Traditional stages are nice and all, but in the ever-unpredictable dance world, it's not uncommon for dancers to find themselves performing in pretty unusual places. Here's how six professionals make it work anywhere—from the mast of a ship to a giant beehive.
Tara O’Con, collaborating artist with Third Rail Projects
"In Third Rail's immersive-theater work The Grand Paradise, I performed in a human-sized fish tank. I remember thinking, This is not the career path I chose as a dancer—and yet, there I was in a bathing suit, swimming and holding my breath. The funny thing is I don't like water, and Tom Pearson, one of our artistic directors, knew that. Before the show was cast, I'd told him I really wanted to push myself artistically, so he chose to put me in the tank. I'm glad he had faith in me!
My character in the show was this all-knowing water siren. So not only did I need to learn how to hold my breath for a long time, I had to do it with this James Bond kind of effortless sexiness. I had to be a commanding creature who sees with her entire body, who sucks the audience in to her. Leading up to the show, I went to a pool a lot to practice that movement quality, but I didn't get to work in the actual tank until the day before opening night. I think there was something special about jumping in and experiencing it fresh. When you don't overthink it, your intuition takes over."
Andrea Yorita, dancer with BalletX
"BalletX does pop-up performances throughout Philadelphia. I loved dancing at the Great Stair Hall at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. They put down a stage for us, but we also performed on the stairs themselves. Because of the layout of the museum, there were people on the second floor leaning over the balcony to see us. I was hyperaware of the fact that people were watching me from all levels. Before that, I'd never really thought about trying to project to people above my head!
We also adapted repertoire to perform at the city's Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. They brought some of the kids out of their rooms to watch with their parents. Those who were too sick to leave their rooms were able to look down at us through their windows. We'd see these little faces and hands pressed against the windows as we performed.
When you're in a public space, there isn't that fourth wall, and you're able to connect with individual people on a more intimate level. I think these kinds of performances help us see the humanity behind the art form."
Joanna Haigood, artistic director of Zaccho Dance Theatre
"Actually, the craziest space I've ever performed in was my own studio—when it was transformed into an active beehive. Mark Thompson, an extraordinary visual artist who works with honeybees, helped create the environment after I was inspired by an abandoned hive. Bees communicate through dance, and I imagined all this elaborate, fast-paced movement. But the finished space was ultimately filled with thousands of bees, and I realized I had to move very slowly. It required this deep focus, in a way that was almost meditative. That's the wonderful thing about performing in unique environments—it inspires a different way of responding with your body. In the end, it wasn't scary at all. It was magical."
Ryan-Walker Page, dancer with Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre
"We did a piece in collaboration with the L.A. Opera that was set on two vintage ships docked at a port by the beach. The choreography also involved the ship riggers and captains, which meant that all the dancers became literate in ship safety protocol. Even with a harness, it was pretty high-stakes to be climbing up the mast of a boat! It was such a team effort, and it offered a unique transfer of responsibilities between the crew and the dancers.
One of the most difficult aspects was considering my body in context. In the relatively blank space of a stage, the body is naturally highlighted. But in site-specific work, it can be overwhelmed by the complexities of the environment. You have to finesse ways to stand out.
The unpredictability of performing in nature is such an easy way to feel inspired. To be at the edge of exhaustion during a performance and to then see a family of dolphins swimming by leaves you in awe."
Heather Bryce, artistic director of Bryce Dance Company
"While doing research for my MFA, I stumbled on Wrightsville Reservoir, a historical site near Middlesex, VT. It was constructed in the 1930s in response to the devastating 1927 flood. These days, it's mostly a recreational spot, and much of its history has been forgotten. I got the idea to create a site-specific work that would bring that history back to life, and I connected with the town historical society and reservoir board to make it happen.
Lonesome Bend, the resulting piece, required a lot of flexibility logistically. We knew the site featured a hill, so we practiced moving on an incline. But there were other challenges we didn't anticipate, such as navigating our way around the beach, which was dotted with visitors and even small fires. Ultimately, the unpredictability of it all really added to the magic."
Cecily Campbell, dancer with Trisha Brown Dance Company
"In 2017, we danced Trisha Brown's Roof Piece at New York University's Abu Dhabi campus. The piece was originally performed in 1971 on various rooftops in SoHo, which were all very close together. But in Abu Dhabi, everything was more spread out, which felt very different.
The piece is completely improvised, kind of like a game of telephone, as we all try to copy one another's movements. There were about nine or 10 of us across the campus' rooftops. My spot was on the terrace outside of a professor's apartment. To get to the terrace, I had to knock on his door and walk through his bedroom. He would be there hanging out with his two little kids, who would sometimes stay by the door to the terrace and dance with me a little.
It was a unique juxtaposition. I felt far away from the other dancers, but in an exciting and odd way. And then having this intimate experience of being in someone's home—the contrast was so wonderful."
A version of this story appeared in the November 2018 issue of Dance Spirit with the title "The Craziest Place I've Ever Danced."