Space Within These Lines Not Dedicated
MFA Thesis Concert
Just a little teaser to satisfy your curosity...
Depicting a multi-ethnic community (reminiscent of Sarajevo under siege during the Bosnian War) in which neighbors and friends redraw boundary lines, The Space Between These Lines Not Dedicated creates insiders and outsiders, including the audience in these designations. In order to reveal the absurdity of arbitrary geographical lines and national orientation, the dancers share stories of loss through text and movement, constructing, recalling, and erasing the audience’s collective memory.
Sticks & Stones
Co-choreographed by Rachel Oliver and Kate Speer
Sticks & Stones from Kate Speer on Vimeo.
Thank You!
Funding for Sticks & Stones was made possible by the generous contributions from:
| Laura Amon | Brooke Gessay | Marjory Levitt | Jeremy Sato |
| Lauren Beale | Lia Giannosa | Lauren Ramsey Lewis | Wendy Schlotterbeck |
| Rene and Pamella Beliveau | Julie Gilbreath | Amelia Longo | Jordie Sehestedt |
| Nathan Blackwell | Becky Godby | Mona Martinez | Bob Shannon |
| Benjamin Blonder | Anna Grant | Barb Mathison | Joanne M. Sharpe |
| Sarah Bowers | Cameron Growden | Jeanine McCain | Rob Sjoberg III |
| Judy Bretschneider | Charles & Barbara Grunden | Dan McKinnon | Bob & Ewa Stein |
| Michelle Brodeur | Julie Gryguc | Jillian M. Merrill | Leah Stein |
| Lee & Robin Brown | Rowen Haigh | Erin Mishoe | Judy Stock |
| Caitlin <3s Kate | Elizabeth & Michael Hansen | Anne-Marie Mulgrew | Emily Stuber |
| Rachel Merz & Brian Clark | Barry Harel | Chrissy & Mike Nelson | Sharon Van Boven |
| Peg Hoffman & Jim Cogan | Betsy & Joel Hawes | Betty & Dwayne Oliver | Scott & Debbie Van Noy |
| Amanda Costner | Scott & Vanessa Hood | Neva Oliver | Jill Van Noy |
| Frank & Jess Coulter | Jacob Horger | Jessica Pearson | Andrew L. Varnell |
| Sharon & Art Divell | Katie Houff | Meg Perry | Jan & Bill W. |
| Michelle Ellsworth | Karen A. Kaufmann | Van Pham | Maren Waldman |
| Peg Gulrich & Harry Ezell | Matt, Keri, and Lyric Kelly | Kat & Steve Phillips | Arielle Weiler |
| Sarah Bryan & David Fask | Mary Kirchman | Pamela Pish | Molly Westenberg |
| Marcel Williams Foster | Bob & Nancy Kleckner | Lillian & Ben Pubols | Leah Wilks |
| Wendy Franz | Maggie Koller | Laurie Randall | Corlett Wolfe Wood |
| Joy French | Jacqueline Krieger | Barbara Riley | Brenda Wylie |
| Rick Speer & Judy Frost | Martin Lautz | Lisa Rothstein | |
| Nicholas George | Benjamin Law | Tara Rynders |
Musings on Charisma & Funkativity
David Dorfman Dance is currently touring Prophets of Funk, a dance work that follows the rise, demise, and redemption of Funk composer and musician Sly Stewart using a collage of hits from his band, Sly & the Family Stone. Invested in this loose biographical narrative are the culture of the black Pentecostal Church, the tradition of transcendence and testifying, and the creation of Sly Stewart as a charismatic prophet. Discover the depth of the work by reading my recent writings:
Excerpt
Across the literature, Sly Stewart is referred to as the "most popular Pentecostal mystic" in the country or "part shaman, part preacher, part trickster, [and] part soul brother." His "vivacious banter and infectious positivity complimented by a strikingly deep voice that could soar and scorch your soul in an instant" speaks to a charisma or an "it" quality that captivated both white and black audiences across America.
In Prophets of Funk, Raja Kelly, who portrays the youthful Sly, exudes this strange magnetism when he disappears completely into the character of Sly Stewart. With the same gesture, Kelly is able to possess contradictory qualities such as being tall and lanky with immense coordination and rhythmical acuity, "linking male 'sexual domination' with 'vulnerability' in the same hot breath."
Fidelity
Dance for Camera — November 2011
Life as a grad student gives me so many opportunities to experiment with the process of creation. This is my first exploration into dance for camera. I had a wonderful, supportive colleague, Charlie Dando, to help with the videography. I think I'm hooked to this new multimedia discipline.
Fidelity from Kate Speer on Vimeo.
THANK YOU!
Funding for my Generation was made possible by by the Puffin Foundation and the generous contributions from:
Michelle Brodeur, Sharon & Art Divell, Lea Deutsch, fidget, Lee Fogel, Anna Gonzalez, Charles & Barbara Grunden, Jan Grauman Neander, Susan Hayward, Susan & Peter Herchenroether, Beckie & Jim Hess, Makoto Hirano, Gina Hoch-Stall, Caitlin Koerber, Sarah Konner, Anita Kumar & Nile Chang, Lela Aisha Jones, Marjory Levitt, Tom & Sylvia McDowell, Rachel Merz & Brian Clark, Meg Perry, Pam & Bill Pish, Lil & Ben Pubols, Melissa Rodis, Dorothy Spaulding, Rick Speer & Judith Frost, Bob & Ewa Stein, Leah Stein, Jane Stojak, Liz Strong, Anne Suomi, and Steve Weisz & PhiladelphiaDANCE.org.
my Generation (excerpts) from Kate Speer on Vimeo.