mnartists.org: Megan Mayer

Soft Fences

Megan Mayer — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:54:55 GMT

[b][i]Soft Fences[/i] (2012)[/b]

[i]Soft Fences[/i] (working title) will be developed with generous support during a February 2012 residency at the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography ([url=http://www.mancc.org/]MANCC[/url]), as part of a pilot partnership with the [url=http://www.mcknight.org/]McKnight Foundation[/url] in collaboration with [url=http://www.springboardforthearts.org/]Springboard for the Arts[/url].

[i]"Orbit, as I understand it, refers to the trajectory of an object around a moon, planet or star. However, I read another description of it as the exquisite balance between gravity and momentum. That definition intrigues me, because it made me think of people in a transitional state where one is neither arriving nor leaving."[/i]

- Megan Mayer, 2010 McKnight Fellow in Choreography.

Through a lens both personal and collective, Mayer will explore the themes of transition, displacement, and isolated experience. While in residence, she will research space travel and the psychological states of astronauts as a concrete example of displacement through extreme journey and re-entry, orbit, and the physical state of “being between gravity & momentum.” She also intends to visit the Kennedy Space Center, interview an astronaut, and utilize these experiences to generate a rich movement vocabulary with her performers / collaborators. An informal showing and dialogue will take place at the end of her residency.

As part of the residency, Mayer will work with Film and Video Artist [url=http://www.videohaiku.com/]Kevin Obsatz[/url] to create video footage that will be incorporated into the performance via projection, and with Sound Designer [url=http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=19186]Elliott Durko Lynch[/url] to create an original soundscore. Additional collaborators in residence include [url=http://www.skewedvisions.org/about/charles-campbell/]Charles Campbell[/url], Angharad Davies and Greg Waletski.

[i]Soft Fences[/i] will incorporate material from the duet [i]Soft Fences[/i], originally performed with Greg Waletski in early 2011 at the University of Minnesota Barbara Barker Center for Dance, as well as from the trio[i]Yaw[/i], performed by Charles Campbell, Angharad Davies and Elliott Durko Lynch at Choreographer's Evening in November 2011 at the Walker Art Center.

[i]Soft Fences[/i] will be available for touring in 2013.

Busby Berkeley Nocturne

Megan Mayer — Fri, 06 May 2011 18:54:43 GMT

[size= 12px; color: #14222f]The Shape of Night: Busby Berkeley Nocturne[/size]

A participatory dance event creating a Busby Berkeley-style dreamscape on the lawn, from 2-3 am, part of the Walker Art Center's Nightshift June 4-5, 2011.

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June 5, 2011 2-3 am Greenspace outside Cargill Lounge (in case of rain, inside Cargill Lounge)[/color]

Walker Art Center, Minneapolis

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[url=http://calendar.walkerart.org/event.wac?id=6216]http://calendar.walkerart.org/event.wac?id=6216[/url]

[url=http://northernspark.org/projects/the-shape-of-night-busby-berkeley-nocturne.html]http://northernspark.org/projects/the-shape-of-night-busby-berkeley-nocturne.html[/url]

You might be expecting me...

Megan Mayer — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:35:02 GMT

[i]You might be expecting me...[/i] is a new commissioned solo featuring dancer Nicolas Lincoln. [i]You might be expecting me...[/i] mashes up public persona, an evocative soundscore and the surprise of finding yourself as you are. Premiering March 24, 2010 9x22: A Dance Lab Bryant-Lake Bowl, Minneapolis

image: Nic Lincoln (orange wall) in You might be expecting me...

Finding Carol

Megan Mayer — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:28:36 GMT

Finding Carol is a new solo created for Channeling Carol: a cabaret inspired by Carol Channing curated by Jeffry Lusiak Ten Artists. One Inspiration. New work by: Jaime Carrera Jeffry Lusiak Kristi Ternes Kristin Van Loon Megan Mayer Molly Van Avery Rachel Nelson Sheridan Zuther Tyler Jensen The Wreck Family Friday, January 29 Saturday, January 30 All Shows at 7:30pm Tickets: $15 (no one will be turned away for lack of funds) Bedlam Theatre 1501 6th Street South Minneapolis, MN 55454-1162 www.bedlamtheatre.org

image: carol laughing brunette

Over Time

Megan Mayer — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:35:49 GMT

[i][b]Over Time[/b][/i] was created for Skewed Visions' Cubicle series.

http://cubicle.skewedvisions.org/

Directed, performed and edited by Megan Mayer

Cinematography by Kevin Obsatz

for Paula and Evelyn, November 2009

I was interested in tensions createdwhen a human form, all curves and jangled limbs, enters the space and intersects with the right-angled architecture and sterile textures of a cubicle. The movement score was inspired by a conversation about "dying at your desk" due to lack of retirement funds, and gloriously schmaltzy versions of [i]Moon River[/i] (101 Strings and Lawrence Welk, respectively) provided an overall tone. We shot quietly, at night,and I layered in the music afterwards. Editing the footage initially felt overwhelming due to the many potential decisions I could make, but ultimately I found it exciting to compose the frame and choose when to employ movement, music, silence and stillness.

