Pat Graney

Seattle-based choreographer Pat Graney received Choreography Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts for 11 consecutive years, as well as from Artist Trust, the Washington State Arts Commission, the NEA International Program, and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. The Pat Graney Company, incorporated in 1990, has toured to most major American cities as well as internationally to Japan, England, Scotland, Germany, Singapore, Chile and Brazil. In 2000, Ms. Graney was selected to receive a 'Golden Umbrella' award for recognition of lifetime achievement in her art form.

In Seattle, the Pat Graney Company has appeared four times as part of On the Boards New Performance Series. Ms. Graney has been commissioned by Pacific Northwest Ballet, has created several large-scale gymnastic performance works, including 'Seven/Uneven' with visual artist Beliz Brother and 'Pier 62/63,' which featured 150 gymnasts aged 8-50 and was presented as part of the Goodwill Games in 1990. Ms. Graney has been choreographing in the Seattle area since 1979, creating over 40 works while living in the Pacific Northwest.

The Pat Graney Company began the 'Keeping the Faith' project in 1992, which they offer to incarcerated women and girls nationwide. The program consists of performances, lecture-demonstrations and workshops for incarcerated women and girls. In 1995, the Company completed a six-month pilot project at Washington State Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor, culminating in inmate performances that attracted national press. 2002 marks the seventh consecutive residency of Keeping the Faith in Washington State. In 2000, the Company developed a National Model of Keeping the Faith, where the KTF team will work with local artists and social workers in 4 US cities to set up locally-based programs based on Keeping the Faith.

Ms. Graney presented the Movement Meditation Project, which featured 150 female martial artists in an environmentally designed work at Seattle's Magnuson Park in July, 1996. Austin based composer, Ellen Fullman, collaborated with Ms. Graney on the work. The work was accompanied by both Seattle Kokon Taiko and Ms. Fullman, who played her 'long-stringed instrument,' which stretched to a length of 180 feet.

Ms. Graney's most recent work, Tattoo, toured to 11 US cities in the 2000/2001 season, as well as going to Valparaiso and Santiago Chile. Tattoo completed the triptych that includes Faith and Sleep, which over ten years to create.

Ms. Graney's current work in progress, 'the Vivian girls,' is based on the visuals of 'outsider' artist Henry Darger. This new work by Ms. Graney includes collaborating composers Amy Denio and Martin Hayes, as well as Lighting Designer Ben Geffen (Tattoo) and Costume Designer Frances Kenny (Tattoo). The work has received support from The National Endowment for the Arts, The Paul G. Allen Foundation, The National Dance Project, The Nesholm Family Foundation, PONCHO, King Country Arts Commission, the Seattle Arts Commission, the Washington State Arts Commission, the National Performance Network, Corporate Council for the Arts, US Bank, and the generosity of many individual donors. The Vivian girls will tour in the 2004/2005 season.

1419 S. Jackson St. Studio 11
Seattle, WA. 98144
Tel: 206.329.3705
Fax: 206.329.3730
email: staff@patgraney.org
or www.patgraney.org