Image Andrew Pester
Roots of Movement is a creative research project brought to life by Middlebury dance majors Miguel Castillo ’17.5, Mandy Kimm ‘17, Lorena Neira ‘17, Andrew Pester ‘17, Otto Pierce ‘16, and Andrew W. Mellon Interdisciplinary Choreographer, Maree ReMalia in collaboration with Middlebury College Farm. Over the summer and fall, they will delve into how embodied connection to the environment informs engagement with place in artistic practices as well as in daily life. The project will include performances and the implementation of pilot movement classes at Middlebury College Organic Farm (MCOF), interviews with farmers in the U.S. and abroad, participation in creative residencies at off the grid artist residency and farm, The Sable Project (TSP) in Stockbridge, Vermont and at Mizu Desierto’s Prior Day Farm (PDF) in Portland, Oregon. PDF is an urban dance and permaculture farm which hosts artists in residence year round with periodic farm-based artistic projects and workshops. The project aims to strengthen our understanding of that which contributes to personal and communal sustainability and further inform our intellectual perspectives by physically cultivating our abilities to be responsive, attuned to our environment, and regenerative through collaborations across disciplines.
Sponsored by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation/Movement Matters, the Environmental Council of Middlebury College, MiddChallenge, Middlebury College Farm. Special thank you HiiHlights (Astoria, OR), The Sable Project (Stockbridge, VT), and Water in the Desert/Prior Day Farm (Portland, OR) for hosting creative residencies; Caleb Barber and Deirdre Heekin/La Garagista (VT), The Fable Brothers (VT), Vene and Rosa Cristina Giordani (Trujillo, Venezuela), Maria(Galipan, Venezuela), Vertigo (Israel) and additional individuals who participated in interviews; and to Shannon Bohler, Christal Brown, Sophie Esser Calvi, Christa Clifford, Michaela Davico, Stevon Felton, Alan Kimara Dixon, Vladimir Kremenović, Jay Leshinsky, Silvina López Barrera, Jennifer Ponder and team, and Missey Thompson for creative and administrative support.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpuprh3DTD8
Planning meeting with Jay Leshinsky and Mandy Kimm
Rehearsal at Middlebury College Organic Farm
In residence at The Sable Project, Stockbridge, VT
Volunteering with La Garagista Winery with Midd Alums, Deirdre Heekin and Caleb Barber
In residence at Water in the Desert, Portland, OR
In residence at HiiH Lights Homestead, Astoria, OR