Dance and Research Collide

Pilobolus directors Renée Jaworski, Matt Kent, and Emily Kent were honored to undertake the esteemed role of judges for the 16th Annual Dance Your Ph.D. contest. Organized by the American Academy for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Science.com, this unique competition provided Ph.D. candidates with a platform to articulate their research through the medium of dance.

The standout of the year was Weliton Menário Costa from the Australian National University, whose dance presentation, "Personality, Social Environment, and Maternal-Level Effects: Insights from a Wild Kangaroo Population," earned him the coveted titles of Overall and Social Sciences Category Winner of the 2024 Dance Your Ph.D. contest.

Pilobolus was grateful to once again be selected to assess the diverse range of dance interpretations of scientific research. This intersection of science and art showcased the depth and creativity within the scientific community. The contest not only celebrates scientific inquiry but also underscores the significance of innovative communication in the academic sphere. (Kind of on-brand for a dance company named after a fungus, don’t you think?)

See how intellectual depth and artistic expression can harmoniously coexist in scholarly endeavors–click here to read more about this year’s winners and view their performances.


Top image: WELITON MENÁRIO COSTA from Science.org

First Book About Pilobolus Published

The University Press of Florida has published the first book to capture the legacy of Pilobolus.

Pilobolus: A Story of Dance and Life tracks the company from its counterculture origins through its pop-culture triumphs and contemporary worldwide acclaim. Author Robert Pranzatelli details stories gleaned from deep research and intimate conversation with founders, dancers, and the current artistic directors of the company. Insights from unpublished archival materials and both classic and never-before-seen photos also grace the page.

Learn more about Pilobolus: A Story of Dance and Life.

Advance praise:
 
“Pranzatelli gives behind-the-scenes insight into both the art-making process and the often-grueling business of running a dance company. The book includes photographs, some never before published, that give readers a taste of Pilobolus’s hallmark bodily wizardry. . . . Pranzatelli’s vivid descriptions of the group’s canonical pieces will have readers running to find videos to see the magic for themselves.”—Library Journal
 
“Sometimes when you explain how a magic trick works, it kills the amazement. This book proves the opposite. When Pranzatelli takes you backstage, he leads you Dante-like through the Inferno/mystery of Pilobolus. And you will—as I do—love, love, love these people who fearlessly flex their hearts with their muscles, and fill their stage with beauty, humor, sex, and joy.”—Teller (of Penn & Teller)  
 
“What a joyful, absorbing chronicle of creativity. With skillful prose and miles of heart, Pranzatelli captures the wit, sensuality, and daring of Pilobolus, the group that blew up dance theatre and keeps making discoveries after more than 50 years.”—Sarah L. Kaufman, Pulitzer Prize–winning dance critic, author of The Art of Grace: On Moving Well Through Life  
 
“A highly readable, insightful journey into the history, creative process, and fascinating personalities of America’s most inventive dance/theatre company.”—Steven Banks, playwright, actor, and New York Times–bestselling writer  
 
“Pranzatelli lovingly captures the enchanted, ingenious world of Pilobolus: the open-hearted spirit of discovery; the fearless commitment to exploration; the irreverent, unquenchable creativity of the artists who have shaped and reshaped this remarkable project over the decades.”—Trish Sie, filmmaker, Sitting in Bars with Cake  
 
“A thorough, insightful, expressive, and very readable account of a singular dance troupe. While chronicling Pilobolus’s journey through the decades, and astutely spotlighting relevant people, dynamics, and context, this book gives a sense of the troupe’s vitality, in part through eloquent description and analysis of specific dance works and overall aesthetic.”—Celia Wren, theatre and dance writer  
 
“Pranzatelli has written the saga of a creative ‘chosen family,’ and it is both appealing and a real page-turner.”—Elizabeth Zimmer, coeditor of Envisioning Dance on Film and Video

Pilobolus Supports Inclusivity

Pilobolus Teaching Artists Derion Loman and Krystal Butler recently provided instruction to dancers at Chance 2 Dance, an inclusive dance organization centering arts opportunities and access for disabled children, youth, and adults in Maitland, Florida. Dancers showed off their moves in a dazzling group performance on February 9, 2024.

The inclusive dance event, hosted by Chance 2 Dance, brought together a diverse group of individuals, highlighting the power of dance to transcend ability and create a space for self-expression and connection.

A group of Chance 2 Dance dancers wear red shirts on stage and lift their arms above their heads.

Photo by Nicole Warren

Loman and Butler worked closely with the dancers, fostering an environment that celebrated individuality and showcased the beauty of movement in all its forms. The group performance not only showcased the participants’ dedication and hard work but also underscored the importance of inclusive arts programs in fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment.

A group of Chance 2 Dance students wearing red t-shirts post on stage during their Feb 9 performance.

Photo by Nicole Warren

As the dance community continues to explore avenues for inclusivity and diversity, collaborations like these serve as shining examples of the transformative power of the arts. Through the lens of dance, individuals of all abilities can find common ground, breaking barriers and creating a platform for shared experiences.

A group of Chance 2 Dance students pose with Pilobolus teaching artists Krystal Butler and Derion Loman. Eight people are standing and three are sitting on the ground in front of them posing with arms up and legs outstretched.

