Elisa Vazquez (dance)
Rachel Watson (dance)
with videos from dance artists:
Emily Athena Abrahams (Oregon)
Anna Asplind (Sweden)
Silvia Balvin (Spain)
Jin Ju Song-Begin (Korea)
Miguel Angel Guzman (Scotland)
Karen Harvey (New York, USA)
Carolina Tabares Mendoza (Mexico)
Lina Puodziukaite (Lithuania)
Elisa Vazquez (Germany)



 
ABOUT WETLANDS
Karen Harvey has been creating dance works that explore issues of human inter-connection, organic processes in nature and the currently developing global modern culture for a period of over six years. Most important has been From Inside Out (curated by: WestFest all over WestBeth and Judson Church’s Stuffed series - 2012), as a playful performance art piece about the layers of our awareness and our unlimited ability to create life in a unique way, rather than getting stuck in the way the world currently is or has been in the past. A famous quote that expresses this same idea is, “Be the change that you want to see”. - Gandhi

Following this creative exploration, Wetlands, is an intimate dance theater experience featuring a fluid, seamless stream of lush movement, a cappella vocals, stories, live music sound-scapes, and videos by dance artists around the world. Born out of the question – how do we sometimes forget the essential dependence that we have on nature in order to live? This piece is a research project for asking ourselves what is it that we really need out of life: What is essential, what have we forgotten along our path, and how can we rethink ourselves within our environment? Approaching “thirst” as a common paradigm of our lives, in the quenching of that thirst the unbridled power of life reveals a new paradigm. Our dances, like the Wetland ecosystems, become based in personal freedom (biodiversity) and global inter-connection (water).
 

SCIENCE, RESEARCH & PROCESS
• Gina Larsen, M.A. Research scientist at the University of South Florida states these five most important points about Wetland ecosystems:
1. They are a natural filtration system and prevent saltwater intrusion into freshwater systems and aquifers.
2. They are a natural barrier and protect coastal areas from flooding and hurricanes.
3. They are a sanctuary where almost all marine life begins. All sorts of animals lay eggs and give birth in wetlands. Baby fish and other animals are protected in the wetlands before they grow up and can survive in the ocean.
4. The biodiversity of wetlands is spectacular.
5. Humans can visit and appreciate wetlands which provides inner peace and a sense of place.
• Karen interviewed John Connors, a biologist and a curator at the NC Museum of Natural Science in Raleigh, NC. Excerpts from the actual interview are included in the opening installation section of the work.
• Prior to starting our rehearsal process for the evening length version of Wetlands, we held a residency at Mount Tremper Arts in the Catskill Mountains in October, 2012. It was integral to our creative process to spend time as a company immersed in nature together. Our process included morning meditations, daily movement class, hikes in the woods, daily rehearsals, trips to the nearby river and time for each company member to teach the group from their area of expertise. This residency allowed us to come together as a collaborative team in a strong way.
• Like nature, this piece continues to evolve and grow. It began as a simple duet in 2011 and each performance within our two year process, has informed the next. Each performance has also been very different and tailored to that specific show in order to create an experience that is pulsating and alive with the richness of the moment. In favor of a performance that’s more full of life than one that’s technically perfected. It is our humanity as performers that we seek and we purposefully allow for mistakes and growth as a performance experiment.

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