all things discarded: an indwelling

Every few years I create a large multimedia performance experience framed inside a residency. The backbone of the work revolves around finding unusual spaces to gather and/or create an installation in. I collaborate with visual artists and local volunteers from all walks of life to flesh out the production. A dance performance happens within the site specific installation, with the audience led or allowed to wander, depending on how I direct. All of this occurs inside a residency that includes free classes to the public, free group tea where the challenging subjects of the project are discussed, outreach to organizations that serve children, connection to local nonprofits that tie into the work, as well as the immersive rehearsal process with local/international movement artists.

I am currently continuing my research and development of an upcoming immersive performance event, “all things discarded: an indwelling”, which will weave site-specific Dance, screenings of Dance for Film and installations that curate learning experiences. “all things discarded: an indwelling” will be choreographed in collaboration with local dancers, performed within residencies that invite audience participation, and tour in NC and VA. This project investigates the legacy of structural white supremacy and its current effects in the USA. Dancers will embody “The Hidden Wound”, as Wendell Berry writes about; connecting invisible trauma from the formation of this country with the root of our society’s addictions, and dysfunctional and destructive life-ways. This work ties seemingly disparate subjects such as chattel slavery and native genocide to environmental racism and the opiate epidemic, through the lens of dance.

The seven chapter dance for film: the owl of minerva arrives only at dusk is part of this endeavor, as well as a stand alone film. It is currently in the final phase of editing and will be viewable in the spring.

here is a copy of the program for the thesis performance in June 2019 at Hollins University:

Thesis Performance V
Mobile Tour
A site-specific performance presentation
At Hollins MFA Dance July 6, 2019
8:00pm: VAC Sculpture Studio

all things discarded:an indwelling
-a three chambered experience involving live performance, film and radical care inside an environment created by Instant Installation Choreography (I.I.C.).

director: zap:::mcconnell

live performance:

co-created/choreographed by:
Cinthia Pérez Navarro, Opal Lechmanski, Demetrius Burns, Liz Simmons,Taryn Griggs, Chris Yon, Beatrix Yon, Ali Cheff, Mikeala Deihgan, Gabriela Bosquenegro, zap

With additional artists: Sean Nguyen-Hilton, Erica Gionfriddo, Taylor Schmuelgen, Eliot Fisher

Consult: Sean Nguyen-Hilton

sound design by zap:::mcconnell

Art direction: CrystalClaw (Liz Simmons and zap:::mcconnell)

Tea:
Mikeala Deihgan, who is practicing Japanese Tea Ceremony, is a graduate of the Midorikai program at Urasenke Gakuen, Kyoto. Ali Cheff is performing a hybrid gung-fu style based from The Twisted Tea House tea slingers.

Concept of 1000 cups: Daniel Overstreet

Tea cups made by Mikaela Deighan, fired in the kiln of Masahiro Nagakui.

Special Thanks:

to mentor Martha Mendenhall, crucial to all parts

to the cast who joyously unknotted this many threaded weaving and joyously created a tapestries

to those who came before, the Tuetlo and Africans, whose forces are still felt

to my cohort: Brynne, Sean, Penny, Jennifer, Kara, Erica, Elizabeth, Helen

film:
the owl of Minerva arrives only at dusk:
a dance for film in seven chapters

director/producer: zap mcconnell

filmed by:
Gabriela Bosquenegro, Liz Simmons, Matteus Frankovich /Skyclad Aerial, Corbett Smithson,

special assistance: Samb Hicks, Chip Staples, Karl Pfefferkorn

edited by:
Gabriela Bosquenegro, Marco Duran, zap mcconnell

photographed by:
Liz Simmons, Gabriela Bosquenegro, Will May, Will Kerner, Corbett Smithson

all installations at CABIN created by CrystalClaw (Liz Simmons and zap mcconnell)

special assistance :

Tessa Eve Everton (Night & Day Design), Matteson Haglund

music:
Amy Fitzgerald (Damiyana), Jared Draughon, Paola de la Conche (Suculima), Blakeney Bullock
—all recorded improvised sessions based on the content of the material. These sessions they generously allowed zap mcconnell and Gabriela Bosquenegro to edit.

this is a hugely collaborative process, in all ways.

