Patchwork Chameleon

September 5th, 2023

Patchwork Chameleon was an incredibly special dance for me. The mother of a young woman, Isa Topete, approached me about her daughterʻs music, and told me a little bit about her. Isa has chromosome deletion X, which I believe is called Turnerʻs syndrome. Isa communicated through music. The mother asked if our dance company would be interested in having Isa collaborate with our dance company.  My partner Stephen and I listened to her music together, and instantly, we knew there was something unique about the music. 

Isa came to the studio, and we improvised together. She with her music making instrument mounted to her wheelchair, and myself, a body in space. 

I was utterly shocked. Her sensitivity and ability was par with a professional somehow. Her capacity to sense, and know, when to bring an improvisation to a close, and how that is a partnership and a felt inner knowing of collaborating artists, she nailed it! In a way that, well, not all artists I worked with had that type of sensitivity.

Video of Showing/rehearsal

Upon listening to the music, I sensed that the work needed to be transposed into form that was more readily comprehendable, and shaped, to partner a dance. In my heart, I thought, how lovely, if we could take this work to New York, and for her work to be performed, which it was. 

Performances

In reviewing the performances, I can see, that indeed, yes, the work was witnessed in New York, in Queens, thanks to the generosity of the contemporary dance powerhouse Valerie Green, and her outreach work. But also, I can see it followed the signature flow of the process for boutique dance companies.

6 performances totally, around 40 hours to build, costume design, yours truly. I wish I had stayed, in hindsight, with the very simple green pajamas I died green. I LOVE the studio performances, they, are somehow, my favorite.

There was no dance reviewer present for any of the performances of this work, so that archive, is missing.

Photos of Patchwork Chameleon

yes, in need of organization, first step, get it all in the same place.

Performances

Studio Showing, Montecito School of Ballet: It looks like the date I did not keep.  It looks like the Studio showing was around March 2013, given the upload of the documentation video.


Electric Lodge, Santa Barbara, CA                                                2013

MAX 10

– Choreography (Patchwork Chameleon), Performance, Costume Design, Composition in collaboration with Isa Topete, Community Outreach

- Produced by the Electric Lodge


Green Space Studios, Queens, NY               2013

Green Space Blooms Festival

– Choreography (Patchwork Chameleon, Unzipped), Performance, Costume Design, Composition in collaboration with Isa Topete

- Produced by Dance Entropy


Center Stage Theater, Santa Barbara, CA                         2013

ADaPT Festival 2013: Artist Brunch, Master Class, Program Jules, Program Arthur

– Producer, Choreographer (Patchwork Chameleon, Unzipped, One World is Never Enough), Performance, Organizer

- Produced by ArtBark International & Friends 


ARC Pasadena, Pasadena, CA                                   2013

Awakenings and Beginnings Dance Festival 

– Performance, Choreography (Patchwork Chameleon)

- Produced by Rubans Rouge Dance Company


Miles Memorial Playhouse, Pasadena, CA                           2013

MixMatch Dance Festival

– Performance, Choreography (Patchwork Chameleon)

- Produced by Hart Pulse Dance Company


Porticos Art Space, Pasadena, CA                           2013

Family/Friends/Dance/Festival 

– Performance, Choreography (Patchwork Chameleon), Film 

- Produced by Nancy Evans Dance Theatre