What we, of Coastline Dance, will present to you is but a glimpse into the vision of an upcoming dance film. You will meet the three Fates. The Fates wove the beginning of this great earth and all events that have since passed. In the beautiful dark fabric of life, there is a reoccurring cycle of birth, death and birth again. It is in the seasons of each year, as it is in the passing of earth’s time. The seasons will come and the seasons will go, as they always have. Each bringing changes to all creatures on this earth and under the stars. And there will come a time when the earth will enter its season of winter. A time of death and reflection, of cleansing and recharging. A time when all things are bared to there core. But out of this slumber will come spring, a reawakening. Slowly, cautiously, life stirs. Creatures emerge into a new world. What has survived must be rediscovered. In this quiet time the possibilities seem boundless. It is the earths inhale before life begins anew. This is a time the Fates know well…but as for us, we are left to wonder and search for what lies beyond.
Coastline Dance presents Solstice, a collection of winter dances.
After a year of endless work, Coastline Dance presents its very first evening length dance show. The collection of dance pieces performed in “Solstice”, all have a uniting theme of darkness. The winter solstice occurs on the longest night of the year in the darkest season. This dance show is to be performed on this night. The first dance piece performed, Sagittarius, is inspired by the zodiac sign that falls on winter solstice. The second dance piece, Beyond, is inspired by the mythological three fates and the dark fabric of life that they weave until the end of time. The third dance piece, Lightnest, is inspired by a study done on a black bird. The forth and final dance piece, Tempest, is inspired by Shakespeare’s last play “The Tempest”, where a dark storm out in the ocean creates a shipwreck…. For more details on the performance, go to EVENTS.
“Tempest”, an original contemporary dance piece, was inspired by Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”. The dance follows the character Miranda as she explores her relationship with the ocean and the mysterious island she calls home. “Tempest” opens with a tableau mirroring the painting “Miranda and the Tempest”, by pre-raphaelite artist John William Waterhouse. The tableau breaks and Miranda, choreographer/dancer Sarah Canfield, begins her solo. She is joined by “The Sea”, company members Ivanna Wei and Mary Haynes, who mimic the movements of the ocean. Original music, composed and performed by Suzanne Schwetz and Laura Hughes, create an ethereal, dreamlike atmosphere.
This 20 minute dance piece is a celebration of the delicate beauty of life and the powerful struggle for survival in the face of adversity. Sarah Canfield, artistic director of Coastline Dance, would like to dedicate this piece to her grandmother, whose life was sadly cut short by breast cancer. Sarah would also like to dedicate this piece to the wonderful women in her Encore swim class. These women are cancer survivors and have truly inspired her with their stories and their hope.
“The object of art is to give life a shape.” – William Shakespeare
“Illumination” is a section from a lager work titled “Tempest”.
The dance film begins in a tableau that mirrors the figure of Psyche in the John William Waterhouse pre-raphaelite painting, “Psyche’s Golden Box”. The inspiration behind “Illumination” is a combination of the Greek mythologies Psyche and Cupid, and Pandora’s box. In both stories Psyche and Pandora defied authoritarian counsel and let their curiosities prevail. Both unlatched their boxes and expose the world to different evils. In Psyche’s story, it is Cupid that rescues her from the magic she unleashed. In Pandora’s story, it is HOPE that arrives to deliver the world from the afflictions released. The dance film reflects on the two basic themes of hope and love, and how both themes create illumination.
“Miranda” is the opening section of a lager work titled “Tempest”.
The inspiration for “Miranda” comes from a Waterhouse painting entitled “Miranda and The Tempest”. As the lights fade up, we find a dancer in a tableau that mirrors Miranda from the painting. As if the painting has come to life, the dancer begins to tell an expressive story through movement. The sound of the ocean waves in the back ground set the ambiance for the piece. This original work of art is choreographed and preformed by Sarah Canfield. Original music composed & performed live by Suzanne Schwetz.
My husband and I used to rent a piece of Manhattan sky. We lived on the 4th floor in a 4 story walk up on 105th street. Our little studio had 2 windows, one that looked out onto an air shaft and the other, a priceless view in Manhattan. This window had it all. It looked out onto a beautiful tree that was green for most of the year. It let in a cool wind during the summer, and warm rays of sunlight throughout the winter. Some days I would just sit for hours looking out our window. One night during our last cold winter in New York, I went to look out our window and found a black bird perched on the bare branches of the tree outside. This bird enchanted me. The bird stayed perched for three days. On the fourth day when I looked out my window, the bird was gone. Soon after this night, my husband and I left New York, just as the bird had from our window. “Lightnest” is a dance solo I created inspired by this experience.