BOOTS TRAP:

edited by:
Gabriela Bosquenegro

musicians:
Amy Fitzgerald (Damiyana), Blakeney Bullock

co-created/performed by:
Cinthia Pérez Navarro, Jennifer Tweel Kelly

THE LOSS OF INNOCENCE:

edited by:
Gabriela Bosquenegro

musicians:
Amy Fitzgerald (Damiyana), Blakeney Bullock

costumes by:
miss lizziepants

co-created/performed by:
Cinthia Pérez Navarro, Opal Lechmanski, Demetrius Burns

THE STICK HUT OF GIRL PROBLEMS:

edited by:
zap mcconnell

stick hut:
CrystalClaw

musicians:
Amy Fitzgerald (Damiyana), Blakeney Bullock, Jared Draughon

all movers volunteered to be in a timed, three minute authentic performative ritual in response to #metoo

movers:
Jessie Laurita-Spanglet, Jennifer Tweel Kelly, Liz Simmons, Gabriela Bosquenegro, Cara Hagan, Opal Lechmanski, Demetrius Burns, Blakeney Bullock, Caitlyn Swett, Cinthia Pérez Navarro, Julie Rothschild, Heather Hutton, Lisa Eller, Katharine Birdsall, Rahimah von Brieson, Katie Schetlick, Tevyn East, Paola de la Conche, Janice Lancaster

THE CLOAK OF WHITENESS:

edited by:
Gabriela Bosquenegro

co-created/performed by:
Cinthia Pérez Navarro, Paola de la Concha, Liz Simmons, Katharine Birdsall, Julie Rothschild, Caitlyn Swett, Cara Hagan, Demetrius Burns, Opal Lechmanski, Jennifer Tweel Kelly, Blakeney Bullock, Jessie Laurita-Spanglet, Janice Lancaster


LEGACY:

edited by:
Marco Duran

musicians:
Jared Draughon, Blakeney Bullock

co-created/performed by:
Jennifer Stone, Julie Rothschild, Janice Lancaster, Caitlyn Swett, Katharine Birdsall, Jennifer Tweel Kelly, Demetrius Burns, Katie Schetlick, Lydia von Brieson, Rahimah von Brieson, Paola de la Concha, Jessie Laurita-Spanglet, Blakeney Bullock, Cara Hagan, Katharine Birdsall, Opal Lechmanski, Heather Hutton, Jodie Plaisance, Tevyn East, Lisa Eller, Opal Lechmanski


THE LIGHT AT THE END OF TUNNEL:

edited by:
Gabriela Bosquenegro

musicians:
Amy Fitzgerald (Damiyana), Jared Draughon, Blakeney Bullock

special choreography by: Taryn Griggs and Chris Yon

co-created/performed by:
Liz Simmons, Cara Hagan, Janice Lancaster, Caitlyn Swett, Jennifer Tweel Kelly, Demetrius Burns, Blakeney Bullock, zap mcconnell

GRASSROOTS:

edited by:
Gabriela Bosquenegro

musicians:
Jared Draughon, Paola de la Concha

co-created/performed by:
Paola de la Concha, Cinthia Pérez Navarro, Jodie Plaisance, Jennifer Hoyt Tidwell, Tevyn East, Jennifer Stone, Julie Rothschild, Cara Hagan, Janice Lancaster, Caitlyn Swett, Lisa Eller, Jennifer Tweel Kelly, Demetrius Burns, Katie Schetlick, Opal Lechmanski, Rahimah von Brieson, Lydia von Brieson, Blakeney Bullock, Heather Hutton,Lea Marshall, Katharine Birdsall

filmed on location at CABIN (Pittsboro, NC), Winston-Salem, NC, Hunting Ridge and Charlottesville, VA.

an @hand production, in association with chicken bank collective, miss lizziepants, BosgueNegro. introducing CrystalClaw, red curtain productions. a dream of zen monkey project.

Supported by:
The Market Street Wine Shop, Sundog Builders, CABIN, Hunting Ridge, chicken bank collective, Skyclad Aerial, Corbett Smithson Photography, Will May Photography, Drew Gerstmyer, The Twisted Branch Tea House, Chad Haddix, Mary Haglund, Betty McConnell, Chuck McConnell, and the Cville Community.

Special Thanks to:
Chad Haddix, Katharine Birdsall, Karl Pfefferkorn, Eva Pfefferkorn, Sian Richards, Mark Perry, Lunday and Fred Riggsbee