Thu 3/23/23 7:00pm
Sat 3/25/23 9:00pm

TRIPLE FEATURE

The Visitors
by Leslie Dworkin & Kent De Spain

The Visitors is a new poignant and playful dance theater piece, co-choreographed by Leslie Dworkin and Kent De Spain. Two strangers appear uninvited in an empty home to explore a world filled with mystery and nostalgia. Are these figures refugees? Are they haunted by their past? Are they explorers on the cusp of a new world? At times humorous, impactful, and inspired by the plight of the refugee, this duet explores the ramifications of embracing one's outsider status.

Bipolar Badass
by Mari Crawford

Bipolar Badass is a one woman show about the humor behind struggling with the illness. In between car crashes and apathetic psychiatrists lies an absurd perspective of “this thing called life.” From an initial diagnosis to family history to manic escapades to somewhat figuring it all out, we see the layers and ridiculousness of an illness that is misunderstood.

Inside Amanda
by Amanda Levesque and Idelle Packer

This interactive dance piece with audience participation features Amanda Levesque and other NC dancers exploring the theme of inwardness expressed outwardly. Choreographic and improvisational elements thread through the performance piece, accompanied by live music.

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LESLIE DWORKIN, MFA

LESLIE DWORKIN, MFA, is an independent dance artist whose performance residencies include the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Joyce SoHo, Movement Research in NYC, and Jacob’s Pillow, to name a few. Her work has received much choreographic support, including grants from Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Pew Charitable Trusts, a 3-year residency with the Susan Hess Choreographers Project, and the 2016 Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award in Choreography. Leslie danced internationally as a member of the Melanie Stewart Dance Company and the Leah Stein Dance Company, and in the works of countless independent dance artists. She is an integrative bodywork therapist, a certified yoga and qigong instructor, and has been a guest artist in many dance departments throughout the U.S.

KENT DE SPAIN

KENT DE SPAIN is the recipient of several awards, including the Pew Fellowship in the Arts for Choreography and an Established Choreographer’s Fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. He has taught master classes and workshops in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, and his work has been seen throughout the United States and beyond, including performances at Jacob's Pillow, Judson Church, Joyce Soho, and the Painted Bride. He is internationally recognized for his teaching, performance, filmmaking, and writing in the area of movement improvisation, including his feature-length documentary, A Moving Presence, and his book, Landscape of the Now.

Mari Crawford

Mari Crawford (like calamari) is a comedian, actor, writer, and voiceover artist based in NYC. She has written for KO Comedy network, video games, notable brands, and appeared on shows including The Last OG and Blue Bloods, among others. Mari hosts at the West Side Comedy Club and performs at NYC clubs including Broadway Comedy Club and Greenwich Village Comedy Club. She has performed in line-ups alongside notable acts including Ilana Glazer and Tiffany Haddish. Mari began performing stand-up comedy in New Orleans. She co-hosts Beautiful Bipolar Badass, a comedic podcast aimed to break the stigma behind the disorder.

Amanda Levesque

Amanda has been creating and performing in the Fringe Festival sitnce 2012. As a local artist she is involved in Interplay, Asheville Community Theatre and BIT MAD, a local dance improvisation group. She ushers at several local theaters in Ashevile and works as a sales associate at Madam Clutterbuckets.

Idelle Packer

Idelle is coming out of hibernation from the Pandemic at Amanda's kind request. Teacher, choreographer and performer, her most recent full evening-length work, Etude 22: Meditation on the Aleph Bet, a piece for 10 dancers, was performed in Asheville. A foundation of body knowledge informs her dance, choreography, and teaching, rich with years of teaching the Alexander Technique and working as a physical therapist.