HOLDTIGHT premieres site specific dance about navigating eco-psychology.
September 9 - October 2 at the cell theatre
Experimental dance theater company HOLDTIGHT will present the World Premiere of when the blossom passes, what remains? beginning September 9th at Nancy Manocherian’s the cell theatre.
when the blossom passes, what remains? is HOLDTIGHT’s latest site-specific work asking the audience to reconsider how humans can better live in holistic balance with the earth by tuning in and tending to our own and collective bodies. Combining embodied movement, music, personal storytelling, audience engagement, and sustainable scenography, this work asks audience and performers alike to use the container of the show to practice reciprocity. Through psychological, ecological, somatic, and artistic research, this work explores how our connection to our own bodies -- in the physical, emotional, and spiritual senses -- mirrors our connection to the earth. Participatory and intimate, this work delves into how care, collective grief, listening, and healing come into play when we are navigating eco-psychology.
All aspects of this work's production are as intentionally sourced, utilized, and recycled as possible, to ensure that the lifecycle of this project is continuous and thoughtful.
when the blossom passes, what remains? is composed of three dancers/actors, two composers, a scenographer, and a lighting designer. Collaborators include Gwendolyn Gussman, Anna Driftmier, Nico Gonzales, Odinn Orn Hilmarsson, Jett Kwong, Xenia Mansour, and Alex Taylor.
Gwendolyn Gussman’s work has been presented by National Sawdust, James Madison University, Seaside Dance Festival, Denver School of the Arts, Nimbus DanceWorks Offline Series, YourMove Festival, and more. In addition, she has been a guest teacher at Yale University, Tisch Dance at NYU, Opening Act, BOUNCE Summer Intensive, etc. As a performer, Gwendolyn has worked with Shen Wei Dance Arts, Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance, Sean Curran Company, Vanessa Walter’s ‘Ripening’, Heidi Latsky Dance (guest artist), Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Control Group Productions, Roger C. Jeffrey’s ‘Subtle Changes Inc.’, director Daniel Fish, comedian Amy Sedaris, and others. HOLDTIGHT was last seen at the cell in 2021 for What Keeps You Going?
Founded by Gwendolyn Gussman, HOLDTIGHT creates interdisciplinary and experiential contemporary art to elicit connections, questions, and conversations. HOLDTIGHT’s mission is to create experiences that promote empathy and allow people to uncover parts of themselves, further connecting them to each other and the world. Based between New York City and Denver, HOLDTIGHT’s collaborations span more than 40 acclaimed national/international artists, including Grammy and Emmy-award winners, in genres such as dance, theater, music, scenography, video design, visual arts, sculpture, lighting, digital rendering, and culinary arts. The company’s catalog of repertoire includes site-specific work created for non-traditional performance spaces including but not limited to an 1800's carriage house, church courtyards, historic mansions, and unique homes. HOLDTIGHT has been featured in 303 Magazine, The Dance Enthusiast, Eye on the Arts (Dance), No Proscenium, The Denver Post, Colorado Public Radio’s ‘Colorado Matters’, Westword, The Stewardship Report, Presenting Denver, offoffoff, Interludes, and more. For more details and info on the cast visit holdtightcompany.com and @holdtightcompany.
Nancy Manocherian's the cell theatre (Artistic Director Kira Simring) is a not-for-profit dedicated to the incubation and presentation of new work across all artistic disciplines that mine the mind, pierce and awaken the soul. Founded in 2006, the cell has provided a developmental home in the heart of Chelsea for works in progress by artists ranging from early career to established staples of the New York community. Originally established as a 21st century salon, the cell has evolved into a cultural hub for the performing arts, food artists, cyborg theatre artists, musicians, installation artists, choreographers and more. Past installations include Dark Matter Immersive Garden of Eden, Rachel Rampleman's Life is Drag, Chauhaus and Steve Pavlovsky's Tranquility Base. Past performances include The Final Veil, the revival of Elizabeth Swados’ Nightclub Cantata, Fruma-Sarah (Waiting in the Wings) starring Jackie Hoffman, Persou by One Whale’s Tale, Tolerance Party, Found, Hoard (co-produced with Off the Wall), The Evolution of Mann, Bastard Jones (a Drama-Desk Award nominee), Crackskull Row, Hey Jude, Rady & Bloom's Peter/Wendy, The McGowan Trilogy, Horse Girls, Hard Times: An American Musical (now the Tony-nominated Paradise Square) and Dinner and Delusion. New work developed at the cell has been seen on Broadway, Irish Repertory Theatre, MCC, Rattlestick Playwrights’ Theatre, New World Stages, Cherry Lane Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Portland Stage, Toyohashi Arts Theatre, Kino Theater, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Carnegie Stage, Carnegie Museum of Art, and Art Basel Miami. www.thecelltheatre.org / @thecelltheatre.
when the blossom passes, what remains? runs September 9 - October 2, Tuesday - Sunday at 7:30pm. Nancy Manocherian’s the cell theatre is located at 338 W. 23rd Street, New York, NY 10011. Audience of 25. Running time is approx. 90 minutes. Audience members should be able to climb one flight of stairs, but if not, there will be an accessible option available. Proof of vaccination and masking required to attend. Tickets are $30 - $95 at www.holdtightcompany.com or www.thecelltheatre.org.