Helene Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Whim W'him, a contemporary dance company founded by Olivier Wevers, a former Principal Dancer with PNB, has announced an all digital season for 2020-21-- and their filmmaker collaborator is Quinn Wharton, who danced with San Francisco Ballet: SEATTLE CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY WHIM W’HIM LAUNCHES ALL-DIGITAL SEASON 11 WITH IN-with-WHIM MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM Seattle, WA - Whim W’Him is launching its 11th season this June with a new all-digital membership program, IN-with-WHIM. Whim W’Him created this program as a way to prioritize the health of its artists and the community, while supporting ways for dance artists, students and audiences to come together while staying apart. Through IN-with-WHIM, Whim W’Him will feature an experimental season of original dance films by some of the world’s most intriguing contemporary dance choreographers, and a series of digital conversations designed to bring audiences into the creative process to share and engage with the dance community in Seattle and around the globe. Whim W’Him is creating the original dance films in collaboration with Quinn Wharton, a New York-based movement photographer and filmmaker who has also danced professionally with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and San Francisco Ballet. These dance films will include: Choreographic Shindig VI (September 2020) - original dance films featuring new dance creations choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Madison Olandt & Mike Tyus This Is Not The Little Prince (January 2021) - an original film version of Artistic Director & Founder Olivier Wevers’ full-length work that premiered in June 2019 with original music by composer Brian Lawlor Wonder Beyond (May 2021) - original dance films featuring new dance creations choreographed by Joseph Hernandez and Robyn Mineko Williams Whim W’Him is also reimaging its XALT program, originally planned for the last week of May and early June, and is currently creating new dance films with physically distant choreography by Penny Saunders and Artistic Director & Founder Olivier Wevers. These films will also be available through IN-with-WHIM starting on June 18, 2020. In addition to these original dance films, Whim W’Him will also use its IN-with-WHIM platform to curate a series of digital artist interviews and chats called Dance and Tell, share behind-the-scenes experiences, and livestream some of its rehearsals so dancers, students and audiences can see how Whim W’Him and its dancers are continuing to find ways to create while adjusting their practices to comply with vital and necessary public safety mandates. IN-with-WHIM will also feature a variety of additional content, including videos of past creations from Whim W’Him’s first decade alongside interviews with the creators, contemporary technique classes, and forums around mental and physical health for dancers and movement artists. In addition to its new online offerings, Whim W’Him is also exploring a series of free, physically distant, outdoor pop-up performances. These performances will take place throughout the summer to engage our communities in innovative contemporary dance creations in ways that are safe and responsible. Artistic Director & Founder Olivier Wevers shared, “While online streaming will never replace the experience of live performances, we believe in nurturing the future of contemporary dance by stretching our imagination beyond the stage and engaging with our community virtually. Filled with courage and resilience, we are determined, even while physically distant from others, to look beyond our own circumstances and interact with the world in creative ways. We are keeping new contemporary dance creations alive, for our communal healing now and to ensure a revitalized future for the arts and humanity.” IN-with-WHIM memberships will go on sale through whimwhim.org during the first week of June. Annual memberships will cost $10 per month for a total of $120. Monthly memberships will cost $12 per month and can be canceled at any time. On-demand tickets for one-time viewing will also be available for each of the three new dance creations in Season 11 at prices ranging from $5-$50. On-demand tickets will be available on August 1, 2020 and throughout the season. To announce the launch of IN-with-WHIM and Season 11, Whim W’Him will also host the first episode of its Dance and Tell series from 6:00-7:00 p.m., Thursday, June 4, 2020 on Facebook Live. The event will be hosted by Whim W’Him dancer Jim Kent and board member Natalie Sandoval, and will feature short interviews and clips about what Whim W’Him will be sharing with the community in the year ahead. Click here to watch a brief promotional video created by the Whim W’Him company and edited by dancer Liane Aung. ABOUT SEASON 11 Whim W’Him is launching its 11th season with IN-with-WHIM, an all-digital membership program featuring an experimental season of original dance films by some of the world’s most intriguing contemporary dance choreographers, and a series of digital conversations designed to bring audiences into the creative process to share and engage with the dance community in Seattle and around the globe. Whim W’Him created this program as a way to prioritize the health of its artists and the community, while supporting ways for dance artists, students and audiences to come together while staying apart. TICKET INFORMATION WHIM W’HIM SEASON 11 July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021IN-with-WHIM, featuring original dance films Choreographic Shindig VI (September 2020), This Is Not The Little Prince (January 2021), Wonder Beyond (May 2021) and more. Memberships available June 2020: Annual membership: $10/month ($120) | Monthly membership: $12/month On-demand tickets for one-time viewing available August 1, 2020 and beyond: TeenTix $5 | Students/Seniors $10 | General $20 | Family $35 | Premium $50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helene Posted August 18, 2020 Author Share Posted August 18, 2020 Pacific Northwest Ballet has announced its all-digital 2020-21 Season via press release and email to subscribers. Here is a link to the discussion thread in the PNB forum: tl; dr * Six reps, not including Nutcracker, which will be a special video *2020 reps are social distance friendly (including real-life and in studio pods) *2021 reps, assuming the regular versions, require conditions where large groups/entire company can rehearse and perform together * $190 for reps and special online subscriber content, including interviews, more works, etc. * Single access option per program * 2020-21 subscribers get access as a default Since Seattle Center and the Key Arena are owned by the city, according to Peter Boal in his Conversations on Dance interview released yesterday, while Key Arena is being renovated for the new NHL team, the video equipment and the video people have been transferred to McCaw Hall, which should be great news for this season. Boal was diplomatic in his comments, so I'll say it: this is good news, if the video team can reign in the propensity for sportsball camera focus and editing techniques. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pherank Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 On 8/18/2020 at 9:42 AM, Helene said: this is good news, if the video team can reign in the propensity for sportsball camera focus and editing techniques. Yes, good luck to them. PNB simply needs to work with an experienced performance arts video team - the kind that already knows what matters to dancers and their particular audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peg Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 In last week’s interview with Peter Boal on the Conversations on Dance podcast, Boal outlined the very careful steps PNB has taken to allow dancers to return to the studio for rehearsing for the Sun Valley Ballet Festival, which streamed last night. It was a fascinating conversation, and can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-on-dance/id1128237763 I’m not sure whether it’s still possible to view the festival, over 90 minutes of beautiful performances, some archival but a couple recorded just last week for the festival, including Leta Biasucci dancing the bracelet solo from Emeralds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helene Posted September 20, 2020 Author Share Posted September 20, 2020 From Links, Louisville Ballet is prepoing for a digital season: and NYCB is producing a mini-festival with new work within its digital season: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helene Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 I love Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's -- with Quinn Wharton's filming -- so, so, so, so, so, so much <3. It's part of Whim W'him's digital season Choreographic Shindig Vi which just opened tonight. (Literally). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helene Posted October 12, 2020 Author Share Posted October 12, 2020 PNB is offering an archival George Balanchine's Nutcracker with sets and costumes by Ian Falconer. There are two options: Performance only, unlimited viewing from December 18-26 ($39) Performance with unlimited viewing from December 11-26, plus additional materials (interviews, costume sketch gallery, Olivia's reading list $55) They also have an add-on Nutcracker gift box from the gift shop for $75.00 I'm glad they'll be able to salvage some Nutcracker revenue, and I think it's smart getting in front of the holiday gift-giving line. (It's Canadian Thanksgiving today, so the holiday season has officially begun.) I hope other companies do the same. I'd love to be able to do at least part of Macaulay's Nutcracker tour of America, however digital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helene Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share Posted October 23, 2020 KUOW's Marcie Sillman interviewed Jessica Lang about creating a new work for PNB under Covid-driven restrictions, and she also spoke to Peter Boal and to Ellen Walker: https://www.kuow.org/stories/dancing-in-a-mask-and-with-a-shadow-this-is-how-seattle-s-pacific-northwest-ballet-is-making-it-work It's a complicated set of arrangements across the company -- choreographers, dancers, stagers, musicians, and backstage, and the economics are tough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canbelto Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 I really enjoyed Program 1 of Fall for Dance. Very eclectic. I really enjoyed the pas de deux between Sara Mearns and David Hallberg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pherank Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 Mentioned by the Fjord Review - the School of American Ballet's Ballet Connoisseurship program: 'SAB’s Ballet Connoisseurship is an educational offering for adults providing seasoned ballet goers, patrons, students, scholars, and newcomers alike with knowledge and perspectives that will enhance their appreciation of ballet. Ballet Connoisseurship was launched in January 2019 as part of our new “SAB Open” division and featured seminars exploring ballet history, technique, and choreographic masters. In spring 2020, we transitioned all of our courses to an online format and look forward to continuing online for the winter 2021 season. In the meantime, SAB is pleased to offer streaming access to recordings of our recent remote Ballet Connoisseurship sessions for $20 each.' https://sab.org/ballet-connoisseurship/ [Note that the programs currently listed are available through November 30th only] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helene Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 PNB has made changes to the 2020-21 Digital Season: some rep swapped, some program swapping, and some great new content. Details are posted here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts