DANCE THEATER WORKSHOP CONCLUDES SPRING SEASON WITH TWO PREMIERES

Pat Graney Company: Seattle-based Pat Graney once again takes visual
art as a point of departure. In “the Vivian girls,” a New York premiere, she is
inspired by the gorgeous, yet disturbing paintings by reclusive Chicago artist 
Henry Darger (1892-1973), many of which are projected as part of the
performance. Discovered after his death, Darger’s 15,000-page book, “The Story
of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal,” is filled with
his beautiful watercolor collages illustrating the often violent adventures of the
girls. Drawing directly from these images, the choreographer creates a
movement vocabulary specific to the subject and costumes her five dancers as
Darger characters; they emulate the Vivian girls with brunette wigs and white
dresses, and appear en pointe wearing colorful butterfly-like wings, as another
crowd of creatures from Darger’s imagination. Taking place amid a clutter of
giant books, the work is accompanied by an original score for accordion and
fiddle by Amy Denio and Martin Hayes.