About this project

“Places in Space” is a site-specific based project derived of work created for the stage while observing the essence of the place in which it originated. The performance will transcend the choreographers’ experiences within a specific place and time to the stage where the audience can delve deep into the moment with the choreographer and the performers. All represented places are from outdoor locations from anywhere around the world. Explored locations include Venice and the Piedmont region of northern Italy and Old Rag Mountain in Virginia.

Each choreographer is developing a theme through exploration/improvisation. What the choreographer chooses to bring to the space or how the choreographer chooses to use the space has no limits. Choreographers are bringing these places into the space through movement, voice, and technology.

Collaborating choreographers are Roxann Morgan Rowley & Erika Surma, Artistic Directors of Next Reflex Dance Collective, Sharon Mansur, Director of mansurdance and Assistant Professor of Dance at The University of Maryland, College Park, and independent choreographer Dahlia Nayar.

We have created a goal of $2,000, in which these funds will go to paying the collaborating choreographers. The project has a total fundraising goal of $5,000, so this is just a start. Once we have hit the $2,000 mark, the donations do not need to stop. Keep in mind that if we don't raise $2,000, WE DON'T GET ANYTHING! To learn more about each specific work, read below:

Choreographer: Erika Surma

Project #1, titled “Boundary,” exploration took place in Asti, Italy, within the hills and vineyards of the Piedmont region. The movement captured of the solo dancer in the foggy hills had a sense of serenity and quietness but confinement and limitations prevailed in the end due to the limited space on a bench which the soloist chose as her platform. Furthermore, the bench was placed adjacent to an old church which assisted in motivating the performer; illuminating serenity, quietness, and spirituality as well as confinement and limitations. The piece will be performed by six dancers and the original scene will be recreated through use of a fog machine, lighting specials, and sounds of bells. The accompanying music includes three tracks from the “Sleuth” soundtrack by composer Patrick Doyle.

Project #2, untitled, exploration took place around Lake Braddock in Burke, VA amongst the trees, around the water and along a hill. Seven dancers improvised with the ideas of pushing and pulling, falling away, soft contact and reflection. During the rehearsal process, the sense of gravity taking control has come to the forefront of the work. This piece will toy with using the performance space in a non-traditional manner by using areas other than the stage space for parts of the performance. The piece will be performed by six dancers and the accompanying music is composed by Max Richter and Marsen Jules.

Choreographer: Dahlia Nayar

Project #1: title TBD. This piece involves a film backdrop, projecting four gondolas docked at the shores of Venice during the rainy season (acqua alta) which often floods the city. The choreography seeks an embodied expression in relationship to the movement of the boats and water and atmosphere. For 3-4 dancers.

Choreographer: Roxann Morgan Rowley

Project #1: 
"Two Women, Four rocks" ( working title) started by using photos of one of the houses on the locks off the Potomac in MD.  Each of these houses have outdoor porches .  Through various pictures taken of the porch in collaboration with the dancers we have explored many of the various textures and tones that the space evokes.  The porch has the feeling of being worn, paint chipping, dirt and dust settling, old posts and door. After looking closely at the photos we noticed two rocks in the corner of the porch so then explored choreography using rocks. The project is evolving and is delving further into the use of improvisation, using rocks as a sound score and live music.



Project #2 A quartet of women that will explore pieces of the Potomac River.  This piece though not fully formed yet will look at various pieces of what a river evokes from people; Baptism, lulling to sleep as a lullaby, the rough and tumble nature of the river and the peaceful surroundings.

Choreographer: Sharon Mansur

This project, untitled, is directed by dance artist Sharon Mansur with visual artist/architect Ronit Eisenbach and will consist a solo performer within a visual environment integrated into the Dance Place building. This project will reflect research and reactions to various sites in Reston, VA, including Lake Anne Plaza and Reston Town Square Park. This will be the first in a series of collaborative performance/installations that will culminate in a site specific performance/art work in Fall 2012, presented by the Reston Community Center.