Photo by Nicole Warren

We extend our gratitude to Pilobolus, Chance 2 Dance, and all those involved for making this inspiring event possible!

Thanks to Chance 2 Dance Executive Director Nicole Warren for capturing the memorable moments!



Shadowland Wows German Audiences

“Astonishing, virtuosic, amazing!” – Dresdner Morgenpost

In December 2023, Pilobolus embarked on an ambitious Winter Tour to bring Shadowland to German audiences. The company traversed the country through January 2024, performing a total of 45 shows with stops in Munich, Bremen, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Baden Baden, Dresden, and Stuttgart to critical acclaim:

“Their magic has remained. Romantic dance scenes with many lifts in the foreground alternate with what makes the show so special. Behind two screens of different sizes, the flexible performers create black figures, animals and plants in sophisticated pantomime and harmonious interplay." – Frankfurter Neue Presse

“Modern dance theatre, graceful, powerful, perfect in form and with captivating choreography.“ – Kreiszeitung

“This is how the shadow theater in “Shadowland” works […] The unique mixture of athletic modern dance, ballet elegance, traditional shadow theater and sophisticated lighting technology thrilled the audience.” – Badische Neueste Nachrichten

“This piece [Shadowland] focuses on change, from illusion to reality, from girl to woman, from shadow play to dance. It is an ambitious performance with fascinating shadow acrobatics and modern dance elements, which the dancers master with aplomb." – Abendzeitung

“The countless visual surprises provide 75 minutes of suspense […] charming.“ - Weser-Kurier

“It's not too difficult to be carried away by this production. There is applause in between scenes and huge applause at the end [...] altogether incredibly fascinating.“ – Flensburger Tageblatt

“The best thing is simply to let yourself go and immerse yourself in the fairytale world [...] An evening that is as poetic as it is entertaining, with which the ensemble counters the omnipresent digital sensory overload with simply the best handmade theatre magic. With a finale that once again serves up a fast-paced best-of the show, after which there is really only one wish left unfulfilled: for an encore as soon as possible.” – Muenchner Merkur

“Playing with the imagination only works if the movements are precise - and the athletic actors of the Pilobolus Dance Theater have this down to a tee. In addition to the apparent weightlessness, there is a lightness that lends this interplay of shadowy forces a poetry that is characteristic of great art.” – Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten

“Fascinating shadow play!” – Dresdner Morgenpost

 “The silent concentration of the dancers, their precision, the transformation of their performance into shadow images is no less fascinating than the poetic dream in black and white; both become an homage to the imagination.” – Stuttgarter Nachrichten

“In artistic terms, this is no slick mainstream, but rather quite weird art that is aware of its proximity to sideshow and circus - and also exhibits this in an elaborate revue scene.“ - Hamburger Abendblatt

Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten Review

“Playing with the imagination only works if the movements are precise - and the athletic actors of the Pilobolus Dance Theater have this down to a tee. In addition to the apparent weightlessness, there is a lightness that lends this interplay of shadowy forces a poetry that is characteristic of great art.” – Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten

Read the full review our Dresden performance of Shadowland:

Muenchner Merkur Review

“The best thing is simply to let yourself go and immerse yourself in the fairytale world [...] An evening that is as poetic as it is entertaining, with which the ensemble counters the omnipresent digital sensory overload with simply the best handmade theatre magic. With a finale that once again serves up a fast-paced best-of the show, after which there is really only one wish left unfulfilled: for an encore as soon as possible.” – Muenchner Merkur

Read more about our Munich performance of Shadowland:

Click the image to read the full review.

Abendzeitung Review

“This piece [Shadowland]  focuses on change, from illusion to reality, from girl to woman, from shadow play to dance. It is an ambitious performance with fascinating shadow acrobatics and modern dance elements, which the dancers master with aplomb." – Abendzeitung

Click the image to read the full review of Shadowland in Munich.

Click the image to read the full review.

Pilobolus in the Garden

This May we returned to Dallas, TX for an encore performance of Pilobolus in the Garden at the Nasher Sculpture Garden. In a presentation by TITAS/Dance Unbound, Pilobolus worked with students from the Booker T Washington High School for Performing and Visual Arts to create a unique experience of our piece Branches inspired by the natural world.

Read more here.

Helen Hayes award Winner!

The Helen Hayes Awards recognize outstanding achievement from professional theatres and theatre-makers across the Washington, DC region. Named for the legendary First Lady of the American Theatre, Helen Hayes, the awards celebrate the artists and companies whose work makes the Washington, DC-area a thriving, nationally recognized theatre community. We were thrilled to be selected as winner of Outstanding Choreography in a Play for 2023.

Pilobolus collaborated on the production of this play initially in 2015, and revived the production with RoundHouse Theater in 2022.

This collaboration with Teller and Aaron Posner (directors) has been an exciting and fulfilling one. The idea to cast Caliban as two actors, physically intertwined was a moment of inspiration during a period of creation with Penn & Teller on the Pilobolus dance piece, [esc]. This production’s Caliban was played by Hassiem Muhammad and Ryan Sellers, who together won the Helen Hayes award for Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Play. This is a first for the awards. Recipients have tied for awards before, but this is the first time that two performers have jointly received a Helen Hayes Award for playing a single role shared between multiple people.

Read more here. And check out our fun award unboxing video here!

Caliban Photo by Scott Suchman