INTERVIEW: Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre goes green
Photo: Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre presents Green Afternoon VI Saturday, Aug. 18 in East Hampton, New York. Dancers will perform routines in pools, in the woods and in treehouses. Photo courtesy of Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre / Provided by Michelle Tabnick PR with permission.
It’s not an everyday occurrence when a well-respected dance company performs in a garden setting, but that is exactly what will happen when Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre presents Green Afternoon VI, a garden dance performance and cocktail reception in East Hampton, New York. The event promises to be an interactive garden installation at the home of architects Marcia Previti and Peter Gumpel.
When the festivities kick off, performers can be found in tree houses, on outside sculptures, in the swimming pool and in the woods. Following the various opening acts, guests will then enjoy a seated performances of Selwyn’s latest, a work in development called Crossroads.
Tickets for the Saturday, Aug. 18 performance run $100 and are still available.
Recently, Selwyn exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox about the unique event. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What sets Green Afternoon apart from other dance performances offered by the company?
Green Afternoon is a unique performance because it is site specific, and the movement vocabulary directly reflects the shape and feel of the surrounding environment. During the first portions of the performance, the dancers present movement installations throughout the property — the idea being that the audience can wander around and see the motifs and themes reflected and interpreted differently throughout the grounds — on the wooded path, in the sun garden, by the pool, near the fire pit. The dancers rotate moving in solo and in duets, weaving around the audience as they explore the gardens amplified through movement. There is repetition, variations on a theme and movement loops.
Following the movement installations, we present a selection of developing work on the great lawn. Presenting the work outside, surrounded by sun, flowers and so much green, brings new life to the material and also forces us to create new variations so that the dancers are able to perform on the moist grass. Balances and turns are challenging to execute; as we explore variations of these moments, we deepen the material, [which] informs the development tremendously.
As I create new material, I like to present the work in various surroundings before the final premiere. In the studio, the work develops each day, but, in performance, it takes huge steps forward bringing new clarity to the over-arching vision of the work.
How did this collaboration with the architects begin?
Marcia Previti and Peter Gumpel are diverse artists in their own right (watercolor, opera, landscape and sculpture), but as much as they create work themselves, they are also true patrons and supporters of the arts. They wander the property as we rehearse on the grounds inspired by our interpretations and energy. It is truly a give and take of love of the art form, appreciation of the influences of nature and a celebration of community.
How long does it take to plan an evening like this?
In addition to ongoing rehearsals in the studio developing the work for the seated performance on the lawn, we rehearse about eight hours on the grounds in order to explore all of its facets and prepare the movement installations. Many of my dancers have been with the company for several years and are familiar with the property, so they are able to go deeper from year to year.
Will audiences be able to catch Crossroads in the future?
Crossroads is set to premiere in full at New York Live Arts June 20-22, 2019. The completed work will include scenic elements and video projection designed by Anna-Alisa Belous and Zachary Ludescher.
How does the setting and scenery influence the choreography of a given piece?
In my process, I am always inspired by my surroundings, and we often work with props and scenic elements to enhance the creation of any work. Working with the changing garden landscape inspires the tone, shape and energy of the movement. It creates new physical challenges for the dancers (heat, sun and feeing their footing), but from these challenges [they] unearth new discoveries.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre will present Green Afternoon VI Saturday, Aug. 18 at the homes of architects Marcia Previti and Peter Gumpel in East Hampton, New York. Tickets are $100. Click here for more information and tickets.
