Earth Day 2021: We Are All Connected : simplebooklet.com

4Welcome from the Artistic DirectorWelcome from the Artistic DirectorThis is the 51st anniversary of Earth Day as put forth by EarthDay.org, the largest global recruiter for environmental action. Our production emphasizes and explores how our connections to our natural environment compel us to protect what sustains us. Earth Day 2021: We Are All Connected is Dimensional Dance’s contribution toward the global theme of the unied effort to restore our earth.We are presenting three dynamic pieces and interviews that celebrate the wonders of the earth and explore how we are all interconnected. We hope to bring awareness to our environmental problems in a way that individuals can feel it inside themselves, so all that energy can be harnessed and combined into a powerful action for change. One way to do this is by showing how we depend on each other and the health of our earth. Ultimately, we seek to inform, inspire and motivate each other to become environmental advocates.We have created a digital booklet (less waste!) for the performance that also is a portal to more information about the simple and yet important ways other people are making a difference and how to contribute your own voice and actions. Please see the Additional Resources and Production Notes pages to learn more and connect to organizations whose combined efforts create impactful action for the restoration of our planet as well as a “How-to” manual for the future. Ruth LewisArtistic DirectorDimensional Dance

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THE OCEAN IN ONE DROPCHOREOGRAPHY Matisse MaddenARTISTS Matisse Madden and Jus HuesMUSIC Frode Fjellheim - Golme Aejkien Three Times, Ezio Bosso - Speed Limit, A Night RideThe Ocean in One Drop is a duet that explores the connection between all people and the majestic power of the oceans. Choreographed by Dimensional Dance principal artist Maitisse Madden for a duet with krump artist Jus Hues and herself, they seamlessly unify distinct dance styles, expressing their deep respect for one another and reverence for the natural world. Ms. Madden was inspired by the opening lines of a poem by Rumi that begins with “You are the drop and the Ocean…”Filmed on location at Riverfront Park, HartfordPhoto: Jared Madden

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6chrysalis An Interview with Bonnie Hoskins and Director Ruth Lewis With Excerpts of a Work-In-ProgressCHOREOGRAPHY Ruth LewisARTISTS Savana Jones, Cat Quinn, Jasmine McPhersonMUSIC Felix Mendelssohn, Midsummer Night’s Dream Scherzo“Chrysalis is not completely ready to come out into the world, but we can offer an advance peek into the process. We will talk with a local educator from Glastonbury, Bonnie Hoskins, who has kindly agreed share her experiences as a monarch enthusiast about what we can do to help them in our own gardens.”Excerpts lmed at Connecticut Aerial YogaPhoto: Ariadna Ibarra Morales

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7HassammeCHOREOGRAPHY Chloë KnopfARTISTS Chloë KnopfMUSIC Hassamme Traditional, Performed By Lauluyhtye A-Men (“In Our Challenge”)Hassamme is a contemporary ballet piece choreographed by Chloë Knopf. The dance was inspired by the natural beauty of Finland and showcases an individual so dedicated to preserving the natural world that they become one with it, in mind and spirit. The lyrics of the choral piece, also titled Hassamme or “In Our Challenge,” describe the act of picking owers to distract oneself from hardship. “This sentiment has an acute relevance today, when it is especially important to redirect the stress we feel over the climate crisis into celebrating and taking action,” says Ms. Knopf.Filmed on location in Mount Tom State Forest

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8A Voice of ThousandsSponsored in part by Blue Earth Compost CHOREOGRAPHY Cat QuinnARTISTS Pam Glauber, Matisse Madden, Jasmine McPherson, Emilee Alexander Bowden, and Allison PearsallMUSIC Candybox by SparkVoice of Thousands, is a contemporary piece choreographed by Cat Quinn and a tribute to all of the peaceful protesters who stand up against opposition, pressing for meaningful change to protect the earth that sustains us all. “I hope to honor the people who make their voices heard, and demand action. Their strength inspired me to create this movement, and I hope this will inspire others to get active in talks about how we can make an impact to protect our home.” Filmed on location at the State Capitol in Hartford

