Dancers from many artistic lineages step out of the classroom and into the spotlight at Barking Legs Theater this Friday–Saturday, May 29–30.
“From Within,” featuring new works choreographed by The Pop-up Project’s Teaching Artists, will treat viewers to works that span genres including contemporary, modern, and fusion-based repertoire.
This third year of “From Within” underlines how The Pop-up Project has evolved while staying true to its beginnings. Each performance will feature an audience talk-back for artists to answer questions about their work.
From Classroom to Stage
The Pop-up Project, founded by Jules Downum and Mattie Waters Cofield, started as a production company. Now focused on bringing dance into settings as diverse as public schools and senior centers, The Pop-up Project continues to embrace artistic excellence.
“[The Pop-up Project] has always produced beautiful work featuring dancers,” says Louie Marin-Howard, Executive and Program Director. “This performance is an extension of that mission.”
For the Teaching Artists, it’s also a chance to showcase their strengths as dancers and choreographers.
“Our teaching artists don’t just perform in this one show,” Louie says. “These are the dancers we collaborate with for commissions and special projects; our specialists in genre, technique, and artistry. Our Teaching Artist Team is a vital part of how we bring dance into our community through classes, partnerships, performances, and creative collaborations. ‘From Within’ is an opportunity for them to play and share a little piece of their world with us.”
Diving Deeper
As “From Within” has evolved, the artists’ showcase has moved toward longer numbers where many dancers explore complex ideas.
“[The show] is in the rhythm of our programming this year,” explains Marah Bates, Director of Program Operations. “We started planning way further ahead, and we gave teaching artists the opportunity to develop and spend time with their work, to sit with it, and to create longer, more developed works.”
Marah, whose choreography this year focuses on divinity and nature, describes her work as “a little bit of a spirituality, pulling for inspiration from historical dance figures [such as Isadora Duncan and Florence Fleming Noyes]. Having dance elders is really important, and that’s reflected in my solo work.”
A Year of Reflection
This year, the dancers and choreographers of “From Within” are also drawing deeply on themes of ancestry and roots — “indigeneity,” as Louie puts it. Celtic, Filipino, Indigenous, and Latine/Hispanic backgrounds are all represented. Artistically, the dancers incorporate social and street dancing as well as more Western-training concert styles.
Bringing history into the present is also in keeping with our nation’s 250th anniversary, notes Jeri Eduave, Director of Content and Studio Community.
“It’s a reflection, too, of our society and where we are,” Jeri says. “As artists, we reflect the context of our time. The culture of America presents to be homogenous, but we are representing a portion of the mosaic of cultures that actually make up America.”
“From Within”
- May 29–30, 7–9pm
- Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave., Chattanooga
- Saturday’s show will be followed by a reception in the Barking Legs garden.
- Tickets: thepopupproject.org/fromwithin