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eMPHasis on BLUE

Presented by Project: Motion at Evergreen (Formerly Circuit Playhouse)

June 4-June 13, 2010

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Bold and new ideas blend smoothly into dance as collaborating artists borrow from the essence of blue. Sky, azure, cobalt, cerulean, indigo…. Whatever the shade, this powerful and mysterious color continues to stir the soul. Seven Project: Motion choreographers will draw inspiration from anything and everything BLUE to produce eMPHasis on BLUE, a collaborative process that will culminate in a unique contemporary dance performance. As part of the process, each choreographer will be paired with an artist who will paint, mix, compose, build, film, sing, shape and craft their way to a work of art to be displayed during the performance. In addition, guest choreographer Kelly Ferris Lester, a professor at Southern Mississippi University, will set a work on Project: Motion dancers.

• At-a-
  Glance

  • Venue Info

    Evergreen (Formerly Circuit Playhouse)

    1711 Poplar Avenue
    Memphis, TN 38104

    Full map and directions

  • Admission Info

    Tickets:

    Adults $20 Students/Seniors $15

    Info Phone: 901-214-LEAP

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  • Dates & Times

    Dates:
    June 4-June 13, 2010

    Times:
    

    8pm on Fridays & Saturdays 2pm on Sundays

  • Accessibility Info

    

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    • Event Name: eMPHasis on BLUE
      "Review by Teresa Bell - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver"
      Comment posted by: Teresa Bell - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Jun 07, 2010
      

      Project: Motion eMPHasis on BLUE opened this weekend, offering audiences a chance to see how a seemingly simple concept- the color blue- can turn into a sundry mix of ideas capable of inspiring unique... Expand

      Project: Motion eMPHasis on BLUE opened this weekend, offering audiences a chance to see how a seemingly simple concept- the color blue- can turn into a sundry mix of ideas capable of inspiring unique performances. The collaborating artists blue themes drew from emotions, nature, musical styles, pop culture, and memories to produce a wide range of contemporary pieces. A solo piece titled "turning", choreographed and performed by Ondine Geary, was based on the idea that we are all at the will of the body and at some point we just won't function the same physically ("turning blue"/"blue veins"). The dance explores the pride we take in physical abilities and how we conceal, mourn, and eventually accept the fact one day our bodies could simply turn on us. "Spiraled Tides", choreographed by guest artist Kelly Ferris Lester, took inspiration from the ocean and fully captured the peace and power that are synonymous with the deep blue sea. The dancers brought the tides to life by lending the piece a dynamic yet cyclical quality. "Rhythm is in the Blues" presented the audience with a very different yet straight forward approach to the color blue: Rhythm and Blues. Perhaps it is because Wayne M. Smith chose music by his uncle, Memphis musician Johnny "Ace"Alexander, but the piece has a certain authenticity and honesty to it that can often be downplayed in highly conceptual art. Although the piece is choreographed, it is possible to sense that the performers seem liberated and truly enjoy dancing to the familiar music. It is easy to also sense that the audience truly enjoys watching them perform. Collapse

    • Event Name: eMPHasis on BLUE
      "Preview by David Prete - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver"
      Comment posted by: David Prete - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Jun 03, 2010
      

      This Friday, June 4, Project: Motion opens Emphasis on Blue, the final show of their 23rd season. No ruse in the title; the theme for the show is blue. Why blue? Because the company believes something... Expand

      This Friday, June 4, Project: Motion opens Emphasis on Blue, the final show of their 23rd season. No ruse in the title; the theme for the show is blue. Why blue? Because the company believes something awful has happened to everything and our collective underlying state has become blue…? Not exactly. The show isn’t focused on blue in the melancholic sense. “We picked blue,” says Artistic Director Jay Rapp, “because it’s an abstract enough concept that different kinds of artists can relate to in different ways: color, mood, music… ” Choosing a theme so vulnerable to interpretation helped the company achieve their greater objective for this show: to integrate various art forms into an evening of dance. Aside of dancers, choreographers, light, sound and costume designers, audiences will experience the work of musicians, a writer, singer, painter, fabric designer, and photographer, (one dancer even worked with a theater director). We could argue that the company is also working with a new architect, considering they are performing in a different theater: this show marks the company’s first move as a resident company to the Evergreen Theater (formerly Circuit Playhouse). Project: Motion does not collaborate for collaboration’s sake; it’s part of what has kept their energy up for the past 23 seasons, and what has challenged their artists. “Collaborating helps you to see your work through a different lens,” says Rapp. “It pushes you to take a less familiar journey through your creative process and shifts your artistic perspective.” It also offers the audience the opportunity to consider concepts from different perspectives, to gain a more complex understanding of something assumed. And in a time when something awful has happened to everything, perspective is worth more than the price of admission. Collapse

