Released: July 19, 2010
Lincoln, Neb. - Go behind the scenes as an award-winning international dance company struggles to create its next great work in "loopdiver: The Journey of a Dance," airing Sunday, July 25, at 9:30 p.m. CT on NET1 and in high definition on NET-HD. The program repeats Thursday, July 29, at 8:30 p.m. CT and Sunday, Aug. 1, at 2:30 p.m. CT on NET2.
The performance documentary follows Troika Ranch, a dance, theater and media performance company based in New York City and Berlin, Germany, as it comes to Lincoln, Neb., to create the experimental dance piece "loopdiver." The dance is a live, avant-garde multimedia work that begins with an exploration of the loops and repetitions created by today's computerized world.
"loopdiver: The Journey of a Dance" follows the Troika Ranch dance company members during a two-year period, as they interpret these loops and create and perform the emotionally powerful new dance work. The dancers struggle with the extreme emotional and physical demands of the complicated choreography as they interweave dance, music, interactive visuals and lighting. One dancer even sustains whiplash injuries while rehearsing. Their work uses dance to explore and interpret the challenges of breaking free of the loops and patterns that can trap people in everyday life.
Patients at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln inspire the project when Troika Ranch dance company members visit the facility. The motion-sensing technology used by Troika Ranch to create the dance work is also used experimentally at the hospital to help rehabilitate spinal-injury patients. In "loopdiver," patients are seen controlling music and video during rehabilitation exercises in an effort to regain mobility and function.
Established in 1994, Troika Ranch produces live performances, interactive installations and digital films, all of which combine traditional productions with advanced technologies. "loopdiver: The Journey of a Dance" was made possible in part by a grant from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Creative Campus Innovations Grant Program, a component of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Additional funding was provided by the Cooper Foundation, the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and the Lincoln Community Foundation.
The project initially began as a collaborative effort between the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln and NET Television?s intern program which is part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Johnny Carson School of Theater and Film and the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. "loopdiver: The Journey of a Dance" is a production of NET Television for the Lied Center for Performing Arts. NET1, NET2 and NET-HD are part of NET Television, a service of NET. For complete program schedules, visit NET's website at netNebraska.org/television.
RELEASE WRITTEN BY: Kim Rogers, 402-472-9333, ext. 512, or e-mail at krogers@netNebraska.org
PROGRAM CONTACT: Michele Wolford, 402/472-9333, ext. 514 or e-mail at mwolford@netNebraska.org