As we have mentioned before, CCdd has the honor of participating in one of the most exciting performance pieces that San Diego has to offer- the Trolley Dances. I thought I'd take a moment today in our blog and give you a little insight into how cool this performance really is- and just how excited we are to participate this year.
Trolley Dances was founded by the fabulous Jean Isaacs of San Diego Dance Theater 13 years ago. Jean brought the concept to San Diego after experiencing something similar in Switzerland. She was inspired by how site-specific performance art set in beautiful landscapes or fantastic locations allowed for some of the most compelling performances she has ever seen. Site-specific performance can illuminate a location and bring together a community- something that CCdd is all about.
The set-up is simple. You get on a Trolley at a specific location in San Diego and you travel to different performance locations to view different dances created by several different choreographers. In the past the Trolley took audiences to innovative dances set in grocery stores, museums, water fountains, parks, airports, libraries, hotel pools, parking lots, and many other locations some glamorous- some intentionally not. All of these locations are utilized to illuminate each setting with beautiful choreography and some of the best dancers in San Diego. Many of whom have gone on to have amazingly successful careers in choreography and dance such as Monica Bill Barnes and Kyle Abraham. It's such a fabulous experience for both the performers and the audience that should be shared by all.
And this year Jean Isaacs wants US to be a part of it!
I was part of Trolley Dances last year as a tour guide, and an administrative help and I loved every second of it. After attending the performance several times, my only desire was to figure out a way to make the ENTIRE time you are participating in the show an actual performance. So CCdd has been given the opportunity to come up with creative ways to transition the audience from one site to another, and maintain the performance energy that sometimes lags in travel time.
It is a wonderful challenge for us to take advantage of as theatrical performers. How do you make a traveling performance work? What kind of theatre piece can we create that will work with the "Trolley Dances" aesthetic? How do we maintain OUR mission in the meantime?
Tomorrow marks the start of our development with this project as many of the company will be riding taking the ride with Jean and her band of choreographers tomorrow for the first time! We have many ideas already in mind, but until we see what we are working with it is impossible to solidify the work.
So here we go! Embarking into our next performance and our first collaborative experience with a separate company! So exciting!
Check out information on Trolley Dances HERE!
We hope you all can make it!
If you happen to be a fabulous dancer they are holding auditions this Sunday! Get it!
