Harvesting Two Fall Dance Weekends!

Dancers: Heidi Sutherland, James A. Pierce III, Claire Hancock, Paulo Gutierrez
Dancers: Heidi Sutherland, James A. Pierce III, Claire Hancock, Paulo Gutierrez

Autumn started on a busy note as two back-to-back weekends of dance loaded my schedule, but lightened my heart! With 26 years under my belt with Adams Company Dance, I still approach each project with the eagerness of a kid learning to ride a bike for the first time. Nothing ever feels mundane once I enter the studio and see the essence of beauty before me in each dancer.

Two teams of dancers made it possible to perform “Willing to Catch,” a new work which began in August, for both the CBG Fall Dance Festival in Soho, September 30th and October 1st, followed by the Temple University Alumni Dance Concert on October 6th and 7th. Dancers Claire Hancock, (a dancer whom I’ve known since she was seven!!) who coupled with Paulo Gutierrez ( a dancer who attended my Master Class in June); and James A. Pierce, III (longtime dancer with ACD), who coupled with Heidi Sutherland (another dancer who attended my Master Class)– took on the new piece with vim and vigor!

Talent pushed the boundaries with these duets, and with James also dancing the solo “Avec Moi,” at Temple– I think we hit a flush! The concerts gave a platform for the dancers to rise to new levels of grace, beauty and strength, and I am so happy to be able to have those qualities in perpetuity, with the wonderful images from each of the shows! See our albums below here:

 

With an attitude of gratitude I will treasure these Fall weekends with these extraordinarily gifted dancers, and give thanks to the bounty we reaped during this time of harvest!

Me and the dancers post shows
The Dancers & Me

Ebb & Flow (2017)

Hats off to Joel Stephen for capturing an insider’s view to the madhouse process of our Jiffy-Mix event this past August!  I went on a recommendation and was so happy I took the lead. Joel wasn’t shy with his camera work. In fact, he got practically every nook and cranny of the theater, with every angle, and even got onto his belly at one point ignoring the dust-laden floor! I gave him license to create with very few notes, and I am thrilled with his final film, Ebb & Flow. He appropriately calls himself a “Dreamer, Shaper, Thinker, Maker.”  I wanted music that I thought would work well with his ideas, so my first impression was to inquire with singer/songwriter- extraordinaire, Nicole Renaud, to see if she would want to collaborate again, to which she replied, Yes! Her piece, Red, was what came to mind, and she generously sent me the instrumental version, which paired so perfectly with the film. Thanks to all the dancers for their hard work on that hot, summer day in Queens at the Secret Theatre! Enjoy our film short!

Jiffy-Mix Dancers
Jiffy-Mix Dancers: Rachel Powell, Paulo Gutierrez, Evita Zacharioglou, Heidi Sutherland, Sarah Starkweather, Claire Hancock, Maleek Washington

Want to see more “Jiffy-Mix” photos from the day? Click here.

Weekend in Philly!

  • Heidi Sutherland and James A. Pierce, III take the stage this weekend at Temple University’s Conwell Hall. They will perform a new duet, “Willing to Catch,” and James will perform a solo, “Avec Moi.” Alums from the Temple dance department are joining forces for these two performances, which are sure to delight!
Heidi and James in motion during rehearsal
Heidi and James in motion during rehearsal

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