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Category / News & Reviews

Making Magic and Taking Chances with Emily Ames by Luisa Lynch

Kicking off a dance-filled weekend at a salon-style dance show right off of Rock Creek Park is a great way to remember that dance often takes many forms – and lots of those forms don’t take place on proscenium stages with set music to specific choreography. Sometimes, a dance show takes place in a townhouse living room. Sometimes, a dance can actually be a “Choose Your Own Adventure” type of journey for both audience and performer, where music and lighting are decided in the moment, and props are made backstage in a makeshift scene shop.

Darby, Fujimoto, and Umami Playground Dance Inc.: Urban Steps at Atlas INTERSECTIONS by Ashayla Byrd

A mixed-bill performance featuring works by Chandini Darby, Kyoko Fujimoto, and Umami Playground Dance, Inc., the evening celebrates “diverse dance forms and the real-world connections that shape us as artists.” With an emphasis on the unique perspectives of the artists, storytelling, reflection, and belonging, I look forward to the expressions of each artist’s connections to their respective cities.

Chamber Dance Project at Arena Stage

But let’s step back a bit to a week before the show. It’s 2pm at the BalletNova Center for Dance in Falls Church, Virginia. We’re at an open rehearsal and privy to one of my favorite pastimes; the process! Observing how the sausage is made not only helps with context and appreciation, but it’s also a chance to see another side of a choreographer. In this case, it was two choreographers, both presenting world premier works.
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