BEACON: An Evening of Dance

BEACON, the critically acclaimed platform for contemporary dance & multidisciplinary collaborations among artists working locally & nationally, returns to the Palladium for another dazzling performance. Over the past four seasons, BEACON Co-Producers Helen Hansen French & Lauren Slone have seen a growing circle of artists & supporters strive to create unforgettable evenings of dance. Now in its fifth year, BEACON celebrates the strength & vibrancy of dance – an artistic form that prioritizes the live experience of physical connection – by continuing to focus on collaborations where artists’ powerful voices interconnect, resulting in a moving, spectacular performance.

Journey To Freedom: I remember that Night like it was Yesterday. This excerpt from Journey to Freedom sheds Light on the real issue of Domestic violence within our communities. From start to finish it displays the history of mental illnesses that our military veterans suffer from and how that illness can bleed over to those we love the most. Although this excerpt doesn’t showcase how these individuals come to a place of peace, the scenes will hit home for many and hopefully leave you in suspense and ready to see more of what Journey to Freedom is all about.

 Confluence: Confluence is a work rooted in contact improvisation. The dance is driven by excerpted text from the “interview” between Nancy Stark Smith and David Koteen from the book, Caught Falling. Not only is the dance improvised, but the order in which the text is performed is also unknown. The dancers respond through movement to the rich, playful, poignant text and to each other. Contact Improvisation is “communication between two moving bodies that are in physical contact and their combined relationship to the physical laws that govern their motion—gravity, momentum, inertia.” –Steve Paxton

Cogs In The Machine:  Cogs in the Machine reveals an apocalyptic realm where even after life on earth has ended, machine parts continue to move and flourish. The choreography challenges dancers to jolt, twist, hook, and magnetically partner in machine-like ways into calibration.

Immure: Immure is inspired in part by the life of Hildegard von Bingen, Saint Hildegard, a 12th Century nun, healer, theologian, and composer. She was enclosed in a monastery as a child and had prophetic visions her whole life.

When The Petals Fall: It starts simple at first. Eye contact. A gentle nod. Body language. The conversation consists of gestures, all invitations to further the conversations. Then comes the pact. The agreement. Consent. A budding connection blooms into a ravishing relationship. Cycles spin chaotically in beautiful rhythmic patterns, culminating in unified release. The petals fall gentle in the glow of the sun.

Entry into livestream concert on 4/16.