Though "Falling Grounded II: Engaging Space" may begin as a traditional dance concert, it turns into anything but.
Produced by dancer Ashlee Ramsey, the concert starts with five choreographed modern dance performances in a traditional theater setting. Afterwards, the audience is led outside to a site-specific portion where the artists will use the Greensboro Cultural Center atrium, courtyard, picnic area, loading dock and the Price-Bryan Festival Park as their stage.
"The objective is to shake up the traditional environment and use our surroundings for inspiration," said Ramsey, who received a BFA in dance from UNCG in 2004 and now teaches dance with the North Carolina Dance Project.
This portion of the concert will feature live art installations, photography, poetry, digital media and music in addition to improvised dance.
"We let the environment inform our responses," Ramsey said. "By taking the audience out of the theater and eliminating that fourth wall, I hope they become aware of how their presence is a part of the performance. I want them to feel like they are inside of this world the artists are creating, and their experience of it is integral to its functioning."
After graduating from UNCG, Ramsey wanted to organize a way for dancers to network and connect just to see how much interest there was. The result was her first two dance concerts: "Physical Initiation" featured the contemporary choreography of recent UNCG graduates, and "Falling Grounded" showcased Greensboro and Raleigh dancers at the former TwoArtChicks gallery in Greensboro.
"I want the dance community to have an opportunity to present their own work," Ramsey said. "All of these dancers need a venue in order to create work, and they create wonderful work."
"Falling Grounded II" is a continuation of her mission and serves several purposes, including exposing the public to Greensboro's dance talent. Ramsey said it also aims to encourage dancers to remain in Greensboro and produce independent work that is edgy and gutsy.
"It would be really nice to see Greensboro prosper in the dance area," Ramsey said. "There's a lot of theater and music going on, but I see a lot of great dancers here, too."
"Falling Grounded II" also serves as a platform for visiting dancers who want to demonstrate their work for the Greensboro community. The program will feature work from both Greensboro-based artists and visiting artists.
In the first portion of the concert, Renay Aumiller and Will Schneider of Raleigh and Illinois co-choreographed "Ham and Balls," a piece about relationships and comedy. It will incorporate text, props and video in addition to dance.
The performances by Greensboro-based artists include Katherine Kiefer Stark's "Waging Dance: An Experiment in Audience," which examines political performance and audience participation. A duet by Stephanie Leathers is inspired by images in dreams.
A solo by Heather Glasgow Doyle uses Wendell Berry's poetry to inspire movement. Heidi Echols Godfrey and Camille Desantis's "Hovering on the Edge" focuses on a break in the psyche. Once these performances are complete, Ramsey said she hopes to reach the audience in new ways with the outdoor portion.
"The Cultural Center has an amazing outdoor environment with trees and grass and open space," Ramsey said. "All this art happens inside the building, but I wanted to see the outside of the building used in just as creative a way."
Contact Alexa Milan at 373-7081 or Alexandra.Milan@news-record.com
