Seattle Choreographer Presents 2nd Season Performance of New Work
Karin Stevens Dance
Seattle Choreographer Presents 2nd Season Performance of New Work
March dance concert at Fremont Abbey Arts Center will feature works created to original and local music, live music performance, and a collaboration with a local visual/sound artist
SEATTLE, WA, February 19, 2010--- A full evening of 6 new works by Karin Stevens Dance, the resident dance company of the Fremont Abbey Arts Center, will be performed on March 19th and 20th, 2010, at 7:30pm at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center. In creating these new works, KSD collaborated with the Mack Grout Jazz Trio; cellist, Emily Ann Peterson; visual/sound artist, Craig van den Bosch; composer, Dave Chapaitis; and fashion designer, Beki Wilson/Out of Line. The Mack Grout Jazz Trio and
Emily Ann Peterson will take part in the performance as well.
Karin Stevens Dance, now in its second season in Seattle, presents two concerts a year in the Great Hall of the Fremont Abbey Arts Center. Stevens began her early dance training at Pacific Northwest Ballet and Spectrum Dance Theater. While completing her B.A. in dance at the University of Washington in the late 1990's, Hannah C. Wiley, inspired her not only as a dancer, but also as a leader in the art form. Stevens' vision for starting her own dance company began at this time. In 1999, she began presenting her work and since has completed more than 30 dances. As Director of Dance at Dr Philips H. S., Orlando, FL, 2000 - 2003, she created many notable dances. She was awarded multiple invitations to present in various national and local dance festivals, including a request to teach and choreograph for The Orlando Ballet School. In 2003, Stevens was awarded a full scholarship to and teaching assistantship in the Mills College MFA Dance program in Oakland, CA. While dancing with the Mills Repertory Dance Company her performance in Molissa Fenley's, Water Courses, was recognized in the Voice of Dance online publication. "Molissa Fenley has been a choreographic mentor and an artist I admire greatly. I have learned so much from her about dance and art. I had the priveledge of working as an associate artist with her at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in February 2009. The dance I created with composer, Dave Chapaitis, for KSD was inspired by my experience of dancing and viewing multiple works by Molissa. Although our movement style is different, I have been influenced by her rhythmic complexity and spatial design and sensitivity," says Stevens. Following the completion of her M.F.A., Stevens began Oakland Dance Encounter, only to quickly discover a strong desire to return to her native city of Seattle to work as an artist.
Karin Stevens Dance has been a resident group at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center since the fall of 2008. "My choice to return to my native city and launch KSD was inspired by the collaborations I did with musicians in the Bay Area and a hope of finding in Seattle a community of artists in the various disciplines to work closely with in collaboration. My fortunate opportunity in finding a 'home' to build KSD at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center has also brought me into contact with other generous-spirited and talented artists who are committed as I am to working in collaboration," says Stevens of the other musicians and visual artist involved with the March dance concert. Mack Grout, Emily Ann Peterson, Craig VanDenBosch, and Dave Chapaitis all have personal affiliation with the Fremont Abbey as either teacher, staff or curator. Beki Wilson, local Fashion Designer, is not a stretch too far beyond the Abbey, as Stevens discovered her work at the local downtown Ballard clothing boutique, Velouria. "I love this city and my neighborhood of Fremont and Ballard even more than I did growing up here," says Stevens.
The March repertory will be danced by a group of core-company dancers; Morgan Houghton and Melanie Williams recent UW grads, Amy Daniel and Caprice Albowitt recent Cornish grads, and Maia Veague; and 3 project-based dancers. "I am pleased to be providing an opportunity for these talented young modern dancers. Their commitment and hardwork encourages me as I grow this company from the ground up. They often create time to rehearse beyond our normal hours together. It is beautiful to watch the dancers flourish as they experience the choreography and the company vision becoming reality," says Stevens of the group.
The dance concert will feature a live performance of the Bach 1st Cello Suite in G Major by cellist, Emily Ann Peterson; live performance of three original new works by the Mack Grout Jazz Trio; original music for a work-in-progress from a year long collaborative project with KSD by visual/sound artist, Craig van den Bosch; original music by electronic composer, Dave Chapaitis; and part 1 of a longer work to Arvo Part's renowned Tabula Rasa.
Karin Stevens Dance
March 19th and 20th
7:30pm
Fremont Abbey Arts Center
4272 Fremont Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103
Tickets can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets- www.brownpapertickets.com/event/100062
General- $15, Under 25: $12, Under 12: $7.
For more information about the Fremont Abbey Arts Center please visit www.fremontabbey.org.
About Karin Stevens Dance:
Karin Stevens returned to Seattle to launch KSD in 2008. The company is in residence and a beloved feature at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center. The company presents two dance concerts a year at the Fremont Abbey as well as multiple performances around the greater Seattle area. KSD often performs with live musical accompaniment and creates multiple new works with local musicians, composers, visual artists, and fashion designers. Upcoming collaborative performances include one with the Montana-based, Glacier Symphony and Chorale, in August 2010, during the Festival Amadeus in Whitefish, MT. For more information visit, www.karinstevensdance.com.
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Source: Karin Stevens Dance
For more information, interviews, or photographs, contact: Karin Stevens, 206.428.8042 or karinstevensdance@gmail.com