Friends,
Today is International Women’s Day. It is a day to celebrate gender equality and sexual difference. It is a day to consider the ways in which inequality is perpetuated, and to create strategies to make lasting changes.
While the fight for equality has changed over the years, stereotypes remain, and women and minorities still fight subjugation and violence daily. In the past several years, my artistic practice has surrounded the investigation of the status of women. In 2015, I dug deeply into this research at graduate school. I have just recently emerged with a Master of Fine Arts degree and two beautiful new solos for dancers Kristy Kennedy and Alana Elmer, Mirror Staging the Seeing Place and Modern Woman in Search of Soul. These pieces aim to reconfigure cultural representations that are embedded in the female body, and revise how we see and understand it. The company is gearing up to mount these works for shows June 6-9, 2018, at The Citadel in Toronto. We could really use your financial support to bring these works to the stage.
The technical components of each work are huge. Modern Woman will be streamed live, and incorporates an innovative, interactive design by Jacob Niedzwiecki. In addition to the live-streaming, both pieces are accompanied by original music scores played live on-stage. The mixing of media – sound, sight, light and interactive technology – requires 15 artists, designers and technicians to accomplish.
The total cost of the production comes to $56,000. We have received a substantial production grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. We will also receive a small performance fee from Citadel & Compagnie, and we will apply for travel funds to bring our team (who are spread out across North America) to Toronto.
We still need $20,000 to complete our budget to mount this exceptional double bill.
If you can make a donation to our project, it will go directly towards the fees of our collaborative team and the technical equipment required to bring our work to life. To make a donationdonation, see our indiegogo campaign. There you will find out more about the project, the perks you receive if you make a donation, and a sneak peak of one of the pieces.
The last time we produced a full-evening length work was in 2013. While I have been extremely active with my studies, teaching in universities and dance conservatories, and performing our rep across North America, the company has been largely dormant for the past few years. To be presented at The Citadel -a prominent venue in Toronto- is an important opportunity for the company at this time. It signals to the national milieu that the company is back in production mode, with a new profile, and beautifully crafted works that are ready to tour.
I thank you in advance for your consideration. From the centre of my heart to yours, Sasha.