Friday, Feb. 19, is the last chance to register for the return of “Figures of Speech,” a presentation of new dance works inspired by literature, by the Nancy Evans Dance Theatre (NEDT) in Pasadena, which is set to begin on Saturday, Feb. 20.
“Figures of Speech” was born of a prompt from NEDT Artistic Director Nancy Evans Doede who challenged company members to create new material that would mix text and dance without speaking out loud. Each member was asked to choose a line from a book or play, or a stanza from a poem and use it as an inspiration for any or all aspects of their work.
Originally planned as a live performance in April 2020, the choreography has been reworked for film but keeps the original literary inspirations from works by women that were chosen in honor of the 1920 ratification of the 19th amendment.
From Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” to Ottessa Moshfegh’s “My Year of Rest and Relaxation,” the inspirations for these world premiere solos are as varied as the personalities who created them. Other prompts include “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, “What Not: A Prophetic Comedy” by Rose Macaulay, and “Hope for the Flowers” by Trina Paulus.
Doede leads the featured artists in the presentation; the other performers in the company are Jenn Logan, Jen Hunter, Noel Dilworth and Ashleigh Doede.
NEDT was established as a modern-based company in Pasadena in 2009. It has since produced “Works 2010-2017” and “Friends/Family/Dance/Festival 2011-2015.5.”
NEDT has also performed in various festivals, including the fourth to the seventh Annual Pasadena Dance Festivals, TriArt Festival, MixMatch, Awakenings & Beginnings, ArtNight Pasadena, AdaptFest, ArtBark International’s Show and Tell Series, and SpectorDance Choreographer’s Showcase.
NEDT has been a guest company at Moorpark College’s Motion Flux concert and Jacksonville Dance Theatre.
“What we do is infused with what moves us as individual artists,” Nandy Evans Doede writes about the company’s purpose. “It is my pleasure and my privilege to be able to provide a safe environment for dancers to ask questions with all they have to bring to the table – their bodies, their hearts, their convictions, and their souls. Art is a living thing, created by those who discover it. I am inspired every day by what these dancers bring with them.”
Saturday’s online premiere of “Figures of Speech” is at 4 p.m., with ticket holders enjoying extended viewing access through Saturday, Feb. 27. A live Q&A will be held via Zoom at 4 p.m. Feb. 27.
Tickets must be reserved by Friday, Feb. 19. Upon reservation, password-protected links will be emailed to ticket holders for viewing access and the live Q&A.
To reserve your spot, visit www.nancyevansdancetheatre.com/events. Cost per household is $25.
