Philadelphia Fringe Festival: Tears in the Waves

Part of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Tears in the Waves, a contemporary dance showcase, premieres at 7pm on Saturday September 21 at CHI Movement Arts Center, 1316 S 9th St. Tears in the Waves presents new dances by Mijkalena Smith (Philadelphia), Jessica Warchal-King/JCWK Dance Lab (Reading), Karen Fox/Bella Deluxe Entertainment (Bethlehem), and Malcolm Shute/Human Landscape Dance (Washington DC). The show is family friendly. Tickets: http://phillyfringe.org/tears-in-the-waves

Our work explores opposing forces, such as social systems, nature, or grief, and how those forces tear us apart, but sometimes reveal hidden strengths. “Burden of Two Souls,” by Mijkalena Smith, depicts an alternately supportive and toxic intimacy. In “Curtains in the Wind,” Malcolm Shute and Katie Sopoci Drake whip, sway, and twist in a storm. In Fox’s “Voices of the Mer,” mermaids navigate the land, voicing ancient wisdom. Warchal-King’s “Eroded” explores how grief impacts the body: wind and water tearing like sharp claws. When we ride the timeless wave of circumstance, our tears swell the ocean.

In “It’s Complicated,” Malcolm Shute and Alexander Short share a first night together as a couple. The boundaries of their bed, denoted by a pair of pillows downstage, expands over the course of the dance, representing the pressure to perform experienced by new lovers. In addition, the two older men struggle with cultural mores that tell us youth alone may be sexy. Short holds Shute’s head in his hand, carrying their fears and hopes, as Shute arcs into Short’s arms.

In Tears in the Waves, dancers wrestle with forces larger than themselves. Each choreographer brings a different spin on finding hope even in the maelstrom. Enjoy this unique offering within the Philadelphia Fringe, one night only, 7pm on Saturday September 21 at CHI Movement Arts Center, 1316 S 9th St. Space is limited, so reserve your seat early: http://phillyfringe.org/tears-in-the-waves

Video teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU9Og5eQ5RE

Biographies:

Mijkalena (Mijka) Smith (she/her) is a dancer, educator, and choreographer based in Philadelphia. Mijka centers bodily understanding as the foundation for her work, striving to find a balance between pushing physical abilities and maintaining a practice that is physiologically sustainable. She uses this unifying factor, the body, to create work that bridges gaps across artistic mediums, collaborating frequently with musicians and visual artists. Mijka also shares her joy for dance as an educator and choreographer at several studios throughout the Greater Philadelphia area, working with students ages 3-18. https://www.mijkalenasmith.com/

JCWK Dance Lab's mission is to Create Joy, Connection, and Wellness through Kinesthetic stories. Founded and directed by Jessica C. Warchal-King, the company builds community through performance and education in Reading, PA. JCWK Dance Lab also develops Creative Placemaking projects and is available for touring and teaching. http://jcwkdancelab.org

Karen Fox, artistic director of Bella Deluxe Entertainment, is a multi-disciplinary artist. Her work as performer and deviser spans theatre, dance, music, poetry aerial arts and film. She has worked with artists and companies in US, England, India and Mexico. Karen is also a mindful movement and somatic practitioner. https://bella-deluxe.com/

Human Landscape Dance was founded in 2006, and has since brought contact choreography around the world. Specializing in artist partnerships, they have given performances, held workshops, and shot video footage in Europe, Asia, and South America, as well as cities across North America. Noted for “... ingenious choreography and staging...” by the Washington Post, Artistic Director Malcolm Shute’s dances are characterized by intimate portraits of people undergoing change. Using touch to communicate, bodies mold with their environment to create a collage of images. http://hldance.org