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9ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION NOTES/ ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY RESOURCESEARTHDAY.ORG™ works in countries around the world to drive meaningful action for our planet.The Ocean in One DropChoreographer: Matisse MaddenWhat would you like people to know or learn from your piece? I take some of my inspiration from Rumi, an ancient spiritual poet and philosopher. ALL things are ONE. “ www.rumipoetryclub.comWe know that the health of our oceans is in peril. What can we do as individuals and together to help restore them? The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) offers simple suggestions as to how you can help make the planet more sustainable at www.iucn.org/make-difference.Additional resources: Learn what an innovative Connecticut company is doing to restore our oceans and teach about regenerative ocean farming. Kelp anyone? www.greenwave.orgHassammeChoreographer: Chloë KnopfWhat would you like people to know or learn from your piece?I wanted to raise awareness surrounding conservation, particularly of forests and bodies of water. The central theme of the piece is the glorication of untouched wilderness and the importance of respecting its place in the world. I used Finnish music and a costume inspired by the Saami people of Scandinavia to ground these themes in a tangible aesthetic.Additional resources: I drew heavily from Finnish culture to choreograph the piece and some important organizations concerning wildlife conservation in Finland: Parks & Wildlife Finland | Metsähallitus https://www.metsa./Environmental protection in Finland https://nland./

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10ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION NOTES/ ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY RESOURCESA Voice of ThousandsChoreographer: Cat QuinnWhat would you like people to know or learn from your piece?When I rst found out we were going to be creating a show for environmental awareness, I originally intended to create a piece about deforestation. As I began to research, I found myself drawn to articles about Indigenous Tribes in the Amazon, who were protesting and advocating for the protection of their land. This led into a new wave of research, where I found inspiration, beauty, and strength in protesters around the world. The same message being shared, in different languages, in different cultures, in different parts of the world. I wanted to take the emotions I felt while watching these protests, and gure out a way to turn it into movement. This piece is a tribute to all the peaceful protesters who stand up against opposition, pressing for meaningful change to protect our environment. Using movement I wanted to convey the sense of urgency, importance, and connection to the earth and people around us, to recreate that energy you see and feel at these protests. I hope to honor the protesters who have and continue to make their voices heard, and demand change in order to nourish the world we live in. Their strength inspires me to create this movement, and I hope this will inspire others to get active in talks about how we all can do our part in protecting our home. Additional resources and links:One such activist for the land, Jasilyn Charger was not able to join us here for an interview but you can see a moving video (https://youtu.be/Yb9HHtye1Tk) of her actions that changed the course of her life and that of many who stood with her. A member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, she was one of the rst courageous people who launched a movement at Standing Rock to protest the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline in April 2016. Along with youth from neighboring tribes, the then-19-year-old helped raise awareness by staging a 2,000-mile run from North Dakota to Washington. By the time the group returned to Standing Rock, the camp population had swelled into the thousands. Through the powers of speech, along with her supporters, she was able to de-escalate the growing danger of serious violence and anger for a peaceable resolution.

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11Dimensional Dance is known locally for its evocative and interactive performances, showcasing professional artists from a variety of dance backgrounds including breakdancing, contemporary, jazz, and ballet. Dimensional Dance was established in 2011 by director Ruth Lewis to inspire and educate through and about dance. The company focuses on artistically presented educational and creative content through a variety of dance genres, and visits schools throughout the state performing and meeting with students. Dimensional Dance is continuing to create, dance, and perform despite the challenges presented by COVID-19. The company will finish its delayed 2020 season in the fall of 2021. The fall production will be the premiere of its new story ballet Prudence Crandall and Sarah Harris: Whole Souled Women. Set in the 1830s, it is the true story about the Connecticut educator Prudence Crandall and one of her rst black students, Sarah Harris. “Prudence Crandall’s Academy was the rst institution of higher education in the country to teach black women,” asserts Dr. Jennifer Rycenga, Professor of Comparative Religion at San Jose State University. These brave women risked their lives to advocate for racial justice and challenge the status quo of educational discrimination. To learn more about our company and events, please visit our website https://dimensionaldance.com/.ABOUT THE COMPANY

