Don’t Miss Dendy’s Dystopian Distractions!

Dystopian Distractions! rehearsal, photo by David Bazemore, courtesy Lobero Theatre

Dystopian Distractions! rehearsal, photo by David Bazemore, courtesy Lobero Theatre

I was fortunate enough to attend a “Friday Club” rehearsal of DANCEworks‘ guest resident choreographer Mark Dendy‘s new work Dystopian Distractions! (This job certainly has some perks …!) A powerful and extremely ambitious new work, Dendy describes it as “a black comedic deconstruction of the American war machine as conceived by an artists interested in exploring our relationship with war through the lens of pop culture.”

The pieces I saw in rehearsal explored not only issues of war and power struggles, but also had a strong environmental message, which is fitting given that the world premiere production falls the same week as Earth Day.

Dystopian Distractions! rehearsal, photo by David Bazemore, courtesy Lobero Theatre

Dystopian Distractions! rehearsal, photo by David Bazemore, courtesy Lobero Theatre

DANCEworks is a collaboration between SUMMERDANCE Santa Barbara and the Lobero Theatre Foundation designed to offer notable choreographers a month-long residency in which to create, rehearse and premiere a brand new work on the Lobero stage. This partnership puts Santa Barbara on the map as a community that supports the creation of new choreography in a significant way. DANCEworks is gaining broad recognition within the world of contemporary dance and has already contributed to the careers of groundbreaking choreographers Aszure Barton, Larry Keigwin, Doug Elkins and Brian Brooks.

 

Dystopian Distractions! rehearsal, photo by David Bazemore, courtesy Lobero Theatre

Dystopian Distractions! rehearsal, photo by David Bazemore, courtesy Lobero Theatre

Dystopian Distractions! premieres this Saturday night, April 26, at 8 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre. Tickets are available now at the Lobero Box Office, 805/963-0761. The theater is located at 33 E. Canon Perdido St.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on April 22, 2014.

 

DANCEworks welcomes choreographer Mark Dendy

Choreographer Mark Dendy is DANCEworks2014  artist in residency this  year.

Choreographer Mark Dendy is DANCEworks2014 artist in residency this year.

Provocative New York choreographer Mark Dendy began his creative residency onstage at the Lobero Theatre this week.

While in residence, he will create and premiere a new work, Dystopian Distractions!, a black comedic deconstruction of the American war machine, seen through the lens of pop culture. Audiences can expect a searing social commentary sending up many American notables from Elvis Presley, Honey Boo Boo to Donald Rumsfeld, and more. The premiere of the fearless and insightful new work, created during the 2014 DANCEworks Residency, will be on Saturday, April 26 at the Lobero Theatre.

(Organizers advice that “Dystopian Distractions! expresses an anti-war sentiment in an irreverent fashion. There is a possibility that the work may include mild sexual references or suggestive content. Parental discretion is advised for younger audience members.”)

DANCEworks is a collaboration between SUMMERDANCE Santa Barbara and the Lobero Theatre Foundation designed to offer notable choreographers a month-long residency in which to create, rehearse and premiere a brand new work on the Lobero stage. This innovative partnership puts Santa Barbara on the map as a community that supports the creation of new choreography in a significant way. DANCEworks is gaining broad recognition within the world of contemporary dance and has already contributed to the careers of groundbreaking choreographers Aszure Barton, Larry Keigwin, Doug Elkins and Brian Brooks.

Mark-Dendy, photo by Monica-Barco.

Mark-Dendy, photo by Monica-Barco.

In addition to the onstage residency March 31 – April 26, on April 4, April 11 and April 18 is a new opportunity this year  to go behind the scenes with Dendy and the company each Friday of their residency by joining the Friday Club. One tax-deductible contribution of $50 to DANCEworks gets you and a guest into three rehearsals, each followed by an intimate reception with light refreshments. The Friday Club is only available to DANCEworks donors—a rare opportunity to watch one of our country’s finest choreographers create a daring new work. Contributions can be made at SBDANCEworks.com/donate.

Also on tap is an April 7 Masterclass with Mark Dendy co-presented by Santa Barbara Dance Alliance, and of course, the world premiere of Dystopian Distractions! at the Lobero Theatre on April 26.

Tickets for Dystopian Distractions! are available now at the Lobero Box Office, 805/963.0761. The theater is located at 33 E. Canon Perdido St.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on April 2, 2014.