The Jack Crystal Theater
111 Second Avenue, New York, New York, 10003, Fifth Floor
7:30pm performance (running time 1 hour)
8:30-9:00pm Q&A with the artists
9:00-10:00pm mingle with artists in Studio I
PROGRAM INFO
Introduction by Sue Kim and Seán Curran, WADE Board Members
Title: Variations On a Theme
Company: Chowk Productions
Choreographer: Raka Maitra
Music: Safuan Johari
Costume design: Turn Black
Performers: Anushka Ghosh, Raka Maitra, Tan Wei Ying
Program note: The term 'variation' in western music refers to a theme that is introduced and elaborated upon with alterations evolving from the first statement. In this work , the vocabulary developed from Classical Odissi, is approached in a similar fashion.
Pause
Title: 초희|Chohui
Choreographer: Dahyun Kim
Music: "Sound of the East" by Sinnoi, "Jajinary" by Chu Da Hye, "Dropped Soul" by Murcof, "Sky, Wind, Star, and Poem" by Geomungo Factory, "Feminication" by Soohyun Moon, "Minyo Melody" by Michael Choi, "Winds of Change by Michael Choi, "Unity" by Sinnoi, and "Let's go go!" by Ak Dan Gwang Chil edited by choreographer
Costumes: provided by choreographer and altered by Maya Lam
Performers: Dahyun Kim, Guangmin Shen, Hiroka Mori Nagai, Maya Lam, Shizu Higa, Yurie Ono
Program note: Exploring the remarkable life of 초희, also known as 허난설헌 (Heo Nanseolheon), a boundary-defying artist whose brilliance spanned poetry, painting, prose, and music—talents that were ahead of her time. Born into a society that stifled female artistry, she transcended the limitations placed on her gender, gaining admiration across Japan and China. However, her personal life was marked by profound sorrow: enduring the loss of loved ones, isolation from her family, and mistreatment from her in-laws. Despite her short 27 years, she produced over 300 pieces, including poems, novels, and stories, which served as both creative expression and emotional refuge. Tragically, her final wish was to set her works aflame, yearning for her artistry to be liberated from the anguish of her life experiences. This piece reimagines her creative journey, inviting us to envision how her art might have been had she been free to create out of curiosity, not survival.
Q&A with the choreographers led by Phoebe Fletcher, NYU Artists in Action
Mingle with the artists in Studio I
(4th floor)
Support these artists.
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CHOREOGRAPHERS AND WORK DESCRIPTIONS:
Raka Maitra
Chowk Productions | Singapore
Raka Maitra (she/her) is a dancer and choreographer who defies the conventional dichotomy of 'classical' and 'contemporary'. She is a dancer simpliciter; exploring through her work the notion of 'Asian Culture' through her own language of contemporary dance. The basis of her movement is both the martial arts and classical Indian dance. Trained in both classical Odissi and Chhaua, Raka was an associate artist with The Substation, from 2007-2011 and co-artistic director from 2020-2021. Maitra founded Chowk Productions in 2014 after being awarded the Seed Grant by the National Arts Council.
Work description: "Variation on a Theme" The term ‘variation’ in Western music refers to a theme that is introduced and elaborated upon with alterations evolving from the first statement. In this work, the classical Odissi vocabulary is approached in a similar fashion to how a Western classical music composer would when elaborating on a main theme, drawing inspiration from the rich vocabulary of classical Odissi dance to empower the individual dancer to depart from the traditional norms and structures. The result is a celebration of the joys of pure dance and its dynamic interplay between music and movement where elements interact and evolve in tangent to one another, creating a captivating visual and auditory experience.
This work poses an important question about our understanding and applications of traditional dance in a modern context: namely, how does a dancer discover agency within a traditional form by immersing themselves to become empowered as an individual? The emphasis on variations mirrors the historical roots and transformation of Odissi, challenging established norms of the female dancer’s body and prompting critical reflections on its development. Variations of a Theme becomes a celebration of the body, allowing each dancer to assert agency and ownership over the Odissi dance form; pushing boundaries within a feminist context of empowerment towards a renewed understanding of this unique art form.
Running time: 35 minutes
Dahyun Kim
Republic of Korea
Dahyun Kim (she/they), pronounced [Da-hyeon Khim] is a dancer, choreographer, and educator from Seoul, Republic of Korea. She has recently received her M.F.A. in Dance at Tisch School of the Arts and M.A. in Dance Education at Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Dahyun is deeply passionate about creating a culturally responsive and research based practice. In reflection of such nature, her artistry is attuned to her gaze of the current world. She has been cultivating a series of pieces dedicated to sharing with the world the nuanced beauties that lie in Korean culture and art forms as can be seen in “흥|Joy”(2021), “수심가|Depth of Water”(2023), and “일엽편주|Paper Boat”(2023).
Work description: 허난설헌 is a Korean female poet, painter, musician, and artist known for her extraordinary talent that was ahead of her time. However, she is more well known for the unfortunate fate she had- her in-laws infamously bullied her through her lifetime due to her talent exceeding that of her husband’s. Her works later in life reflected this environment she was placed in, a layer of sorrow being embedded in her paintings and poems. This piece is a reimagination of how her creative process would have been, had she physically and mentally been freed from such an environment.
