Bonds
A woman hurls herself repeatedly against an imaginary wall... three men trapped in a box, colliding in a pattern that shifts, almost imperceptibly as the friction between them increases until they reach a boiling point.. two women are bound in an embrace, struggling to separate, yet each grasping the other...

Drawing on images and concepts from Quantum Mechanics, Physics and Chemistry, this project explores the metaphysical through the physical. Bonds is an exercise in awe at the terrifying complexity the universe.
Currently in development with support from a Boston Dance Alliance Rehearsal and Retreat Fellowship

In the Works

The Deep

The Deep is inspired by the idea of the time before time, the time before creation, before differentiation. In many religions, there is a state that exists before “creation,” which is a state of unity, in which there is no division, and therefore no order. The act of creation is the act of division, of slicing the universe into parts, of defining limits. In Genesis, this state is described as a formless darkness and the first moments of creation consist of the creation of opposites – night and day, darkness and light, land and water. Physics also describes a state before the first subatomic particles began to form, to differentiate – the singularity. But what is this singularity? What is “the Deep?”

The Conference of the Birds

The Conference of the Birds will be an evening-length movement theater work embodying the epic poem of Farid Ud din Attar. The project will be directed by ANIKAYA Artistic Director Wendy Jehlen, with musical direction by Kemal Karouz .

The Conference of the Birds is a tale of a group of birds that set off in search of the mythical bird, the Simurgh. They are a nation in search of a king. As they travel, they pass through each of the seven stages of the Sufi quest. As they pass through these stages, many of the birds abandon the quest, for reasons that correspond to the weaknesses that cause a human soul to stray from the Path. By the end, there are thirty birds left. When they arrive in the land of the Simurgh, they find only a lake, in which they themselves are reflected.

Run (Like a Girl)

Run (Like a Girl) looks at the words and phrases permeating our cultures that chip away at the self-esteem of girls, creating a false image of girls and women as “weak.” Run (Like a Girl)is a cross-cultural project which will take place in the US, Mali, India and Brazil. We will work in collaboration with schools and organizations that promote gender equality, as well as sports-centered organizations, to gather and share stories. The resulting performance work will evolve as these stories are woven together into a common narrative. In performance, Run (Like a Girl) will be an energetic, emotionally and physically-charged, dance and spoken word piece.