Dance & Theater Performance Projects

Laura Schandelmeier
Stephen Clapp
3311 Rhode Island Ave #305
Mount Rainer, MD 20712
www.danceboxtheater.org

Laura Schandelmeier & Stephen Clapp

Performance Projects Available for Tour

Affectations is commissioned by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of the 2010 Local Dance Commissioning Project. The evening-length work explores the human body as a metaphor for the cultural systems and structures that exist among our society. Guided by the premise that "order will eventually emerge from chaos," Affectations is a dynamic multi-media performance experience aimed at reflecting the human condition and offering opportunities for audience interaction and community engagement. Affectations is performed by Laura Schandelmeier, Stephen Clapp and Ilana Faye Silverstein and is created in partnership with installation artist, Lorne Covington and composer James Harkins. The technical and creative collaboration between Harkins and Covington provides the movement-responsive framework, supported by the choreography for this new collaborative performance work. Specialized video cameras will analyze the dancers' positions, speeds and gestures and translate the movement into electronic data. This movement analysis will control video projection onto objects on the set, as well as the dancers themselves. The data will also be transmitted to Harkins' custom software to generate the music in real time. This interactive loop comes full circle as musical information feeds back into the video projection software: the dancers respond to the music and projection, and their movements influence both; and the video and audio interface electronically.

The Loving Project: E-Race explores interracial marriages and nontraditional partnerships in historical and present-day perspectives. Through reflections on racism, sexism, and gender bias, The Loving Project: E-Race highlights aspects of partnership that make possible the union of individuals contrary to a dominant status quo. The work weaves together a tapestry of stories that include: the case of Loving vs. Virginia, which in 1967 overturned the law against interracial marriage in Virginia; and the marriage between Russian Inventor Leon Theremin and dancer with the American Negro Ballet, Lavinia Williams. Schandelmeier & Clapp's fifth evening length work, The Loving Project: E-Race celebrates distinctive partnerships and the rare gifts they bring to the world. For more information about The Loving Project: E-Race please Click Here.

Haunted unearths local lore and ghost stories of the diverse community in which Schandelmeier and Clapp live and work - Mount Rainer, Maryland, where some say the story behind "The Exorcist" took place. Set to an original score by vocal duo Leah and Chloe Smith of Rising Appalachia, and percussionist/performer Kofi Dennis, Haunted draws from acts of possession, ghost stories, and rituals to create an enthralling motion narrative. Created in conjunction with Haunted/The Open Door Project. Haunted premiered on May 31 & June 1, 2008 at Dance Place, Washington, DC. Joe's Movement Emporium presented the work October 24- November 1, 2008 and Haunted was presented again at the State of the Nation Festival in New Orleans in March 2009. Haunted will be presented by Dance Base in Edinburgh, UK during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2010. For more information about Haunted Click Here.

Laura Schandelmeier & Stephen Clapp’s third full-evening duet, Portals, offers a magical glimpse into the celebrations, rituals and intimate moments shared between two people. Examining the transformative process of evolution, and the five major rites of passage, Portals features an original score by Clapp, lighting by award-winning designer Catherine Eliot, set design by Bill Harris and costumes by Richmond painter, Eleanor Rufty. Created in conjunction with Schandelmeier & Clapp's Portals/The Open Door Project, the work was commissioned by the Creative Communities Fund of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region and premiered at Dance Place in June 2007. Portals was also presented by The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland in March 2008. For more information about Portals Click Here.

Combining mythical iconography of dragons with contemporary, pop culture and counter-culture personifications of warriors, damsels and demons, The Dragons Project: Power Play is a movement based fairy tale acknowledging the dragons in our midst as well as those we hold within. Exploring power dynamics and relationship possibilities, Schandelmeier & Clapp are confronted by outside forces and faced with the challenges of breaking down assumptions and working together. By examining the power dynamics between a man and a woman in isolation, a mirror to the world and the human condition is revealed. With original music by Stephen Clapp and text by playwright Christopher Greybill, The Dragons Project: Power Play was presented by Dance Place in 2006, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2007, and excerpted for performances throughout the region. For more information about The Dragons Project: Power Play Click Here.

