Performances

Dances, Distance and Dusk

How can we create dance while maintaining social distance? How can we bring dance outside of the theatre? Dances, Distance, & Dusk is a socially distant, in person, dance experience. Dance Artists have been challenged by creating art during a pandemic. BIODANCE is responding by creating a new work for eight dancers, inspired by the poet Lauren K. Alleyne and choreographed by Missy Pfohl Smith. Dancers maintain space from one another while still being able to dance together. Viewers are able to witness dance, while also practicing necessary safety measures. This includes masks, social distancing, & minimal surface contact. The audience will be seated in “pods” containing only members of one’s household. Pods will be placed at least 12 feet from each other.

ADDED SHOW ON JULY 31 at 6pm!

Due to covid restrictions, we can only allow a small crowd. RSVP here:
https://forms.gle/r84tBbzt6u51JU3q7

THINGS TO BRING:
1. Masks
2. Blankets
3. Phones for Virtual Playbills
4. Water

Dances Distance & Dusk is being held outdoors on the back lawn of the Memorial Art Gallery and is created in collaboration with:
Ethan Isaac Beckwith-Cohen//Sacathenia Dance Theatre, Loo Rich, MaryLee Miller, Casie McManus, Grace Myers, Gabrielle Samuel, Katherine Marino, Zanyla A. Penn, Solange Rodrigues, Neyda Colon-DiMaria, Janalyce Lane, Missy Pfohl Smith//BIODANCE, Zachary Frazee//Frazee Feet Dance, Laurie MacFarlane, Claire Spenard, & More! Dances Distance & Dusk is free with a suggested $10 donation. All money raised will be donated to The MOCHA Center: A community center specializing in the well-being of LGBTQ+ communities of color. (https://mochacenter.org)

SCHEDULE:
6pm – Seating Begins
6:10- Live music by local artists
6:20 – Dance performances
7:45 – Improv Jam

Photo by Bryant Mercedes 

This BIODANCE project is supported by a decentralization grant, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, with support from Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, administered by the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts and Livingston Arts, a member-supported organization.

Dances at MUCCC

BIODANCE is currently slated to provide a full evening of its original dances as part of the Dances at MUCCC Dance Festival, re-scheduled for July 22, 2020 at Multi-Use Community Cultural Center, 142 Atlantic Avenue, Rochester, NY. HOWEVER, we are committed to the safety of the dancers, artists, theatre staff and audiences. We will not perform in person if it compromises the health and safety of the artists and the public. We are currently developing quarantined ways to create, continue and share our work.

Please visit us on social media (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIODANCE1/) [Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missypfohlsmith/ and #biodance1 and #b1odance] for updates.

“And Then We Danced” 4/8/20 Discussion Panel

Join ImageOut and The Little for a discussion of the beautiful, romantic film “And Then We Danced,” now screening at The Virtual Little: https://www.musicboxfilms.com/thelittle-streamlocal/

The discussion will be streamed though The Little Theatre Facebook page.

Discussion panelists are:
Michael Gamilla (ImageOut)
Thomas Warfield (NTID Dance)
Missy Pfohl Smith (UR Dance/BIODANCE)
Moderator: Matt DeTurck (The Little)

Trailer: thelittle.org/films/and-then-we-danced

Bridge to Paradise Feb. 27 and March 1

In Bridge to Paradise, BIODANCE reflects on the magnificent and haunting stained glass work or Judith Schaechter. In two free performances directed by dance artist Missy Pfohl Smith in collaboration with digital media artist W. Michelle Harris, composer Peiyao Wang and costume designer Jennifer Rubens, performers Megan May, Alaina Olivieri, Sarah Johnson, Jean Michael Rubingu, Donetta Tchoroleev and Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp will create a movement installation for two performances:

Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7pm
Sunday, March 1 at 2pm
M&T Bank Ballroom, Memorial Art Gallery
Free and open to the public!

With visual elements inspired by the 40 work visiting stained glass exhibit by artist Judith Schaechter, this immersive, hour long experience invites viewers into a dark world of paradoxical paradises. A commissioned score will be performed by Eastman musicians. This multi-disciplinary work is supported by the Memorial Art Gallery and the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by Genesee Valley Council on the Arts.

For more information, visit www.biodance.org,
https://mag.rochester.edu/exhibitions/the-path-to-paradise-judith-schaechters-stained-glass-art/
and/or http://www.judithschaechter.com
See Less

Frameless Symposium at Rochester Institute of Technology

BIODANCE presented a concert version of The Fragile Corridor as part of RIT’s Frameless Symposium as the culminating event on Friday, Nov. 29, 2019 at the Magic Studios at 6:30pm. Featuring projected imagery by W. Michelle Harris, choreography and direction by Missy Pfohl Smith, this work was a reprise from the sold-out concerts with Michael Burritt and the Eastman Percussion Ensemble during the Rochester Fringe Festival 2019. Performers included Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp, Hettie Barnhill, Zach Frazee, W, Michell Harris, Sarah Johnson, Natalia Lisina, Julie Schlafer Rossette, Jean Michael Rubingu and Missy Pfohl Smith.

Rehearsal of The Fragile Corridor reprise at RIT

“Something Olde”, Cordancia and BIODANCE, Nov 10th, 2:30pm

Join us as we perform with Rochester’s own Cordancia Chamber Orchestra, celebrating their 10-year anniversary. BIODANCE will be featured in Cordancia’s performance of Milhaud’s “La Création du Monde.” The program also features composer anniversaries and includes “Dreams” by George Antheil, “The Sleepers” by David Liptak with soprano soloist Tyler Cassidy-Heacock, and “Champagne Galop” by H. C. Lumbye. This performance took place at the Memorial Art Gallery Ballroom, with a second performance at Hochstein Recital Hall.

Tickets $20 ($15 student/senior) available online and at the door
www.cordancia.org/tickets

Arts in Mind Symposium, Hatch Hall, Nov 3rd, 12p-5p

In collaboration with the Institute for the Performing Arts, the Institute for Music Leadership, and the Program of Dance and Movement, The Arts in Mind Project will host a symposium on “Humpback Whales and Their Extraordinary Mystery of Song,” on November 3, from noon to 5 p.m. at Hatch Recital Hall, Eastman School of Music. The symposium will explore ecology and threats to our environment, social behavior to art images, and behavior of humpbacks and their musical communications. Speakers include National Geographic photographer Flip Nicklin and marine biologist Jim Darling. There will be a performance of the piece “Unsoftly, to the Night” composed by Matt Curlee at the Eastman School of Music, and accompanied performances from BIODANCE and faculty and students from the Program of Dance and Movement. Event is free with light reception to follow. For more information, click here!

“Around the Town” Concert Series, July 30th, 6pm

Special free performance coming up next Tuesday, July 30 at 6pm! Join BIODANCE and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Partnering with the City of Rochester in collaboration with the Joseph Avenue Arts and Cultural Alliance. This outdoor concert boasts the highest attendance of any of the seven Around the Town concerts! Audiences will delight in this electrifying performance of multiple percussionists and marimbas on stage, played by some of the world’s leading musicians from our local award-winning orchestra, followed by the astonishing dancers of BIODANCE, who will share recent choreography and a sneak peek into their upcoming Fringe show at the Strasenburgh Planetarium, “The Fragile Corridor!” The performance will take place at the corner of Joseph and Clifford Avenues. Free outdoor picnic to follow.