I was honored that Skewed Visions invited me to create something for their Cubicle project, a yearlong series of podcasts meant to be watched at work.

Special thanks also to film artist Kevin Obsatz for his clever cinematographic skills and invaluable contributions.

Please consider supporting this series; your donations provide the artists' funding. In other words: this is how we get paid.

http://cubicle.skewedvisions.org/episodes/support/over-time

image: Over Time video shoot 1

image: Over Time video shoot 3

dazzlecream

Megan Mayer — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:12:48 GMT

dazzlecream is my video submission for NYC artist Neal Medlyn's Britney-inspired "Her's A Queen" show at DTW premiering Oct 22-24 2009. More info found here: hersaqueen.wordpress.com/ More video submissions here: hersaqueenvideo.wordpress.com/

image: dazzlecream 2

Charles Campbell's He Woke Up In A Strange Placed Called Home And Although Looking For Bed He Kept Finding Death Instead

Megan Mayer — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:31:49 GMT

Charles Campbell/Skewed Visions's production of [i]He Woke Up In A Strange Placed Called Home And Although Looking For Bed He Kept Finding Death Instead[/i] premiered in May 2009 in St Paul.

Kevin Obsatz's The Gate to the Enclosure

Megan Mayer — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:53:30 GMT

video performance duet with Kevin Obsatz for his x4video installation at the Weisman Art Museum, July 9-August 23, 2009, part of the Artists on the Verge show presented by Northern Lights and the Jerome Foundation. [url=http://weisman.umn.edu/exhibits/AOV/home.html]http://weisman.umn.edu/exhibits/AOV/home.html[/url] [u][color=#810081][url=http://northern.lights.mn/programs/aov/obsatz/]http://northern.lights.mn/programs/aov/obsatz/[/url][/color][/u][url=http://northern.lights.mn/tag/artists-on-the-verge/][/url]

image: Megan Mayer trainyard 2

image: Megan Mayer trainyard

image: Kevin x4

image: x4 apparatus

We tried to throw the light

Megan Mayer — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:26:04 GMT

[size= 10pt; font-family: Arial]2009 Momentum Series artist Megan Mayer reconfigures electric moments from ‘60s foreign films by way of The Lawrence Welk Show with her trademark wry humor in [i]We tried to throw the light[/i]. This premiere features the dynamic trio Charles Campbell, Elliott Durko Lynch and Annie Enneking, as well as a bevy of surprise guests. Skillfully mixing familial intimacy with the sensibility that less is more, Mayer and video artist Kevin Obsatz co-designed video projection elements to complement the architecture of the Southern Theater. A nostalgic soundtrack provides tone and texture and includes recorded performances by Arthur Lyman, Bessie Banks, Herb Alpert, Jackie Wilson, Del Shannon, Pierre Barouh and selections from a particular 1970s pizza parlor jukebox. [/size]

[size= 10pt; font-family: Arial]Thursday June 17, 2010 7:30 PM[/size]

[size= 10pt; font-family: Arial]Friday June 18, 2010 8:00 PM[/size]

[size= 10pt; font-family: Arial]Saturday June 19, 2010 8:00 PM[/size]

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[size= 10pt; font-family: Arial]Tickets $18[/size]

[size= 10pt; font-family: Arial]Box office 612.340.1725[/size]

[size= 10pt; font-family: Arial][url=http://www.southerntheater.org/][color=#800080]www.southerntheater.org[/color][/url][/size]

[size= 10pt; font-family: Arial]1420 Washington Ave S[/size]

[size= 10pt; font-family: Arial]Minneapolis[/size][size= 10pt; font-family: Arial] MN 55454[/size]

More photos found here: [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/meganmayer/sets/72157622139745506/]http://www.flickr.com/photos/meganmayer/sets/72157622139745506/[/url]

image: We tried to throw the light (bad news in French)

image: We tried to throw the light (national anthem)

image: We tried to throw the light (tie grooming)

image: We tried to throw the light (Charles as microwave)

