Troupe to present signature athleticism, experimentation on October 14th
Phoenix Project Dance Company of Norwich will perform six original dance works at View on Friday, October 14 at 7 p.m.
The Phoenix Project Dance Company, in its seventh season, is operated through the Amber Perkins School of Dance of Norwich. The dance school, which has been in operation for 14 years, is run by sister and brother team Amber and Mike Perkins.
Both dancers, they create the choreography, which Mike said is based on modern dance, for the Phoenix Project Dance Company.
“The Company came about because we have a large school and a lot of our dancers would go on to perform professionally in all of the major companies in New York.
My sister said, ‘Why should we train our dancers to go on to perform in New York when we can have our own company right here?’” Mike said.
“We do a lot of athletics and we allow the dancers to experiment with each other to come up with new ways of lifting—and they’re fearless. They can do some amazing things,” he added.
The dance performance at View will include Liquid Matter, where water becomes the catalyst for sliding and skipping in the athletic style the troupe is known for.
Acrobatic moves and a collection of interesting props that include a metal cage costume will also be featured in, My Body, a duet between principal dancer Travis St. Denny and Kate Ann Martinez.
“It explores the interaction between a man and the woman he loves and being trapped within her cage, which is the backdrop to the tragic story of fear and self doubt,” Mike said.
Another dance, which is an adaptation of George Orwell’s classic, Animal Farm, explores the themes of dominance and oppression through movement. The soundtrack blends the sound of a Bulgarian choir and many Eastern European themes that sets the tone for Manor Farm.
Mike said he and the troupe of 16 dancers are looking forward to performing in Gould Hall at View, which he visited recently. “It’s absolutely stunning, and it’s very exciting that we’ll be the first dance group to perform there,” he said.
To see a video of Phoenix Project Dance, visit: www.ViewArts.org. Tickets for the performance are $15/$12 members and $8 for students. They can be purchased at View, or by calling (315) 369-6411.
