As hinted to in an earlier post, my Red Chair series has spread its wings.  In collaboration with choreographer, dancer, and director, Marie Fourcaut; videographer, Alek Deva; and the Ensemble Marie, the Red Chair photo series has become the springboard into a multi-media production.  I’m so pleased to announce our first performance (see below).  Also, you might want to take the time to watch the short promotional video produced by Alek Deva.  It’s truly lovely.

FREE DANCE THEATER PERFORMANCE
Sunday, June 18 at 2:00pm
Black Family Visual Arts Center Atrium
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH

(if you have trouble seeing the video here, view it on YouTube)

Inanimate Objects, Do You Have a Soul? is a semi-improvisational dance theater piece developed by visionary Director/Choreographer Marie Fourcaut and performed by her ensemble, Ensemble Marie. This interdisciplinary piece was inspired by a photo exhibit created by Ensemble member and photographer Carla Kimball, which was seen at King Farm in Woodstock, VT, as part of Sculpturefest 2016. Ms. Kimball’s Red Chair, which was the subject of her photo exhibit, serves as an anchor, connecting the movements of the performers back to the genesis of the piece. The Ensemble uses movement and narrative theatrical elements to craft a kind of physical storytelling that inhabits the space between dance and theater, and the improvisational nature of the Ensemble’s work lends it a powerful sense of immediacy and presence. Inanimate Objects… explores the life of an Everywoman, charting the course of her history and her dreams. Through this lens, the piece delicately captures the intimate relationships we form with objects at particular moments throughout our lives. As the Ensemble’s semi-improvised movements unfold a narrative, something as simple as a red chair or a brown sport coat becomes a vehicle for the most visceral memories and stories.

Ensemble Marie is comprised of Upper Valley community members ranging in age from their 20s to their 80s. While many of these individuals have no particular background in dance or theater, they have been moving together twice a week for years, as part of Ms. Fourcaut’s improvisational dance class.

Marie Fourcaut is a renowned dancer, choreographer,and director who has collaborated and performed with Pilobolus, Martha Clarke, Les Ballets Blaska, and many others. She was born and raised in Algeria, and danced professionally in France for eight years. In 1978 she received several grants from the French government to study and perform in the United States. Marie then gained US citizenship and lived in New England while dancing professionally with international touring companies. She now resides in the Upper Valley and teaches Yoga and Improvisational Dance as part of Dartmouth’s FLIP program.

Inanimate Objects… will be performed​ on June 18, 2017 at 2:00pm in the atrium of the Black Family Visual Arts Center. This performance will be free and open to the public. The running time of the performance will be approximately 40 minutes, followed by an open Q&A.