and now a word from....

and now, a word from Teresa Chapman on her dance "Caught"


"I'm thrilled to put this piece back together with it's original cast! Some dances are easily reconstructed on new dancers while others are fun to rework for different performers. But THIS piece was built for these particular dancers with their strengths and personalities in mind. Alex, Corian and Kristi create these totally unique characters on stage that no one else could possibly duplicate! "

this dance is definately a fun task to undertake! it is more than a dance, it is a performance! it was created about 2 years ago for three dancers and a chair. what is most interesting is that as a performer, and we (teresa, kristi, corian and i) have all talked about it, we don't know what the dance is about. there are definately dark undertones to this dance that force the audience to think and come up with a story for them. told in a very non-linear fashion...i refer to the dance as a traditional "who done it?" that is where the chair comes into play. all of the performers make reference, and even dance with, on, in, above, etc. this ominous chair that sits on stage left (to use technical terms) throughout the dance.

another fun undertaking is trying to recapture the energy and vigor with which we move throughout the piece. even though it was only 2 years ago, i feel like a very different dancer. in discussion with corian about this whole phenomenon, we have let go of the sharp attack of our early years of dancing for a more luscious, almost indulgent way of moving. however, just because i choose not to move like that anymore, i know that i am still capable; if i was able to do it once, i can do it again.

besides the physical challenges of the dance, teresa touched on how we each created characters for this piece. each section highlights a particular performer technically and theatrically. we each have our individual story that influences our role (as a character) in the dance. to this day we each have different interpretations as to what the chair means, and who is the person who belongs there. this is definately a dance that has to be fully lived in and fleshed out in order for the audience to get the full scope of how you can be affected by things you are caught by personally.

so come out to miller outdoor theater april 30th to see this piece and many others!