Shimmer Finale
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Members of the Twin Cities dance community, including dancers from local contemporary company TU Dance, will perform an improv series in conjunction with the closing night of John Foster’s first-ever solo exhibit, Shimmer. Followed by Q and A.
Artistic ambitions collide as movement brings objects to life in this existential exploration of light, color and reflection. The juxtaposition of Foster’s kaleidoscopic geometry matched with the immediate proximity of improvisational dance will make for an experience that bridges two different corners of the local artistic landscape – providing two different interpretations of the same world.
“I think the combination of John’s work and the response we have planned will make for an interesting display that adds yet another dimension to his artwork,” says Amanda Sachs, one of the participating TU Dance members. “Just like some of the pieces in Shimmer, improv can embody varying textures and can represent meaning that is both direct and abstract. Your perspective defines what’s a contradiction or a similarity, and an interpretation is often dependent on what it’s in relation to.”
This freeform performance experience aims at redefining the traditional audience-performer relationship while examining the concepts of perspective and reflection.
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EXHIBIT FINALE DANCE PERFORMANCE
Thursday August 22nd, Doors 7pm
$10 presale, $13 at the door
This event will have limited 30 person capacity, tickets available
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ABOUT JOHN FOSTER
Materials geek John Foster employs various formal and situational strategies to create what can best be described as beautiful moments. Born in Los Gatos, California, John’s fascination with color and light began early, when he was diagnosed with a condition that causes severe bone pain. The limited physical mobility this resulted in inspired John to create movement and relationships with materials, combining the effects of light, color, geometry, and physics. Foster’s work evolved into creating and documenting actual objects that allow us to glimpse a glimmer of the infinite that lies beyond the future.
ABOUT THE DANCERS
The improvisational response to John Foster’s work will involve dancers Jake Lewis, Samantha Lewis, Emma Marlar, Alex Pham, Amanda Sachs and Christian Warner, many of whom are involved with Bon Iver’s Come Through collaboration, among many other dance projects both locally and internationally.
Samantha Lewis graduated with her BFA in Dance at Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts in 2019. She grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota where she started her training at Minnesota Dance Theatre and TU Dance. She has attended summer intensives such as Joffrey Chicago, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Samantha has performed works by Yin Yue, Maxine Doyle, Mark Morris, Alonzo King, Dwight Rhoden, Greg Dolbashian, and Uri Sands. Samantha received her 200hr YTT certification in 2018.
Emma Marlar originally from Kenosha, WI, now resides in the Minneapolis area, balancing a career in the performance, creation, and technical aspects of dance. Since graduating from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with a BFA in Dance in 2016, she has taken on work that allows her to support others, spark conversation, create collaboratively, and pursue endless explorations in movement. Emma currently dances with Slo Dance, Jennifer Glaws and her company Jagged Moves, while also performing in other various project work around the Twin Cities. She is also constantly moving and making in the emerging dance trio, Kelvin Wailey, who creates in spaces such as houses, music venues, hair salons, rooftops, attics, and more. Emma creates her own work and recently premiered “ready when” at Rhythmically Speaking 10/2018, a performance that engages people in staged works inspired by jazz and American social dance forms united by a core of rhythmicity. In addition to creating and performing herself, Emma serves as the Production Manager for Ananya Dance Theatre and has toured both nationally and internationally with the company for five years.
Randall Riley has been ministering, performing, and studying dance since his late childhood. Having trained at diverse schools such as The Rock School at Pennsylvania Ballet, The Ailey School, Ballet Atlantic, and Long Island University Brooklyn Campus’ BFA Program. Randall has worked with a plethora of artist from Earl Mosley, to Darrell Moultrie, Nathan Trice and most recently Ron K. Brown. Former member of Steps Repertory Ensemble and Ronald K. Brown/Evidence a Dance Company He is currently a company member with TU Dance.
Jake Lewis is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. In 2010, he was inducted into the National Honor Society for Dance Arts and was a finalist for the NDEO Artistic Merit, Leadership and Academic Achievement Award. Mr. Lewis has worked with choreographers Dwight Rhoden, Victor Quijada, Jean Emile, Jae Man Joo, Darrell Grand Moultrie, and members from Pilobolus. In 2013 and 2014, he performed in Alvin Ailey’s Memoria during Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s New York City Center season. After graduation from the Ailey/Fordham BFA program in 2015, he joined Ailey II.He is currently a company member with TU Dance.
Christian A. Warner began his professional career at the age of seven in the NetWorks touring production of Oliver! The Musical, and later joined the east coast tour of Disney’s The Lion King as Young Simba, making his broadway debut two years later. He graduated from HSPVA in Houston and Point Park University in Pittsburgh with a BFA in dance. Christian has acquired repertoire by Sonya Tayeh, Troy Powell, Thang Dao, Dwight Rhoden, Larry Keigwin, Jessica Hendricks, Mark Morris, Bennyroyce Royon and Luke Murphy, and Stacey Tookey. He most recently worked for Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre. He is currently a company member with TU Dance.
Alexander Pham a native of Minnesota, received his BFA in Dance and BS in Human Resource Development from the University of MN Twin Cities with dual honors. Alexander has performed works by artists such as Roy Assaf, Gregory Dolbashian, Martha Graham, Bill T. Jones, Larry Keigwin, Stephen Petronio, Zoe Scofield, and Yin Yue among others. Alexander most recently danced for Spectrum Dance Theater under the artistic direction of Donald Byrd for three years, touring nationally and internationally. He has also performed with Seattle-based company zoe | juniper, and Boise-based company LED. He is currently a company member with TU Dance.
Amanda Sachs was born and raised in New Jersey. She started her training at The Academy of Dance Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey. At age 17, Amanda moved to San Francisco to be part of the Alonzo King Lines Training Program. During this program she had original roles created on her by Iratxe Ansa, Sidra Bell, Maurya Kerr, Gregory Dawson, Erik Wagner, Kara Davis, Keelan Whitmore, Sandrine Cassini, and Uri Sands as well as performing excerpts of King’s Rasa and Ocean. Following the training program, Amanda joined The Francesca Harper Project in New York City and has also participated in the Metamorphosis International Dance Residency under the direction of Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich. She is currently a company member with TU Dance.
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