artistic directors jamey hampton + ashley roland
(Portland, Oregon) Fresh off a four-city European tour, BodyVox returns to Portland with a new staging of it's most distinctly American work: a thousand little cities. Location, community, family, and weather coalesce to propel "cities" through its cycle of hopeful nostalgia and seasoned melancholy.
Show creators Jamey Hampton and Ashley Roland imbue the show with subtle, playful humor that cuts through artistic pretensions. With visual images by Tad Savinar and music ranging from Bono/The Edge to John Adams and Aphex Twin, BodyVox's signature wit is on full display in what the Philadelphia Inquirer calls, "BodyVox at its outrageous best."
Roland and Hampton use location and weather as a departure point to their exploration of the aesthetics of everyday life. The result is moving and meaningful entertainment. a thousand little cities is a slice of Americana as viewed through a lens of hopefulness and optimism. Whirling tornados, high-flying trolley straps and miniature acrobats whiz by in this adventurous and light-hearted road trip through humanity.
"It's not about flag waving and John Phillips Sousa. It's a sense of pride and recognition of the spirit of America. It's about saying, 'these are my people'" says Roland.
In a new twist, during the show's pivotal wedding scene a rotating cast of guest vocalists will perform the song "Mystery Girl" part of the show's ongoing tribute to Roy Orbison. The show features a cast of eight BodyVox dancers (Zachary Carroll, Jamey Hampton, Matt Hope, Heather Jackson, Daniel Kirk, Ashley Roland, Eric Skinner) plus a rotating team of child performers recruited from BodyVox's studio classes.
a thousand little cities runs May 5-21 at the BodyVox Dance Center. Ticket prices start at $36. For tickets or more information, visit www.bodyvox.com, or call (503) 229-0627
# # #
Media contact: Una Loughran, (503) 229-0627
About the company: Based in Portland, Oregon, BodyVox's movement surges from a source informed by years of cross training imbued with a curiosity and fascination with the endless possibilities of the human body in motion. Artistic Directors Jamey Hampton and Ashley Roland are distinguished artists on the world stage, formed by their years working as creators and performers with innovative dance companies Momix, ISO Dance, and Pilobolus. BodyVox builds upon this tradition of excellence with a unique voice that is clearly influenced by its Northwest roots. Created in 1997 to fulfill a commission from Portland Opera, the company has since created eleven original shows (including three operas), and toured across the U.S. to critical acclaim. Adding to its full-evening shows and repertory pieces, BodyVox's films have won numerous awards in national and international festivals. "Modern Daydreams" - composed of "Treadmill Softly," "Islands in the Sky," Unleashed" and "Deere John" - won the prestigious American Choreography Award for Outstanding Achievement in Short film in 2002. Most recently the company's film "Advance" won the Audience Choice Award at Dance Camera West.
FACT SHEET
WHAT: a thousand little cities
WHO: BodyVox
Jamey Hampton and Ashley Roland, co-artistic directors
WHERE: BodyVox Dance Center 1201 NW 17th Avenue, Portland, OR
WHEN:
Thu, May 5, 7:30pm (opening night)
Fri, May 6, 7:30pm
Sat, May 7, 7:30pm
Thu, May 12, 7:30pm
Fri, May 13, 7:30pm
Sat, May 14, 2:00pm (family matinee)
Sat, May 14, 7:30pm
Thu, May 19, 7:30pm
Fri, May 20, 7:30pm
Sat, May 21, 2:00pm
Sat, May 21, 7:30pm
TICKETS: single tickets start at $36, discounts available for students and seniors
www.bodyvox.com
503.229.0627
PRESS: Una Loughran
503.229.0627