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• Member
  Reviews

  • All Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: eMPHasis on BLUE
      "Review by Teresa Bell - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver"
      Comment posted by: Teresa Bell - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Jun 07, 2010
      

      Project: Motion eMPHasis on BLUE opened this weekend, offering audiences a chance to see how a seemingly simple concept- the color blue- can turn into a sundry mix of ideas capable of inspiring unique... Expand

      Project: Motion eMPHasis on BLUE opened this weekend, offering audiences a chance to see how a seemingly simple concept- the color blue- can turn into a sundry mix of ideas capable of inspiring unique performances. The collaborating artists blue themes drew from emotions, nature, musical styles, pop culture, and memories to produce a wide range of contemporary pieces. A solo piece titled "turning", choreographed and performed by Ondine Geary, was based on the idea that we are all at the will of the body and at some point we just won't function the same physically ("turning blue"/"blue veins"). The dance explores the pride we take in physical abilities and how we conceal, mourn, and eventually accept the fact one day our bodies could simply turn on us. "Spiraled Tides", choreographed by guest artist Kelly Ferris Lester, took inspiration from the ocean and fully captured the peace and power that are synonymous with the deep blue sea. The dancers brought the tides to life by lending the piece a dynamic yet cyclical quality. "Rhythm is in the Blues" presented the audience with a very different yet straight forward approach to the color blue: Rhythm and Blues. Perhaps it is because Wayne M. Smith chose music by his uncle, Memphis musician Johnny "Ace"Alexander, but the piece has a certain authenticity and honesty to it that can often be downplayed in highly conceptual art. Although the piece is choreographed, it is possible to sense that the performers seem liberated and truly enjoy dancing to the familiar music. It is easy to also sense that the audience truly enjoys watching them perform. Collapse

    • Event Name: eMPHasis on BLUE
      "Preview by David Prete - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver"
      Comment posted by: David Prete - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Jun 03, 2010
      

      This Friday, June 4, Project: Motion opens Emphasis on Blue, the final show of their 23rd season. No ruse in the title; the theme for the show is blue. Why blue? Because the company believes something... Expand

      This Friday, June 4, Project: Motion opens Emphasis on Blue, the final show of their 23rd season. No ruse in the title; the theme for the show is blue. Why blue? Because the company believes something awful has happened to everything and our collective underlying state has become blue…? Not exactly. The show isn’t focused on blue in the melancholic sense. “We picked blue,” says Artistic Director Jay Rapp, “because it’s an abstract enough concept that different kinds of artists can relate to in different ways: color, mood, music… ” Choosing a theme so vulnerable to interpretation helped the company achieve their greater objective for this show: to integrate various art forms into an evening of dance. Aside of dancers, choreographers, light, sound and costume designers, audiences will experience the work of musicians, a writer, singer, painter, fabric designer, and photographer, (one dancer even worked with a theater director). We could argue that the company is also working with a new architect, considering they are performing in a different theater: this show marks the company’s first move as a resident company to the Evergreen Theater (formerly Circuit Playhouse). Project: Motion does not collaborate for collaboration’s sake; it’s part of what has kept their energy up for the past 23 seasons, and what has challenged their artists. “Collaborating helps you to see your work through a different lens,” says Rapp. “It pushes you to take a less familiar journey through your creative process and shifts your artistic perspective.” It also offers the audience the opportunity to consider concepts from different perspectives, to gain a more complex understanding of something assumed. And in a time when something awful has happened to everything, perspective is worth more than the price of admission. Collapse

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