HAMILTON— Rising from the ashes and emerging with new pieces inspired by the visual and musical arts is Phoenix Project Dance. Norwich's local dance company –who is celebrating its 10 year anniversary– is hosting its annual performance in Hamilton this weekend.
The company is celebrating its anniversary by performing four new pieces, along with two favorites, at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21 and Sat., Nov. 22 at the Palace Theater located at 19 Utica St. in Hamilton.
“It has become a holiday tradition to do the performance around Thanksgiving. Our company is like a family,” said executive director and choreographer, Mikey Perkins. “The venue is amazing; it almost makes you feel like you are part of the show.”
Phoenix Project Dance is named after the reborn firebird, because re-invention is the driving force behind its artistic vision. In line with that vision, the company created a piece titled Pollock, inspired by the life of expressionist artist, Jackson Pollock.
“It is based on the movie about his life, mixing the art of dance with the creation of a masterpiece,” said Perkins. “It's about how he created his own art inspired by his life experiences.”
The piece uses paint mixed especially for the company by Golden Artist Color and is set to the music from the movie Pollack. Pollack's abstract, colorful splatter paintings from the 50's were the inspiration for the choreography. Travis St. Denny of Norwich and Christina Jensen of New Berlin perform the visually artistic duet.
“Dancing the role of Jackson Pollock is unlike anything I have experienced before in my life, completely submersing myself into the art and the act of painting,” said St. Denny. “It blurs my own thoughts and awareness of any audience.”
Not only did the company use the visual arts as inspiration, they used the original music of Norwich orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Anthony D. Cicoria to create an additional new piece. Cicoria's musical composition titled “Lightning Sonata” is a song about his personal experience of being struck by lightening.
Cicoria was 42 years old when he was struck by lightening near Albany, NY in 1994. He was standing next to a public telephone when the lightening hit. He had just hung up the phone and remembers his entire body being covered in a “bluish-white light.” Cicoria's heart stopped, but a woman resuscitated him.
“He is a talented local composer, and his story is incredible,” said Perkins. “You can see why we used it in our piece.”
Perkins said they performed most of the show in Ottawa, Canada two weeks ago and it was a great success. He said the Hamilton show is their homecoming.
“It's a really complex and passion show, very athletic,” said Perkins. “We really connected with our audience; they got it.”
After the show in Hamilton, Nina's Italian Grill in Sherburne is staying open late on Friday to serve people and host a meet the dancers event. The whole company will be there to meet the community. The Colgate Inn in Hamilton will be hosting the same type of event after the show on Saturday.
As an artist, you create art for yourself based on where you are in you're life, but when an audience responds and understands it, it makes it all the more meaningful,” said Perkins.
To buy tickets and for more information, visit phoenixprojectdance.com.