truthordare In Process/ Void's Farewell Performance

The Void Theater Company is working on a research process in several stages.        

We invite you to be a part of it. 
Your feedback keeps the work growing and your ticket-by-donation helps to sustain Void- an ensemble of independent artists from NYC. 

Directed by: Leni Mendez

Music by Emilio Cordero Checa

Lighting by: Robin Dill

 


Featuring: 
Julia Cavagna
Clarissa Hoffmann
Rebecca Lloyd-Jones
Marie Putko
Lauren Sky
Keelie A. Sheridan
Yokko 

Almost everyone has played 'truth or dare.' Most people know its rules and regulations. You have the choice to either answer a question as truthfully as possible or perform a dare, but you are always at the mercy of your fellow players. Even in the most familiar and intimate circles, the game can quickly turn dangerous.

$10 admission- CASH ONLY.
253 W.28th St (black unmarked door west of 253 entrance). RSVP to voidtheatercompany@gmail.com.

Dream Dances Closes.

The Ume Group's Dream Dances began development in October. Through five months of training (butoh, gymnastics, yoga nidra, physical theatre), dream journaling and sketching, the ensemble- Kate Douglas, Fabio Motta, Mike McNulty, Byron Hagan and myself- led by director Jordan Rosin (assisted by Yokko and Christian Leadley) devised what has been one of the greatest sources of pride and growth in my career thusfar. Resisting the urge to be easily classified or marketed as 'all this' or 'all that,' we were led through a process that challenged our limits as performers, building new skills and developing new senses for intimate, authentic and resonant storytelling. I have nothing but gratitude for Jordan, the team and the wildly supportive and enthusiastic audiences that shared this journey with us. On to the next. 

St. Padraig's Day Times Sq. Subway Ceili

I grew up in an Irish dancing family, which meant St. Padraig's day was huge in my house. My sisters and I were excused from school each year to tour New York's Capital Region with our dance school, The Wild Irish Acres School of Irish Dance, performing at assemblies, in pubs, in parks and of course at the local Ancient Order of Hibernians. We'd stop between gigs for ice cream from Stewarts (free cones if you wore green!) and corned beef & cabbage and stay out way too late for school aged kids, generally having an absolute blast. My favorite part of every performance was the ceili- a social dance where everyone's a participant. 

It's been years since I've been able to celebrate with my first dance school, but the joy of ceili has stayed very present in my mind and in my creative practice. I'm currently directing The Ceili Ensemble with The Ume Group- we're working on contemporizing the form while revering the tradition and embracing it's interactive, participatory roots- and we had a rehearsal scheduled for the 17th! It, of course, made perfect sense to bring our work to the people of NYC spending the night out celebrating Irish culture!

A simple sign explained our antics and we paused frequently to welcome onlookers and newcomers. Some stood and watched. Some filmed. Some danced. What an honor. 

It was, to be brief, a smashing success. Like magic, friends and strangers emerged from the crowd and jumped in to share the Bonfire Dance, the Bridge of Athlone and the Siege of Ennis. It was a privilege and an honor to witness the beauty of strangers coming together to enjoy music, movement and each other's presence. 

Save the date- on Friday, April 10th at 8p, The Ceili Ensemble will host a ceili at 123 W 71st St. Free to all!

And a very special thanks to Jorge Luna for the photos and video.