Stand 22
Lone Wolf Collaboration
PC: Taryn Davis-Hanson
A group of dancers are caught with large extensive movements in silhouette. Their forms caught by a brilliant blue glow of lights bouncing off of a curved cyclorama backdrop. The cyc is framed by two black edges. The floor softly reflects the blue light beneath the dancers.
PC: Benjamin Cheney
Two dancers engage in a mirroring exercise from across the studio. One of the dancers heads, tilted slightly and towards their hand, in focus and close to the camera on the left side of the image. The are lifting their left arm with their wrist in a slight medial The other dancer can be seen blurry in the background. They are lifting their right arm. Their elbow is bent and their hand is just above their head.
This was a collaboration between Goodhart Artist Residency, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Big Water Creative Arts, Pellston Public Schools, and The Croft Residency. For The Croft’s portion of the collaboration we hosted Jesse Jason as a guest artists. She collaborated with 17 Crooked Tree Arts Center School of Ballet students choreographing movement that was performed with the music composed by Blaze Beairl of Pellston. The CTAC School of Ballet students had 4 days of 4 hour rehearsals with Jesse within the creation of the work. The theme for their work together was what it felt like to be a part of a pack. They were asked what packs they were a part of in their life, and what role or place they filled within each of these packs. As a way to embody the pack mentality all 17 dancers were on the stage throughout the whole performance. A video of the performance work follows. The performance was filmed by DeJuan Jordan of Alpine Media.
Jesse Jason (‘Lone Wolf Collaborator’)
April 17th - 22nd
Jesse Jason dancing at Mytoi Gardens on Chappaquiddick Island. PC: Sally Cohn
A dancer in a forest green tank top with black pants and white shoes is pictured in a lush green environment. Most of the surrounding environment is out of focus. The dancer right arm and leg extend out and forward. The energy of hand and foot are flexed, the leg slightly bent. The dancers left arm is bent at a 90 degree angle and placed on their sacrum. The dancers gaze is down towards the ground. Their face in shadow as they are backlit by the sun. The dancer has short blonde hair.
From Ashland, Ohio, Jesse Jason graduated from Ohio University with a BFA in Performance and Choreography. She is a professional dancer and choreographer as well as an experienced dance educator and early childhood teacher. She danced with Company Stefanie Batten Bland (CSBB) in Paris, France in 2009 and continued with the troupe until 2014.
As a performer with CSBB, she performed internationally at Festival Onze Bouge, Ris Orangis, Les Petites Scenes Ouvertes, and Cornell University’s Cultural Residency, along with nationally at The Baryshnikov Arts Center, Symphony Space, The Brooklyn Museum, Saratoga ArtsFest, Dogtown Dance Theater, Jacob’s Pillow’s Inside/Out, and Ringling International Arts Festival.
She is a year-round island resident on Martha’s Vineyard where she served as Director of Island Programs and Education and Co-Producer at The Yard from 2011-2021. She worked from 2010-2019 in collaboration with Alison Manning to co-direct The Yard’s internal dance company, DanceTheYard (DTY). DTY has presented work at The Yard, Mass MoCA, ACDA East Central, Ohio University, Triskelion Arts, Soaking Wet Festival in NYC, and Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out.
Ms. Jason is a contemporary artist whose influences include her everyday surroundings, storytelling, daydreams and nostalgia. She is excited by the creative opportunities she finds in non-traditional theater settings and has recently been creating site-specific immersive shows with her collaborator, Abby Bender. Ms. Bender, like Jesse, is a year-round resident of Martha’s Vineyard. The duo began an official artistic partnership at the onset of the recent pandemic in an effort to create live works that could be made and experienced safely. Ms. Jason continues to reimagine performance possibilities outside of the theater's walls. Building work on and for the local community is a priority. She develops at least one large group piece that includes community participation each year, in addition to smaller solo works or those that engage other professional artists.
TCDP: NewVo Fellowship
Picture of TCDP NewVo Fellowship dancers and musicians during an Informal Sharing at The Croft. PC: Benjamin Cheney
Image Description: Four dancers make a connected shape in support of the dancer on the let side of the image. Musicians play music behind them, and are watching them for cues. The dancers and musicians are on a deck with trees and water visible in the background.
Detailed movement description Dancer 1 is on the left side of the image is in a backbend with their arms outstretched to two partners. They have light skin, blond hair, and are wearing a blue tank top and light grey shorts. Dancer 2 is connected to the first dancers right arm is in an open legged squat with their weight shifted slightly to their right. Their right knee is also making contact with the first dancer. Both of the second dancers arms are outstretched and their head looks forward and down. They have light skin, red hair, and are wearing a black tank and blue shorts. Dancer 3 is connected to Dancer 1’s left hand. They are in a slight squat flexing forward at the hips. Their focus is towards Dancer 1. They have dark skin, a closely shaved head with stubble, and are wearing a black short sleeve shit and shorts. Dancer 4 is connected to Dancer 2’s left hand with their right hand. They are in a double bent knee lunge with their right foot forward. Their left hand reaches softly towards the ground, and their gaze is on the same plane as their right foot. They have dark skin, and long hair with in a high braid or bun and an undercut. They are wearing a white tank top and Los Angeles Lakers basketball shorts. Musician 1 can be seen directly above Dancer 2. We can only see their upper body. They are playing a cello. Their head is tilted forwards in and they are looking at the dancers over sunglasses that are on the bridge of their nose. They have dark skin, medium length braided hair, and are wearing a black short sleeved graphic tee. Musician 2 is to the above Dancer 3 and 4. They are standing behind a two level piano/midi setup. They have one hand on the midi and one hand on the piano. They have light skin, red hair, and are wearing black jeans, a long sleeve white shirt, and a camo full brim hat.
TCDP NewVo Fellowship consisted of choreographer Kara Wilkes and composer Jordan Hamilton. Kara worked with 4 dancers, Gabriella Dorman, Juan Duarte, Myles King, and Nathan Young, during the residency. She had intended to work with 5, but the fifth, Sarah Simon Wolff, was unable to join for the residency. Jordan Hamilton collaborated with The Lasso.
During their time here the dancers began work on the 1st and 3rd sections of a 3 part piece. They rehearsed at The Horton Bay Schoolhouse, and at the Crooked Tree School of Ballet Studios. They shared what they had learned together at an informal showing that was open to the public.
Jordan and The Lasso recorded at The Horton Bay Schoolhouse. They also continued to adjust the score/composition in collaboration with Kara.