Released: July 29, 2011
Lincoln, Neb. - Go behind the scenes as members of an award-winning international dance company struggle with inner turmoil as they try to cope with the extreme physical and emotional demands of creating a new work. The NET Television performance documentary "loopdiver: The Journey of a Dance," will be offered nationally by PBS, with the program airing Sunday, July 31, at 9:30 p.m. CT on NET/HD.
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 the Midwest 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 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. 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 some 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 the UNL Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Endowment, the Cooper Foundation and the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Creative Campus Innovations grant program, a component of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, with additional funding provided by the Lincoln (Neb.) Community Foundation.
"loopdiver: The Journey of a Dance" is a production of NET Television. NET1 and NET-HD are part of NET Television, a service of NET. For complete program schedules, visit NET's website at netNebraska.org/television.
Read more about the Hixson-Lied College's involvement with "loopdiver" in our news archive.
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
Production of "loopdiver: The Journey of a Dance" was made possible 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 provided by the Cooper Foundation, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and the Lincoln Community Foundation.