Running time: 25 minutes
UPCOMING PERFORMANCE
UPCOMING PERFORMANCE
Pride Residency and Performance
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗛𝗨𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗟
The Tank, NYC
December 10, 2024 at 7:00PM
In WADE’s second collaboration with the International Human Rights Art Festival, we are proud to present the works of our Pride Residency 2024 artists:
WAITING/POINTING by Gesture Theater
Pools by John Trunfio
Fragility Cycle by Donald Lee
Do You Still Believe? by Noel Olson
WADE Team
Giada Matteini | Founder, Artistic and Executive Director
Giada Matteini (she/they) is an Italian performer, educator, choreographer, and cultural producer based in New York City. She is the Founder and Director of WADE (Wandering Avian Dance Experience), a women-led multifaceted performing arts organization working at the intersection with social justice. Giada holds a full time position as Assistant Arts Professor at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, she is part of their leadership team and directs both their summer program and their musicians for dance.
Corinne Hart | Founding Member, Director of Operations
Corinne Hart (she/her) received her BFA in Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where she performed works by Stefanie Batten Bland, Ori Flomin, and Cherylyn Lavagnino. Upon graduating, she joined Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance full time, as well as DiLorenzo & Co., WADEensemble, and the RIOULT Dance NY Repertoire Group. Ms. Hart continues to have a diverse performance career including performing in the Florence Dance Festival in Italy and at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, among various venues around NYC and upstate NY.
Rachel Ha-Eun Lee | Outreach and Marketing Director
Rachel Ha-Eun Lee (she/her) graduated from New York University with a B.F.A. in dance and a minor in journalism. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Rachel attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She is a freelance artist in New York City, having performed in many different projects, festivals, and workshops. She has worked with Mark Morris, Chuck Wilt, Banning Bouldin, Patricia Hoffbauer, Shamel Pitts, Mike Esperanza, and more. In 2018, Rachel was in the off-Broadway production of Oklahoma!, choreographed by John Heginbotham. Outside of dance, Rachel photographs, illustrates, and writes.
Dahyun Kim | Public Relations and Research Director
Dahyun Kim, pronounced [Da-hyeon Khim] is a dancer, choreographer, and educator from Seoul, South Korea. She has recently received her M.F.A. in Dance at Tisch School of the Arts and M.A. in Dance Education at Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Dahyun is deeply passionate about creating a culturally responsive and research based practice. Her artistry recently has been focused on understanding her cultural identity, and sharing with the world the nuanced beauties that lie in Korean art forms. This can be seen in her works such as ‘흥 | Joy’ premiered in Queensboro Dance Festival 2022, ‘수심가 | Depth of Water’ premiered in Tisch Masters Concert 2023, and ’일엽편주 | Paper Boat‘. A versatile mover, Dahyun has performed in choreographies by Ronald K. Brown, Jesse Obremski, Kaya Wolsey, Deborah Damast, Austin J Eyer, Michele Dunleavy, Esl Kim, Yunjung Jang, Rafael Cañals, David Cartahena Lee, and more. She is currently a company member with Gotham Dance Theatre, and she works as a freelancer based in NYC. Dahyun is a deep believer that dance is for everyone, and they wish to live as living proof of this statement.
Natasha Rotondaro | Lighting Designer and Stage Manager
Natasha Marie Rotondaro is a Canadian-born international lighting designer, currently based out of New York City. She uses light to build new worlds and tell stories within them. She loves collaboration, and explores light through theatre, dance, and other art forms where light can shape space. Natasha received her MFA in Design from the NYU Tisch Design for Stage and Film program. Portfolio: www.natasharotondaro.com Instagram/TikTok: @natashagetslit
Chiara Pretelli | Assistant Stage Manager
Chiara Pretelli, an Italian native, has been studying dance since childhood and graduated from MAS (Music, Art and Show) in Milan with a degree in dance and education. She is now teaching ballet and modern to children and adults. Chiara has attended Dance HUB Italy many times, the first time when she was 14 years old and today serves as WADE’s Site Director, Italy.
Alisha Kathwani | Sound Crew/Runner
Alisha Khatwani (she/her) is a dynamic dancer and digital artist. After relocating to New York in 2021 to pursue her dreams at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Alisha earned her BFA in Dance with a minor in Digital Art and Design. Her training under prestigious artists from companies such as Gallim Dance Co., AIM by Kyle Abraham, and Limón has shaped her into an expressive artist. Alisha's artistic evolution extends beyond dance; she also thrives as a digital artist, exploring avenues in graphic design, photography, and video projects. Her experiences studying abroad in Berlin with the B12 dance program and performing at renowned festivals, like Battery Dance, at NYU Tisch Graduation at Radio City Music Hall, and in the Eden Gardens, have broadened her artistic horizons. As Alisha continues to blend her passions in dance and digital art, with great emphasis on connection and expression through art.
John Eng | Photographer
John Eng (he/him) is a freelance photographer who is based in the NYC metro area. His clientele includes a diverse portfolio of organizations and dance companies and his award-winning work has been featured in online and print publications. John’s passion for photography comes from the desire to capture fleeting moments in time with lasting images that evoke emotion.
Matteo Ferrone | Videographer
Matteo Ferrone, a native New Yorker, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology at City College of New York to focus on a career in healthcare. This past summer he worked his first job in the field as an occupational therapist assistant at the Methodist Home for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Riverdale. A competitive ice hockey and soccer player, he grew up surrounded by dancers who have influenced his understanding of a healthy mind-healthy body connection and of a deep commitment to one's craft. He has served as WADE's production assistant and videographer since 2021 working both in Italy and in New York and has been present at every Dance HUB Italy since its inception in 2010 at the tender age of six.
Aidan Welling | Videographer
Saida Matteini | Front of House
Celeste Goldes, Haley Mitchell | Box Office Managers