In December 2004, Dance Place presented the premiere of Rappaccini's Daughter, inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s gothic love tale. Created and performed by Laura Schandelmeier in collaboration with Stephen Clapp the work is a trio for two dancers and a life-size sculptured figure by visual artist Eleanor Rufty. Performed to Toby Twining’s Chrysalid Requiem, this full-length, multi-discipline performance work brings to light Hawthorn’s contemporary creation myth - pondering life and death, good and evil, and ultimate omnipotence. For more information about Rappaccini's Daughter Click Here.

Other Performance Projects

Paint it Blue is a collaborative work by Laura Schandelmeier & Stephen Clapp created in partnership with Jonathan Morris. The work features original film footage by Ray Schandelmeier. Invited by the Source Theater Festival to create this new work, Schandelmeier, Clapp and Morris explore surveillance in 1970 and asks the question, �Who�s watching us now?� Paint it Blue premiered at the Source Theater Festival as part of the experimental "Mash-Up" performances on July 5 & 6, 2008. Click here to read Jonathan Morris' blog about the work.

Laura Schandelmeier & Stephen Clapp have been commissioned by the IN Series to create and perform the roles of Monteverdi’s doomed lovers in Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, a mini opera featuring a soprano, tenor, baritone and string quartet. The work premiered at the ATLAS Performing Arts Center in Washington, DC January 19 & 20 and 26 & 27, 2008. For more information about the IN Series, Click Here

July July/Two Duets premiered at the Goose Route Dance Festival in Shepheardstown, WV in 2004 and was toured in Maryland at the Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts as part of Joe's Movement Emporium's Gala benefit concert. July July/Two Duets also toured to New York as part of the DanceNow/NYC festival in 2004.

For information about upcoming performances, workshops or for booking information, please Contact Us.

