September 25, 2001
Contact:
Sarah Ray
802-443-5794
sray@middlebury.edu
Posted: September 25, 2001
MIDDLEBURY,
VT - A range of emotions, from humor to grief, are the
themes
dancer
Amy Chavasse will explore through dance and theatre in two
unique performances at Middlebury College on Friday and
Saturday, Oct. 5-6. Both shows begin at 8 p.m. in the Center
for the Arts Dance Theatre on South Main Street (Route 30).
Chavasse is
working at Middlebury this year as the College’s dance
artist-in-residence. Her program includes “Death, Beauty and
Flying,” a dance-theatre composition that celebrates the
life and work of Cuban-American artist Juan Gonzaléz
(1942-1993). Performed by her entire company-Chavasse Dance
and Performance-the piece pairs sensual movement and the
spoken word, creating a dancescape or dream world that
reflects the magical realism of Gonzalez’s work and
Chavasse’s interpretations of death and
redemption.
Both
performances will also feature a new duet titled “Spatula
Sound Check” choreographed and performed by Chavasse and her
Middlebury colleague Peter Schmitz, visiting assistant
professor in dance.
Chavasse
formed Chavasse Dance and Performance in 1995 to, in her
words, “create provocative and probing work through
movement, humor and striking visual stage compositions.” She
collaborates with other artists, including her sister
Caroline Chavasse, a writer and actor, to produce her unique
variety of dance-theatre-performance art. Her trademark
style features wit, quirky and intensely physical movement,
and original text and song.
The Richmond
(Va.) Times-Dispatch described Chavasse and her company this
way: “So brilliantly inventive are these performers in their
blend of dance, performance art, music, monologue and
movement, that it is often hard to know when they are
acting, when they are dancing and when they are just moving
in response to an irrepressible urge.”
Before
joining the Middlebury faculty this fall, Chavasse toured
internationally with Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians, and
has worked extensively as a freelance choreographer,
performer and teacher. She has been a visiting instructor at
many schools and universities, including George Washington
University, American University, the School of the
Washington Ballet, the University of Calgary, Duke and
Arizona State University.
Chavasse is
currently teaching an advanced dance course and working with
Middlebury students to produce a December performance. Her
winter-term course in January 2002 will address social
issues in dance.
The Chavasse
company performances are sponsored by the Middlebury College
Performing Arts Series and the dance program.
Tickets for
both performances are $10 for general admission and $8 for
seniors. For tickets, call the College box office at
802-443-6433.