Multidisciplinary performance duo, slowdanger, fuse sound and movement through improvised contemporary and postmodern dance frameworks. We use found material, electronic instrumentation, vocalization, physiological centering, and ontological examination to produce performance works. The more we engage in this collaborative work, the more we recognize the manifestation of our work as a non-binary entity that is one body amassed of multiple bodies in space. We work with an engaged and deepened understanding of energy, synergy, action, gender, time, and storytelling. slowdanger is an organism that uses performance and collaboration as ritual practice to delve into circular life patterning such as effort, transformation, and death.
Our work has been featured in venues ranging from proscenium theater and gallery, to nightclub and dive bar. From directing music videos to scoring plays, we transform our shape to adapt to a variety of different containers.
slowdanger is one of Dance Magazine’s 2018 ‘25 to Watch’ and emerging choreographers for Springboard Danse Montreal 2018. They’re residencies and awards include The Opportunity Fund 2017, Heinz Endowments Small Arts Initiative 2016, Sidra Bell Dance New York’s MODULE Guest Artist in Residence 2018, PearlArt Studio’s Pearl Diving Movement Residency 2017, The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s F.I.N.E. Residency 2016, The New Hazlett Theater’s CSA Series 2016, City Theatre’s Belfry Artist Series 2016, and The Kelly-Strayhorn Theater’s FreshWorks Residency 2015. They have presented at the VIA festival, The Andy Warhol Museum, The Carnegie Museum of Art, theCURRENTSESSIONS, Hot Mass, The Pittsburgh Biennial, and BAAD!
Alongside our performance work, we cultivate our voice as educators and facilitators.Teaching allows us to observe the necessity of movement and non verbal communication methods to be made available to the public. We believe if a viewer has been given a personal movement experience, they will be more open and sensitive to noticing their kinesthetic reactions that happen naturally while viewing performance. We question how we can incentivize participants and audience members to invest deeper in themselves without establishing and enforcing the traditional hierarchical systems of dance performance traditions.
Anna/Taylor have created with Bill Shannon, Jasmine Hearn, Maree Remalia|merrygogo, Beth Corning, Mark C. Thompson, The Pillow Project|Pearlann Porter, Jil Stifel, Shantelle Courvoisier Jackson (s+vois), Annalee Traylor, Gia Cacalano, and MICHIYAYA Dance. Their work has been seen at the VIA festival, The Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art, Kahlon, theCURRENTSESSIONS, Honcho (PGH), The Pittsburgh Biennial, BAAD, Triskelion Arts, The New Hazlett Theater, and Kelly-Strayhorn Theater’s NewMoves Contemporary Dance Festival. They have facilitated workshops at Middlebury College, Point Park University, and Carnegie Mellon University. Anna and Taylor alongside David Bernabo are curators of Lightlab Performance Series, a platform for experimental performance in Pittsburgh (www.lightlabpgh.com). As sound designers and musicians slowdanger has created with Sidra Bell Dance New York, Colleen Hooper, Maree Remalia, the moon baby, Bill Shannon, La Squadra Records, MISC Records, and Hatch Arts Collective.
design by Sara Coffey Designs
photo credits: Audrey Gatewood; Ryan Micheal White; Nate Guidrey (last two)
