Arkansas and Bayou City Art Festival-by Aleatha

CORE has just returned from a successful trip out in Arkansas. While there, they performed inside the "Mirazozo" luminarium at Conway's ArtsFest and visited elementary schools with "The Heart of Matter," an interactive piece designed to engage young children. Claire Molla; a veteran CORE Performance Company member, shared of her Arkansas experience “It was neat performing in the luminarium, it’s a mix of a cathedral, cave, and balloon.” She further described, “the space is really compact and causes you to be really aware of your surroundings – it was exciting and very energizing”. Sounds like the group had quite a trip in Arkansas! 

Without a beat, CORE is back in the Decatur studio on the drawing board prepping for their fall presentation at the Bayou City Art Festival Downtown in Houston, Texas. CORE’s “If you rock, we’ll roll” is a site specific piece that is expected to be so energizing and inspiring that audiences will want to rock 'n roll, too! Just an hour after the group began the process of conceptualizing and developing the choreography for “If you rock, we’ll roll,” I had a chance to sit down with CORE Performance Company members, and CORE Founder and Artistic Director, Sue Schroeder.

New CORE Performance Company member, Joshua Rackliffe said of the developing piece: “so open, it is a good problem to have”. He continues, “The challenge is making decisions, to know it is a good one”. He also mentioned that he prioritizes “utilizing the space, making sure we travel in order to interact with each other and our audience”. Anna Bracewell, who joined CORE over the summer after the dance intensive, shared that her experience so far at CORE has been, “Totally different – bringing out a new side of me as a dancer”. What she has to say about her new CORE family: “We work really well together. All of our creative personalities contribute to this piece. We all respect each other’s different creative processes.” Stefanie Boettle, also a new member of CORE, said of the new developing piece, “I’m curious, about what it will become”. She continues by sharing that the piece will be inspired by “architecture, surfaces, and textures”. Aren’t you curious, too?

Schroeder informs us that the piece will be deriving movement from works by the featured visual artist at the Bayou City Art Festival this fall; Charlie Hardwick. Hardwick, a Houston based poster artist who happens to be legally blind, has been producing rock and roll inspired posters for some of the biggest rock recording artists such as groups U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, and legend, Bob Dylan. 

Schroeder noted that CORE’s newly formed group offers a fresh new look to the company and collaboratively their voices will be heard in this new piece. “If you rock, we’ll roll” will be completely shaped by the space – portions of the piece will take place on city streets, curbs, railings, at the city hall, on steps, and in the water! How exciting!

I asked the company "What is one word that describes 'If you rock, we’ll roll' so far?"

• Anna Bracewell– “Collaborative” 
• Stefanie Boettle – “Traveling” 
• Joshua Rackliffe – “Public” 
• Sue Schroeder – “Surprise! 

Aleatha Williams is a Communications Intern for CORE Performance Company. With a theatre and dance background, she holds a BA in Creative Arts Therapy and is pursuing her Masters in Arts Administration at SCAD. She is excited to be a part of the performance company’s team and will serve as guest blogger for the remainder of her time at CORE.