INTERSECTIONS Embraces Diversity in RVA Dance Scene

Rebecca Ferrell
June 18, 2014

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Read More: DOGTOWN DANCE THEATER, INTERSECTIONS, kickstarer, malaya works, RVA Dance

This weekend at Dogtown Dance Theatre four local choreographers, each with national acclaim, will merge their modern and ballet backgrounds with INTERSECTIONS, a collaborative show that embraces the diversity of the Richmond dance scene.

This weekend’s performances will also serve as a debut for Annielille Gavino Kollman’s dance company, Malayaworks. Kollman’s goal with her dance collective is to communicate social issues through movement. Sexual abuse and racial discrimination will both be tackled in this performance.

Richmond Ballet II dancer Gavin Stewart, who has had his choreography showcased at Richmond Ballet and VCU Dance this season, will emphasize the lighter side of dance. His playful piece, Da Capo Al Brubeck, is inspired by people dining in a restaurant.

Vanessa Owen, a recipient of the 2013-2014 Fellowship in Choreography, and former RVA Dance Collective dancer Michelle Bettin will be presenting choreography as well.

Support Malaya Works through their Kickstarer here

While a majority of the INTERSECTIONS choreographers have a strong ballet background, Stewart stated that this collaboration is more about “creating a movement dialogue, not just phrases.”  Balletic lines and narrative themes might be present, but the vocabulary and the inspiration driving the movement is primarily modern dance based.

Working together as an artistic team also allowed the choreographers to have a built in mentoring alliance. Kollman expressed that “one brain is not enough.” Having multiple opinions was beneficial as all of the choreographers had a chance to both give and receive feedback throughout the artistic process; a rare resource in typical dance making. Stewart stated that  “each of us has creative input and it allows us see things that we might have missed otherwise. This is helpful as both a dancer and choreographer.”

INTERSECTIONS runs June 21st at 4:00pm and 7:30 pm and June 22nd at 4:00pm at Dogtown Dance Theater.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here.

For more information call (804) 332-9055 or check out www.malayaworks.com.

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Rebecca A. Ferrell, a native of Richmond, Virginia, is a dance educator, choreographer and performer. She is currently the artistic director of FDANCE, a project dedicated to her work as an intervention dance artist. Rebecca holds a BFA in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University as well as a MFA in Dance from Arizona State University. She is currently adjunct faculty at VCU Dance and is in charge of dance curriculum at John Tyler Community College. When she is not dancing, Rebecca is making cupcakes, breaking hearts, and obsessing over the color pink.