HELENA — A first-of-its-kind residency program at Cohesion Dance Project has culminated in a debut show, "BEYOND WORDS, the body as narrator," this weekend.
This three-month residency program welcomed in Minnesota choreographer, Jennifer Glaws. Glaws’ choreography has been commissioned and presented in NYC, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Michigan. For this residency, she worked alongside professional and community dancers in order to create a series of new works that feature myths, stories, family traditions, and urban legends in movement and voice.
“I'm excited for our guests to see honesty and a group of really unique individuals exploring themes that came out of us dancing in the space together. This show was created out of conversations that we had the first week of performance,” says resident artist Glaws.
The fresh outsider perspective has paved a way for new forms of expression according to performer, Gina Lytle.
“...incorporate words with movement and sharing pieces of our own personal life to interweave with the dance,” says Lytle.
As well as influencing the dancers, Glaws says that her immersion in Helena as a resident artist has lent her a new point of view.
“It’s eye-opening. It's been, it's changed me. It's changed my artistry with the people that I've been able to connect with,” says Glaws.
Cohesion Dance Project proudly works alongside dancers of all ages and mobility. Lytle says that she feels lucky to be part of such a group.
“Anybody can do it. That's what I like, is that people sit in the audience and they're like, ‘Oh, I could never do that,’ And I thought, well, that's what I thought. And it's just such a warm environment that you feel safe and free to explore,” says Lytle.
You can find all the showtimes for this weekend here:
Friday, May 20 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 21 @ 4:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Sunday, May 22 @ 2:00 PM
Or by visiting cohesiondance.org
