Souvenirs

New Dialect

Friday, April 1, 2016 | 8 PM; Doors at 7 PM SOLD OUT

Saturday, April 2, 2016 | 8 PM; Doors at 7 PM SOLD OUT

70 min / no intermission

“Banning Bouldin has given Nashville Something to Talk About – A New Dance Language With Its Own Accent” – Nashville Arts Magazine

World Premiere of Souvenirs

Souvenirs is a triptych of original contemporary dance works accompanied by live, original music by guest composers Lev LJOVA Zhurbin and Mikael Karlsson. The performance explores how our concept of personal identity is shaped by our trial-and-error attempts at intimacy, the near-mythical influence of childhood memories upon our adult lives, and the cultural constraints that are imposed us by society.

Since their premiere performance within OZ Arts’ TNT series in 2014, New Dialect has attained an internationally-respected status for contemporary dance makers. Led by artistic director and Nashville native, Banning Bouldin, New Dialect returns to OZ Arts with fresh works and compelling collaborations. Featuring an original commission and live musical performance by acclaimed Swedish composer Mikael Karlsson and composer/fadolin virtuoso Lev LJOVA Zhurbin, New Dialect premieres a new dance work for ensemble. Partnering with renowned guest choreographer Peter Chu, Bouldin then takes the stage with revered, Romaniain-born dancer Ana Maria Lucaciu in a duet made for the strikingly similar pair.

Souvenirs

Two Yous – Opening duet

The opening duet, Two Yous, choreographed by Peter Chu was born out of the cultural phenomenon known as “smile masking,” a psychological disorder resulting from prolonged, unnatural smiling in the workplace. The syndrome is particularly prevalent in Asian countries, where many service sector jobs require workers to wear perpetual smiles. Having spent so much time faking their smiles, syndrome sufferers become emotionally detached from their own physical responses, often smiling at inappropriate times. Two Yous plays out the inner dilemma of an aging woman, portrayed by both Banning Bouldin and Ana Maria Lucaciu in a mirrored role, as she struggles against the pressure to perform and the desire to honestly embody her own emotions. The original score for Two Yous was composed by Chu’s longtime collaborator Djeff Houle (former member of Cirque du Soleil’s creation team).

Atlas Kid – Ensemble for eight

Bouldin’s newest creation, Atlas Kid—an ensemble work for eight—took its initial inspiration from the principle of cold combustion as described in the introduction to Atlas of Novel Tectonics, an architectural design book by Reiser + Umemoto: “Cold combustion suggests the slowing down of the unfolding of geometry that previously was either held in exquisite or frozen suspense or was subject to the instantaneous and uncontrolled unfolding that we know as explosion. Anyone who discovers a middle ground, a rhythm of unfolding that delivers the geometries of matter to the senses in real time…endows the world with novelty. It is the duty of architecture to deliver sensation.”

Atlas Kid builds on this principle of unfolding geometry and novelty to conjure up a dream-like world sculpted from the temperatures, textures, shapes and feelings of childhood memory. The raw material for the 30-minute work was derived from the personal memories of New Dialect’s dancers, the physicality of which Bouldin crafted into a movement language that embodies a full range of modes and tones, from kinetic frenzy to reluctant shyness. Using the playful habits of shadow making, mimicry and exaggeration, the dancers reimagine the traumatic and triumphant experiences that formed their perception of the adult world around them, a place where they are, in there reimaging, at once natives and foreigners.

The original score for Atlas Kid was composed by LJOVA and Mikael Karlsson, who will both perform the composition live onstage, as part of the choreography. Costumes for the piece were designed through a digital printing collaboration between visual artist Emily Clayton and Nashville’s local clothier Jamie + The Jones.

EMIN – Closing duet

The closing duet, EMIN, features Ana Maria Lucaciu and Banning Bouldin as they carry on a whimsical and intricate conversation that exhibits their mutual interest and suspicion of one another, not unlike a childlike interaction, filled with investigation and boundary-testing. At times the dancers break from “performing” and engage in a vocal and gestural meta-dialogue about their performance, as though the work is not yet finished and they are creating the latter half as they perform it. The duet concludes as the lights fade to black and LJOVA’s live, multi-channeled fadolin composition swells to an impassioned frenzy before subduing into a consistent, lingering pulse.

About New Dialect

Performance FAQs

Coming to a performance at OZ Arts? Here’s what you need to know!

[toggler title=”Where are general admission seats located?” ]Every seating bank is custom-designed specifically for the production and offers various vantage points. This way, there are no “bad” seats in the house! Open seating enables audience members to select their own seat and make the most of their experience. Our members (The Critic level and above) enjoy reserved seating, designated by black seat covers. If you are interested in joining OZ Arts as a member, please visit our Support page.[/toggler]

[toggler title=”What is the dress?” ]Many of our guests will be in business casual or cocktail attire, however OZ Arts does not strictly enforce a dress code. [/toggler]

[toggler title=”Is this program kid-friendly?” ]Every program at OZ Arts is vastly different. While our visiting artist programs are not usually designed for children, we have found that many children of varying ages have enjoyed experiencing contemporary art. Ultimately, we encourage parents to do some research and decide if a program matches their child’s interests. Of course, feel free to call or email us if you have any specific questions! And, check out some of our education and outreach programs – created just for kids! – on our Education page. [/toggler]

[toggler title=”Where should I park?” ]For the convenience of our guests, a complimentary valet service is provided for all OZ Arts visiting artist performances (TNTs not included – we will have parking directors to help you safely self-park on those evenings!).[/toggler]

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[toggler title=”Can I get a refund on my tickets if I’m not going to use them anymore?” ]All ticket sales are final and we are unable to offer refunds. Should you wish to withdraw your enrollment from this event and donate your tickets, you may do so at least 24 hours before the beginning of the performance. The full amount of your contribution may be considered tax-deductible. To request a receipt, please email membership@ozartsnashville.org at least 24 hours before the performance.[/toggler]

[toggler title=”May I give my tickets away if I am unable to use them?
” ]Giving your tickets to friends, family, or colleagues is a great way to make sure your tickets don’t go unused! If you are a season subscriber who has a conflict with a performance, or you just have a last-minute change of plans, you can always give your tickets to someone else. All you need to do is have your guest give the ticketholder’s name at the door and they will be admitted.[/toggler]

[toggler title=”What is a TNT event and how are they different from regular artistic programs?” ]Thursday Night Things (TNT) is an ongoing series featuring Tennessee-based artists in a more casual manner than our visiting artist programs. Feel free to come and go at your convenience, and enjoy onsite food trucks as well as our bar.[/toggler]