Like many performing arts organizations, Dogtown continues to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and how the new variant and rise in cases will affect our programming. We have made the very difficult decision to postpone the 2022 Dogtown Presenter’s Series production of THE ASCENSION PROJECT by Uprooted Dance originally scheduled for Jan. 14-22, 2022 in light of the rapidly evolving outbreak of the omicron variant in the United States. 

 

The new scheduled dates for the performances will be May 20-22, 2022 with THREE opportunities to see this amazing show! We take the safety of our dancers, crew, staff, and audiences very seriously, and feel that the shift in schedule will allow the necessary time for the complications and risks posed by the omicron variant to subside.  

 

DPS is an innovative way of producing dance artists in the Richmond community. No other dance organization is providing the necessary resources needed for local artists to produce professional level concerts completely free of cost. Such resources include the rehearsal space, the technical production, marketing, public relations, and a guaranteed sizable financial stipend. The Series’ mission is to expose Richmond audiences to choreographers who reflect the cultural diversity alive in dance today, to promote artists from a variety of dance styles and genres, and to support them in creating new works of expression.
 
One of the cornerstones to the Presenter’s Series is collaboration. Dogtown encourages dance artists to work outside of their comfort zone and collaborate amongst one another and alongside artists that work within other genres. Dogtown is rooted in the belief that as independent dance artists, the blend of our artistic voices, audiences, and resources, will transform Richmond dance into a force to be reckoned with and a destination for dancers for years to come. 

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Dogtown’s Executive Director, Jess Burgess, says: “Uprooted Dance and Keira Hart-Mendoza’s talent for creating extravagant works from upcycled products is a feast for the eyes. The collaborative feat for this year’s DPS is not to be missed by Richmond art lovers. Through immersive workshops with Richmond-based movement artists and visual artists, Keira and her company have created something truly unique within the dance and art community in Richmond.” 

Please mark your calendars for May 20-22, 2022 and join us for one of the THREE opportunities to see this full evening-length work set to the entirety of Sufjan Steven's Ascension Album. The ASCENSION PROJECT is an indie-rock dance opera offering audiences the chance to reflect on the events of the past year and the world we now live in through the lens of dance, music, and art. Exploring '20/20' vision, The Ascension Project will take audiences through an emotional trajectory through space and time. The work explores isolation in small spaces, anxiety, disability, trauma and loss, and finally ends with transcendence.

Based in the D.C. Metro area, UpRooted Dance creates intersections between dance and other art forms. Artistic Director, Keira Hart-Mendoza collaborates with interdisciplinary creatives to craft vibrant works. UpRooted Dance uses movement, sound, images, and text to immerse viewers through thought-provoking storytelling. This versatile company produces pathways from audiences to explore dance on stage and in unexpected locations. 

The Ascension Project will incorporate dancers and visual artists from the Richmond area alongside Uprooted Dance’s professional company. Richmond movement artists will comprise a whole act of the evening length work after working with Keira Hart Mendoza in an open movement workshop in October 2021. Visual artists will work with Mendoza in the early part of 2022 to help create the visual set pieces and scenery for the production. 

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The sixth annual Dogtown Presenter’s Series will take place at Dogtown Dance Theatre May 20-22,2022. The Series will present Friday and Saturday night performances at 7PM with a matinee on Sunday at 3PM.

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