Sarah East Johnson’s LAVA Premieres
(w)HOLE
January 5 - February 19, 2006 at The Flea
"exhilarating" - Newsweek
"amazing" -- New York Magazine
"they'll rock your world" - The Advocate
"breathtaking in their grace, strength, and fearlessness" - Village Voice
Sarah East Johnson’s Obie and Bessie Award winning LAVA premieres its latest work (w)HOLE, beginning previews January 5th at The Flea where LAVA originally earned its reputation as one of NYC’s most ambitious physical performance troupes. This new exploration of geology and movement, the company's first new work since 2003, combines ten years of making extraordinary performances into a singular ambitious project. Opening night is scheduled for January 12th.
(w)HOLE, an evocatively female acronym for the (Whole) History Of Life on Earth, is inspired by the study of the Earth’s geologic and evolutionary changes over the last 4.6 billion years. Carefully looped music, video, and lighting will operate on their own unpredictable, independent cycles, mimicking the patterns of the forces that shaped our own evolutionary history and creating a uniquely varied performance each evening. Johnson has also chosen to stage this boundary-defying work in the round, giving each individual audience member a unique point of view.
(w)HOLE’s ground-breaking choreographic language is inspired by scientific phenomena such as volcano formation, magnetic polarity reversal and rock cycles. Johnson translates each phenomenon into movement. For example, magnetic polarity reversal is manifested in duets using handstand and balancing work while playing with notion of reversal. Because of the intense skill and physical strength of the company members, phenomenal acrobatic "tricks" will astound as they illustrate the interconnection between natural phenomena and our bodies. Narrative elements using video and text are also included in the work.
This theatrical work of extreme rigor and surprising chance is animated by the six artists who are LAVA: Natalie Agee, Diana Y. Greiner, Molly Chanoff, Sarah East Johnson, Eugenia Chiappe, Rebecca Stronger. It is conceived and directed by Sarah East Johnson with lighting by Chloe Brown, visual design by Nancy Brooks Brody, video projections by Heather Delaney, costumes by Liz Prince, music by Steve Hamilton and spoken words by Sini Anderson and Capital B.
LAVA is a troupe of six women who develop and perform artistic works that combine dance, theater and circus. Founded in 1994 by Sarah East Johnson, LAVA has developed seven original works that have dealt with such topics as the formation of volcanoes, plate tectonics, evolution, and the relationship between science and faith. LAVA has presented work in New York at venues including P.S. 122, The Kitchen, Central Park Summerstage, Celebrate Brooklyn and nationally in cities including Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Boston and Grand Rapids. LAVA members teach a unique blend of circus acrobatics and dance to children and adults at their new home studio in Brooklyn.
(w)HOLE runs January 5 to February 19 , Thursday- Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 5pm. The Flea Theater is located at 41 White Street (between Broadway & Church Streets -- accessible from the A,C,E,N,R,Q,W,6,J,M,Z to Canal or 1,9 to Franklin Street). Tickets are $25 - $20. For tickets call 212-352-3101 or visit TheaterMania.com.