USA Projects

HISTORY & FUNDRAISING:

I approach dance through the medium of sculpture.  My work explores a whimsical journey of life, death and rebirth.  Using the painterly manipulation of handcrafted materials and textures, I create a labyrinth of delicate props and puppets.  My aesthetic has been greatly inspired by Noh Theater—a 600-year-old traditional form of Japanese theater.  With its spare stage design, elaborate costumes and masked characters, it allows me to apply movement to my sculptures in the theatrical context.

Recently, I received a grant from Center for Cultural Innovation to begin the production of my latest work, Tempted by the Tempest.  Although generous, this grant only pays for a small portion of the production.  I am interested in raising a minimum of $3,570 to cover the costs for rehearsal space, the creation of intricate paper masks, in addition to set and costume design. 

THE PROJECT:

This project gives me the opportunity to collaborate with a Noh Theater actor Jubilith Moore, who has a similar aesthetic and will significantly contribute to the production and evolution of my craft.  I am excited to begin working on this project and developing the characters’ costumes and environment.  I will make the costumes out of huge paper drawings with golden backs mount them onto cardboard to make wings, arms, and legs and then project an environment of visual images of the drawings over the space. This will be our setting!

My performance style is romantic and poetic in its perspective. It is my vision to enlighten and transform audience members with the otherworldly aspect of my work and my unique execution of Noh Theater. I am excited because this will be a collaboration (I normally work solo) and an opportunity to blend text poetically into the work. It is a chance to have a lot of fun, make a theatrical change, and explore using drawing to free the experience. I am also honored to be able to educate people about Noh theater in American and add to the rich tradition of this Japanese art form.

THANK YOU!