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Home Artist Notes Dance Projects Workshops Artist Bios Press Support Videos Music Links E-Newsletters Contact Us Laura Schandelmeier Stephen Clapp 3311 Rhode Island Ave #305 Mount Rainer, MD 20712 www.danceboxtheater.org	Laura Schandelmeier & Stephen Clapp Dance & Theater Performance Projects Performance Projects Available for Tour
Affectations is commissioned by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of the 2010 Local Dance Commissioning Project. The evening-length work explores the human body as a metaphor for the cultural systems and structures that exist among our society. Guided by the premise that "order will eventually emerge from chaos," Affectations is a dynamic multi-media performance experience aimed at reflecting the human condition and offering opportunities for audience interaction and community engagement. Affectations is performed by Laura Schandelmeier, Stephen Clapp and Ilana Faye Silverstein and is created in partnership with installation artist, Lorne Covington and composer James Harkins. The technical and creative collaboration between Harkins and Covington provides the movement-responsive framework, supported by the choreography for this new collaborative performance work. Specialized video cameras will analyze the dancers' positions, speeds and gestures and translate the movement into electronic data. This movement analysis will control video projection onto objects on the set, as well as the dancers themselves. The data will also be transmitted to Harkins' custom software to generate the music in real time. This interactive loop comes full circle as musical information feeds back into the video projection software: the dancers respond to the music and projection, and their movements influence both; and the video and audio interface electronically. The Loving Project: E-Race explores interracial marriages and nontraditional partnerships in historical and present-day perspectives. Through reflections on racism, sexism, and gender bias, The Loving Project: E-Race highlights aspects of partnership that make possible the union of individuals contrary to a dominant status quo. The work weaves together a tapestry of stories that include: the case of Loving vs. Virginia, which in 1967 overturned the law against interracial marriage in Virginia; and the marriage between Russian Inventor Leon Theremin and dancer with the American Negro Ballet, Lavinia Williams. Schandelmeier & Clapp's fifth evening length work, The Loving Project: E-Race celebrates distinctive partnerships and the rare gifts they bring to the world. For more information about The Loving Project: E-Race please Click Here. Haunted unearths local lore and ghost stories of the diverse community in which Schandelmeier and Clapp live and work - Mount Rainer, Maryland, where some say the story behind "The Exorcist" took place. Set to an original score by vocal duo Leah and Chloe Smith of Rising Appalachia, and percussionist/performer Kofi Dennis, Haunted draws from acts of possession, ghost stories, and rituals to create an enthralling motion narrative. Created in conjunction with Haunted/The Open Door Project. Haunted premiered on May 31 & June 1, 2008 at Dance Place, Washington, DC. Joe's Movement Emporium presented the work October 24- November 1, 2008 and Haunted was presented again at the State of the Nation Festival in New Orleans in March 2009. Haunted will be presented by Dance Base in Edinburgh, UK during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2010. For more information about Haunted Click Here.
Laura Schandelmeier & Stephen Clapp’s third full-evening duet, Portals, offers a magical glimpse into the celebrations, rituals and intimate moments shared between two people. Examining the transformative process of evolution, and the five major rites of passage, Portals features an original score by Clapp, lighting by award-winning designer Catherine Eliot, set design by Bill Harris and costumes by Richmond painter, Eleanor Rufty. Created in conjunction with Schandelmeier & Clapp's Portals/The Open Door Project, the work was commissioned by the Creative Communities Fund of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region and premiered at Dance Place in June 2007. Portals was also presented by The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland in March 2008. For more information about Portals Click Here.
Combining mythical iconography of dragons with contemporary, pop culture and counter-culture personifications of warriors, damsels and demons, The Dragons Project: Power Play is a movement based fairy tale acknowledging the dragons in our midst as well as those we hold within. Exploring power dynamics and relationship possibilities, Schandelmeier & Clapp are confronted by outside forces and faced with the challenges of breaking down assumptions and working together. By examining the power dynamics between a man and a woman in isolation, a mirror to the world and the human condition is revealed. With original music by Stephen Clapp and text by playwright Christopher Greybill, The Dragons Project: Power Play was presented by Dance Place in 2006, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2007, and excerpted for performances throughout the region. For more information about The Dragons Project: Power Play Click Here.
In December 2004, Dance Place presented the premiere of Rappaccini's Daughter, inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s gothic love tale. Created and performed by Laura Schandelmeier in collaboration with Stephen Clapp the work is a trio for two dancers and a life-size sculptured figure by visual artist Eleanor Rufty. Performed to Toby Twining’s Chrysalid Requiem, this full-length, multi-discipline performance work brings to light Hawthorn’s contemporary creation myth - pondering life and death, good and evil, and ultimate omnipotence. For more information about Rappaccini's Daughter Click Here.
Other Performance Projects Paint it Blue is a collaborative work by Laura Schandelmeier & Stephen Clapp created in partnership with Jonathan Morris. The work features original film footage by Ray Schandelmeier. Invited by the Source Theater Festival to create this new work, Schandelmeier, Clapp and Morris explore surveillance in 1970 and asks the question, �Who�s watching us now?� Paint it Blue premiered at the Source Theater Festival as part of the experimental "Mash-Up" performances on July 5 & 6, 2008. Click here to read Jonathan Morris' blog about the work.
< Laura Schandelmeier & Stephen Clapp have been commissioned by the IN Series to create and perform the roles of Monteverdi’s doomed lovers in Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, a mini opera featuring a soprano, tenor, baritone and string quartet. The work premiered at the ATLAS Performing Arts Center in Washington, DC January 19 & 20 and 26 & 27, 2008. For more information about the IN Series, Click Here
July July/Two Duets premiered at the Goose Route Dance Festival in Shepheardstown, WV in 2004 and was toured in Maryland at the Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts as part of Joe's Movement Emporium's Gala benefit concert. July July/Two Duets also toured to New York as part of the DanceNow/NYC festival in 2004. For information about upcoming performances, workshops or for booking information, please Contact Us. Home Artist Notes Dance Projects Workshops Artist Bios Press Quotes Support Videos Music Links E-Newsletters Contact Us Website Design by Stephen Clapp