Skip to content

Arts

Read More ›

Nancy Guppy Interviews Performer Dayna Hanson

Nancy Guppy gets real with Seattle dancer, actress and filmmaker Dayna Hanson

1213nancyguppy

This article originally appeared in the December 2013 issue of Seattle magazine.

!–paging_filter–pMultidisciplinary performer Dayna Hanson is known for making stage work that is very smart, very funny and very strange. Her new show at On the Boards, The Clay Duke (12/5–12/8; $20; ontheboards.org), delivers on that reputation. brstrongCOFFEE SHOP:/strong Macrina Bakery in SoDobrstrongDAYNA’S ORDER:/strong A glass of water and a slice of quiche. (No actual coffee consumed.)brbrstrongNancy Guppy:/strong Give me the elevator pitch for your new show. brstrongDayna Hanson: /strongThe Clay Duke is a dance/theater piece inspired by a 2010 school board shooting in Panama City, Florida—with a little Charles Bronson and Chekhov thrown in. brbrstrongNG: /strongIs this show an artistic challenge for you?brstrongDH:/strong Finding the right language within this hybrid dance/theater form to convey deeply ambiguous points about culture, humanity, psychology and love is challenging. brbrstrongNG:/strong You’re a filmmaker, choreographer, dancer, musician—all this from an English major. What gives? brstrongDH:/strong When you study literature, it takes you in so many different worlds, because literature is the study of humanity. I just want to be in the constant service of exploring the crazy, weird mysteries of what humans do and how they interact. brstrongbrNG: /strongAs an audience member, what turns you on? strongbrDH:/strong Realness. I like beauty, I like a great light effect, I love watching unusual, compelling dance, but anything fake and I’m like, “See ya.”brbrstrongNG:/strong One of your key creative collaborators is your partner, Dave Proscia—when there’s a disagreement, who wins? brstrongDH:/strong Usually the person who’s right wins.brstrongbrNG:/strong Is there value in working with the same people over time? brstrongDH:/strong Oh yeah. I have a duet with Peggy Piacenza, who I’ve been working with for 20 years, and there’s a moment where she wraps her arms around me—I can’t describe the emotional quality of that moment. Somewhere between nausea and being cradled. brbrstrongNG:/strong What has been your scariest creative moment? brstrongDH:/strong Every time I undertake something new, there’s this rosy kind of “full of possibility” feeling and then, when it gets close to the performance, the question becomes “Is my glorious vision going to translate into a meaningful experience for anyone else?” brbrNancy Guppy showcases Seattle artists on her show, Art Zone (a href=”http://www.seaettlechannel.org/artzone” target=”_blank”seattlechannel.org/artzone/a)./p
pnbsp;/p

 

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

Dance, drag, and immersive art collide in an eight-week exploration of our phone-obsessed lives, with a few surprises along the way. 

What do drag queens, smartphone addiction, art installations, and an old luggage shop have in common?  According to longtime Seattle choreographer Alana O’Farrell Rogers, a lot.  “There’s no dead time anymore,” says Rogers, explaining how the proliferation of smartphones fills the empty spaces that once served as time for rest or connection. Where we snuggled…

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Ahead of their performance at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture gala, the hip-hop pioneers talk about creative ownership, connecting with new generations, and the songs that still resonate.

The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) will host its annual ICONS of Pop Culture Gala in Seattle on October 22, honoring five artists and institutions whose work has helped shape entertainment and culture.  This year’s honorees are martial arts and film legend Bruce Lee, fashion designer Jeremy Scott, the video game franchise Halo, hip-hop pioneers…

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Drawing on childhood memories, neighborhood history, and salvaged materials, Christopher Paul Jordan’s latest show at Cornish’s Behnke Family Gallery explores how the past stays with us.

Start in the middle. It’s good advice for telling a story, and a way into Christopher Paul Jordan’s paintings. By the time you encounter them, their materials have already been something else, and who knows what they might move on to become. The Tacoma interdisciplinary artist works with salvaged objects, including screens, picture frames, canvas,…

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).

WEDDING BELLS I’ve been a bit absent from this column lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: I got married! It’s already been three weeks since my September 19 wedding, but I’m still reflecting on the magic of the day. My fiancé, well husband now (I can’t get used to saying it!),…