"In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fail immediately, they had better aim at something high." - Henry David Thoreau
Thoreau's advice rings true enough, and I'm happy to know a few people who are aiming higher than high. We're witnessing a major burst of creative energy in SLC right now. It would seem that all eyes are on our little city, and while national attention is exciting, I think I'm mostly just supremely thrilled with the big-ass dreams of my pals, clients, and community. Enter Charlotte Boye-Christensen, Nathan Webster...the brilliant minds behind NOW. These two clever minds collaborated with the likes of COLLECTIVE friends Gary Vlasic and Jesse Walker, to name just two, and aspirations for a contemporary dance company both robust and broad in its scope were realized. Their guns are blazing, and the talent is en pointe [nailed it] with that of other major players on the local arts scene, like Ballet West and the Utah Symphony. Of course, I said 'yes' to being involved before they even opened their mouths [with a line-up like this, it's best not to waste time]. It's no secret that the worlds of design, art, music, and architecture [to name a few] are blowing up here over the last few years, but it seems worth mentioning that the geniuses in our city are successfully raising the barre [and again], both nationally and internationally. Handfuls and handfuls of kudos to our friends and creators of NOW. We should all be making contributions this significant to the creative revolution, busting ass to create the city we've always dreamed of thriving in [then we'll watch the outsiders flock to us]. In the mean time, get your act together -- go see The Wedding, NOW's debut project, on July 26th at the Masonic Temple. *COLLECTIVE clients and special guests may even get an invite to kick it at our own temple lounge across the street pre- or post-performance.
Read more in the official press release, and visit the NOW Kickstarter link [both below] to donate to this insanely inspiring and exciting effort.
Announcing NOW: a brand-new interdisciplinary dance and arts company by internationally-renowned choreographer, Charlotte Boye-Christensen, and Canadian Architect, Nathan Webster. A Danish choreographer and dancer based in Salt Lake City, Boye-Christensen is creating a company similarly internationally positioned and connected while at the same time reflecting the unique beauty and culture of its base. “We are eager to bring eyes and talents of the world to Salt Lake City, and a Salt Lake City perspective to the world,” she says. Boye-Christensen, who recently stepped down after 11 years as Artistic Director of Utah’s Ririe-Woodbury dance company, is excited to step forward and expand her unique vision in both the international and local landscapes. She is also excited to venture into an increasingly contemporary and experimental path. The company is titled NOW -- the name functions as mission statement and mantra that reflects the company’s commitment to constant renewal and leaning into the present. We have a dynamic Board of collaborators, who are crucial in moving this company forward. Current Board Members include: Gary Vlasic, Jesse Walker, Cody Derrick, Amie Tullius, Kay Cummings, Robert Wood, and Scott Hinton. The company is a framework for collaboration between local and international artists, designers and thinkers. In addition to dance, NOW will advance theater, visual art, music, site specific work and design. Boye-Christensen is committed to an innovative approach to her work, which includes the invention of unique forms that inspire and push the perception of what dance can be. Central in this commitment is her partnership with artist and architect Nathan Webster. The two have partnered on several successful experimental collaborations in the past, and Webster--who is a co-founder of NOW--is a key figure in NOW’s inaugural project, which will be titled The Wedding.
The Wedding will explore the space of ritual, and will be staged July 26 and 27 in the historic Salt Lake City Masonic Temple. The Wedding will showcase the talents of Joffrey Ballet’s Yumelia Garcia, Ballet West's Katherine Lawrence, Ted Johnson, NY based dancer most recently seen in "Sleep No More," and Ririe Woodbury’s Joseph Blake, with composers contributing from Australia and Denmark, along with local artists Gary Vlasic, Jesse Walker, and many more. The performance is a collaborative and context-driven work where the artists and the site itself generate many of the fundamental ideas for the project. All together the various elements will combine to create a highly charged, intellectually and emotionally provocative experience.