I Could Not Stand Close Enough To You

Megan Mayer — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:28:52 GMT

"With her quirky but convincingly felt movement and her light touch, this show is a pleasure to watch...Mayer's is a subtle but moving magic..." Lightsey Darst, mnartists.org

"Mayer wisely gives her cast space to develop their initially tentative personae...It's easy to root for this group of eager achievers." Caroline Palmer, Star Tribune

"slyly nuanced" Linda Shapiro, Dance Magazine

Commissioned by the Southern Theater and the Walker Art Center for Momentum: New Dance Works, [i]I Could Not Stand... [/i]mixes lively ensemble competitive antics with distinctly individualized solos based on childhood fantasies. The nostalgic '60s soundscore, including tracks by Sergio Mendes, Peanut, Marvin Gaye and others, provides a bittersweet backdrop for the tension between familial/group mentality and individual attempts at autonomy and personal success.

Named 2009's top Dance Pick by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune, [i]I Could Not Stand...[/i]can be condensed to 25 minutes.

Premiered and commissioned by The Southern Theater and The Walker Art Center on July 23-25, 2009, Minneapolis, MN

Choreographer and Director: Megan Mayer

Performers: Charles Campbell, Theresa Madaus, Megan Mayer, Kristin Van Loon, Greg Waletski

Lighting Designer: Rebecca Fuller Jensen

Soundscore compilation and Costume Design: Megan Mayer

Length: 36 minutes

image: Megan Mayer

image: I Could Not Stand Close Enough To You

Coarse Confluence

Megan Mayer — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 18:52:58 GMT

"Coarse Confluence" is a new short dance film collaboratively created by choreographer Megan Mayer and filmmaker Kevin Obsatz. Megan Mayer, a dance artist/choreographer and photographer based in Minneapolis, is the solo performer in this site-based dance film. Premiering along with other artists as part of Cinema Revolution's "The Dance Film Project" at Intermedia Arts 2822 Lyndale Ave S Minneapolis, MN An evening of choreography for the camera December 12 and 13, 2008, 7 PM FEATURING NEW SHORT FILMS BY • Mad King Thomas and Katinka Galanos • Vanessa Voskuil and John Koch • Justin Jones and Kevin Obsatz • Mandy Herrick and Dustin Nelson • Katie Ritchey and Garrett Tiedemann • Erica Pinigis • Megan Mayer and Kevin Obsatz In anticipation and celebration of Cinema Revolution's fifth anniversary, store owner and filmmaker John Koch hosted an open call last April for filmmakers and choreographers to come together and create original short works for the camera or for live performance and camera. Koch proposed that the participants explore the expressiveness of dance through a cinematic language placing themselves in site-specific contexts and focusing on the various structures of time.

Exactly where I'm supposed to be: This is how I dance at The Soap Factory

Megan Mayer — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:14:14 GMT

socktesting

Megan Mayer — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:00:32 GMT

socktesting was created by Megan Mayer and Mark Abel Garcia and premiered at The Soap Factory in Minneapolis. socktesting revolves around six characters who are slowly asphyxiated over four days. In knowing this they purposely deceive themselves by ritualizing a routine from the patterns of everyday life. Each character has a distinct movement quality. Featuring performances by Jody Bee, Mimi Holland, Arnie Roos, Mats Sexton, Heather Stone and Samuel Van Wyk. socktesting is produced by Gail Ottmar and features costumes by Louise Delfs, set and light concepts by J.J. Johnson and web animation/ viral marketing by Kari Jo Skogquist. Listen to Marya Morstad's 5/29 "Art Matters" interview with Megan and Mark on the KFAI archives: http://www.kfai.org/node/97 Read our article in The Bridge newspaper: http://www.readthebridge.info/7133

Laurie Van Wieren's like a movie i saw once

Megan Mayer — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:53:21 GMT

"like a movie i saw once" Choreographed by: LAURIE VAN WIEREN With: Anna Marie Shogren and Megan Mayer, Michelle Kinney, Diana Grasselli and Paula Mann April 9-12, 2008 All shows at 8PM The Ritz Theater

Pulp Dances for RetroRama at Minnesota History Center

Megan Mayer — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:22:48 GMT

The Minnesota History Center commissioned me to create a set of dances based on 1950s pulp fiction book covers. These premiered as part of RetroRama, an annual classic noir evening celebrating all things mid-century. I was thrilled to work with the charismatic talents of Christine Maginnis, Stephen Schroeder, Laurie Van Wieren and Greg Waletski. RetroRama Thursday, November 8 7-11 pm Minnesota History Center 345 Kellogg Blvd W, St Paul, 55102 Tickets $12/$15 http://www.mnhs.org/historycenter/programs/retrorama/