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12ARTISTSDirector RUTH LEWIS is the founder of Dimensional Dance. Ms. Lewis has choreographed art inspired works including Eras in Essence (inspired by Giorgio Morandi’s still lifes), Beyond Wyeth (Andrew Wyeth paintings), Peaceable Kingdom (Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks), O Squared (Operetta by Barbara Grossman), and The Muses (The Days by Thomas Dewing ) for the company dancers. Her dances have been performed by CONNectic Dance, Ballet Theatre Company, Saratoga City Ballet, Porter’s Workshop and Taft School. Before starting Dimensional Dance in 2011, Ms. Lewis was a dancer with American Repertory Ballet where she performed pieces by notable choreographers Alvin Ailey, Gerald Arpino, George Balanchine, and Paul Taylor and in the lead roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen. She nished her career as assistant to the director Septime Webre. She grew up in the bucolic town of Harvard, Massachusetts at Friendly Crossways, the longest running Youth Hostel in the United States. She and her husband have two grown children and live in central Connecticut.Rehearsal Assistant MATISSE MADDEN hails from Kauai and received her early training from Royal Ballet Kauai. She has performed to critical acclaim in both the United States and Europe. She has danced with Ballet West and Connecticut Ballet. Although Matisse is focusing on performing at present, she has a strong academic background. Matisse received her B.A. in Dance (Ballet emphasis) and B.S in Zoology from Brigham Young University, and her MFA from The University of Utah. Matisse is a visiting professor at Mt. Holyoke College, and is currently teaching the intermediate and advanced Ballet classes at Yale University. Matisse has performed the lead in Dimensional Dance’s Wyeth:Looking Beyond and Peaceable Kingdom about the painting by Edward Hicks. She has danced with Dimensional Dance since 2012. Matisse loves spending time exploring the world with her family. “Sustainability and environmental awareness are a big part of my life. Besides owning two electric cars, participating in the com-posting program Blue Earth, and having my own garden, my hus-band and I often go hiking in and around Connecticut as we love the outdoors.”“My family helps support the health of our environment by eating a plant based diet. “

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13ARTISTSALLISON PEARSALL graduated summa cum laude from Towson University with a BFA in Dance Performance and Education and is certied to teach dance K-12. She lived in Washington, D.C. while dancing professionally with the ClancyWorks Dance Company and performing in theaters across the U.S. and in London, England. She served as Program Coordinator and Lead Teaching Artist for ClancyWorks while growing the company’s education programs in K-12 schools and universities. She also taught for Towson University Community Dance Division. Allison has also had the pleasure of dancing at the Kennedy Center with VTDance and working with esteemed choreographers including Wayles Haynes, Stephanie Powell, Linda Denise Fisher-Harrell, Nai-Ni Chen, Catherine Horta Hayden, Dennis Price, and Sarah Fazio among others. Allison was the director of the dance department at Miss Porters School before joining Dimensional Dance in 2016.SAVANA JONES is a native of Hartford. At age eight she began her studies in dance at The Artist Collective doing African dance under the tutelage of Aca Lee Thompson. In 1995 she received a scholarship with Hartford City Ballet and continued her ballet studies. From that point on, she fell in love with dance and continued studying in many styles of dance including jazz, tap, hip-hop, modern, and ballroom dancing. Graduating as a Dance Major from The Hartford Conservatory in 2009, is now a well-known dance instructor and choreographer in the Greater Hartford district. Savana joined the company in 2018.“My family loves to get outside and hike together! We have a large garden in our backyard and compost to reduce our amount of waste.”“One thing I do to reduce air pollution is on days that are not so busy, I utilize public transportation to get around.”

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14ARTISTS CHLOË KNOPF grew up in Avon, Connecticut and began ballet at age seven with the Hartt School Community Division, where she trained for eight years. In 2012, she won the Junior Division Gold Medal at the Connecticut Classic and attended the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive on scholarship. In December of 2019, Knopf graduated from Roger Williams University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and French. She has been performing with Dimensional Dance since 2013, and is thrilled to be dancing with the company again. PAM GLAUBER began her dance career at age six at the School of the Hartford Ballet. She later trained at Connecticut Dance School before joining the Connecticut Ballet as a company dancer. As a professional dancer, she has performed with Connecticut Ballet; Ballet Theater Company; Liane Fisher in Bristol, CT; Ajkun Ballet Theatre in Albany, NY; Staten Island Ballet; and Xclaim Dance Company in Columbus, Ohio, where she served as a company dancer and marketing manager for three years. She teaches ballet at the Hartt School’s Community Division. She is also a prize-winning Irish dancer and has competed in the World Irish Dancing Championships. She holds a BA from Cornell University and a certicate in editing from NYU. She freelances as a children’s book editor and copy editor while raising two young children when she is not dancing. Pam has been a member of Dimensional Dance since 2018. “I love taking hikes and exploring surrounding parks. When I am not working or dancing, I cherish the time I spend in nature. My family and I avoid red meat and use substitutes like turkey or chicken in meat-based dishes. It is a relatively easy swap with a lot of health benets!”“We look for ways to recycle as many items as we can, including clothing and electronics.”

