Dance Honors Project

Event Date: 

Saturday, February 1, 2014 - 1:00pm
Saturday, February 1, 2014 - 5:00pm
Sunday, February 2, 2014 - 1:00pm
Sunday, February 2, 2014 - 5:00pm

Event Location: 

  • UCSB Ballet Studio Theater

Event Price: 

Free

MY DREAMS ARE MAGNETIC - I CANNOT HELP BUT FOLLOW

a collaborative honors project

directed and choreographed by Beatrice Antonie Martino

ABOUT

Dance Honors student Beatrice Antonie Martino was captivated by the idea of multiplicity and unity, specifically the way in which many disparate elements can come together to make a whole. She decided to investigate this idea both in the structure of the creative process as well as through the narrative content of her original piece, "My Dreams are Magnetic - I Cannot Help but Follow." "I have a great passion for the integration of multiple art forms. One of my most influential inspirations is the famed Sergei Diaghilev. His ability to bring together the greatest choreographers, dancers, visual artists, and composers of his time to produce the great ballet masterpieces for the Ballet Russes was absolutely stunning. This spectacular collaboration of multiple mediums of art is increasingly rare to encounter," says Martino.

Inspired by the brilliant work of the Ballet Russes, she undertook the challenge of creating an interdisciplinary and collaborative work of her own. She recruited musicians, dancers, visual artists, and theater artists to work together with her to bring her creative vision to life. The narrative content of the piece also explores the concept of multiplicity and unity as it follows the pilgrimage of a female protagonist through multiple stages of transformation. This narrative was inspired by a painting by Marc Chagall entitled "Young Girl in Pursuit," which is on display at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

"This project has presented many new challenges for me. In the past I have only had to negotiate the creative aspects of making a piece (i.e. choreography, costumes, and lighting). This project has been very different for me because of the directorial and administrative tasks it requires. I was forced to learn how to write a grant proposal, budget, do publicity, arrange schedules, etc. These were all new thresholds for me. Additionally, working collaboratively with artists of different mediums has also proved to be a difficult yet exciting new process for me," she says.

This project is unique because of its interdisciplinary and interdepartmental nature. This project not only brings together both sides of the Theater and Dance department, but also draws upon the resource of the incredible talent that exists in the UCSB student body across the different departments and colleges.

Martino hopes that this piece will lead the public to a greater awareness of the tenuous border between fantasy and reality through the presentation of a poetic narrative. She also hopes that this project will inspire others to bring their creative visions to life through a collaborative process.

NOTE TO PATRONS
A portion of the piece will take place outdoors. The audience will travel through a few spaces before returning to the studio theater. Limited seating. Please emailMARTINO.HONORS@GMAIL.COM for reservations and wheelchair accessibility.

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The department's productions are not targeted to children. | Please contact 805-893-3022 with special needs.
Season schedule subject to change.