Sink or Swim

Choreography: Rebekah Chappell in collaboration with the dancers

Performers: Irina Gass, Amy Simonson, and Maurice Watson

Premiered May 1, 2015 at Space Place Theater, Iowa City, IA

Sink or Swim was an exercise in creating narration and character through dance.  Throughout the process I struggled to make the characters come alive in a way that felt natural and genuine instead of gimmicky and over the top. I wanted to use humor to illuminate the absurdity of our expectations of the summertime. The media and its romanticization of the season shape these expectations and summer is often associated with summer love, vacations, the beach, and sexy, glamorous characters. I experimented with how I could poke fun at the idealization of summer and reveal the reality and darker side of our experiences.

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Sink or Swim (Take Two)

Choreography: Rebekah Chappell in collaboration with the dancers

Performers: Allegra Sweeney, Ashley Kostelnik, and Justin Gorgone

Premiered June 5, 2016  at The Iowa Arts Festival, Iowa City, IA

The subject of summertime was still on my mind when I was asked to create a new work for The Iowa Arts Festival.  This dance needed to be accessible for small children as well as adults. The cast and I created a playful and energetic piece using the music of the 1960s. Using these two versions as a jumping off point, I hope to create an evening length Sink or Swim soon!