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15ARTISTS JUS HUES is a versatile dancer and singer from Bloomeld, CT. His projects take him to Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. At age 10, Jus began pursuing hip hop. Self-taught, he has become a ver-satile choreographer, hard hitting dancer and energetic performer. While attending Berklee College of Music he worked and toured with Pharaohe Monch, Medusa, and Slum Village for the Beats For Peace Tour and shared the stage with New Edition, Take 6 and Casely. As a cho-reographer, Jus has created dance for newly signed artists in the indus-try and performed in front of exec-utives from BET. Using his wide-ranging talents as an R&B, Soul, and Hip Hop singer, Jus has been electrifying every stage with his versatile performances. When not per-forming he is the director of Jus Move Studios. This is his rst season in the company. CAT QUINN is a graduate from George Mason University’s School of Dance. Originally from Windsor Locks, CT, Cat started training at a small recreational school focusing on jazz work before majoring in Dance at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. Caitlin then went on to earn her BFA in Dance at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. During her time at Mason’s School of Dance, Cat has been a part of 21 student choreographed pieces. She also per-formed in Robert Battle’s Mass, in the School’s 2017 Dance Gala Concert. During her collegiate career, she has had the opportunity to learn various repertory from Mark Morris, Lar Lubovitch, Doug Varone, and others. Additionally, she has trained at the Hartt School under the direction of Samantha Dunster, the Ailey School, Bounce! and at the Mark Morris Dance Group.“We have a garden where we use the power of the earth to grow our own vegetables instead of going to the store. “ “I never leave home without bringing a reusable water bottle, as well as reusable bags in my car to reduce any extra waste and plastic when shopping.”

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16ARTISTS EMILEE ALEXANDER BOWDEN began her dance training in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2016, Emilee was selected by David Wilcox to be a part of the Ballet Ambassadors to China program. She had the chance to perform various repertoires, set by several choreographers, all over China. Before dancing with Dimensional Dance Emilee danced with Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet from 2017-2019. She currently resides in Deep River with her husband, Hunter, and spends her evenings teaching at local dance schools. She is excited to be dancing with Dimensional Dance!JASMINE MCPHERSON (Guest Artist) is an accomplished dancer and choreographer. She dances for the 860 Dance Crew senior divi-sion dance team and in the WNBA Connecticut Suns dance team. She is a coach for the 860 Dance Crew junior division dance team and has choreographed musicals Ebony Annie, Hairspray and A Soulful Rendition for Act Up Theatre. Jasmine was in the original Dimensional Dance piece Phenomenal Woman choreographed by Dimensional Dance Director Ruth Lewis. In the future Jasmine hopes to dance on Broadway in the musical Chicago. This is her rst season with Dimensional Dance.“We recycle as often as possible and we use glass containers for food storage, reusable sandwich/snack bags, and stainless steel water bottles to cut down on how much we throw away.”

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18Welcome to a New Way of Thinking about Waste.Blue Earth Compost turns your scraps into soil you can use.Blue Earth Compost is a food scrap collection service for residents and businesses in Connecticut. You collect your scraps, we’ll pick them up and take care of the dirty work. The whole process is clean and easy. Our mission is to change the way that people think about “waste”. To this end, Blue Earth Compost was created to expand the accessibility of composting to homes, businesses, and events in Connecticut and beyond. In the process, Blue Earth Compost will be a force for positive change by improving our environment, creating good green jobs, engaging with our community, and by advocating for social and environmental issues.Learn more at www.blueearthcompost.comWe throw out 40% of our food every year along with all the water, hard work, and natural resources used to grow it!Do something good for the planet and for yourself. Sign up to compost with us today!

Earth Day 2021: We Are All Connected

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