Arts Activities Support

Creation of a rich and unique work developed by 11 very diverse artists; Audience participation via dancing, singing, walking from place to place, taking part in some scenes, and expressing their own thoughts as part of the event; There were 18 performances reaching 1,559 people – even more than expected. Some people had to be turned away due to the capacity limits of some performance spaces Flying Foot Forum achieved its artistic goals for this grant. Retitled PASSING THROUGH PIG’S EYE, the production ran from 8/25/16 thru 9/11/16 in downtown St Paul. This exciting dance event: Showcased a series of vibrant percussive performances; Explored a wide range of percussive possibilities combining music, dance, text and visual elements; Performed at multiple sites in downtown St Paul; Expanded audiences for the Flying Foot Forum, developing new ways to engage them. 11 creative collaborators created a full evening of dance around a central theme. Audiences were treated to new experiences by traveling with the performers to different locations where they participated in a variety of ways: dancing, singing and thinking about questions posed by the performers. The production took place in various locations in St. Paul including the Hamm Building and Landmark Center – but went beyond that concept by inhabiting the whole area of downtown around Park Square Theatre, sometimes crossing paths with other productions, pedal pubs and Pokemon Go players. People stopped on the street to watch. Others asked for a flier. This excerpt encapsulates the event’s success: "If you are a dance aficionado, the variety of this sampler platter will tickle your aesthetic taste buds. But ‘Passing Through Pig’s Eye' might be the ideal introduction for those who don’t consider themselves 'dance people.' It’s engaging and accessible; rangy in style and mood; energetic, educational and a whole lot of fun." Dominic Papatola, Pioneer Press. Strengths/Challenges of Artistic Process: Working with 11 separate creators and collaborators was exciting and stretched everyone in new ways. Dancers who rarely speak or sing had to deliver lines, and led “tour groups” of audience members. Musicians played, but were also asked to sing and dance. Everyone used multiple skills, and in some cases developed skills they didn’t know they had! The creative and rehearsal process was also complex. While project lead, Joe Chvala, fully briefed each collaborator on the concept, everyone worked independently. When the completed pieces were reviewed, determining how they would fit together was tricky. Some dances were longer than others. Some evolved and didn’t easily fit the original concept. Accessibility, potential weather issues and how to safely move the audience thru the city also posed challenges. Developing the final program was like working on a moving, 3- dimensional puzzle. Regardless, it’s clear that these challenges also enriched the work, making it more unique than it might have been otherwise. What Might Be Done Differently “Next Time”: In the future, Chvala would likely become more involved in the creative process of each of the pieces so that they could thread together more easily. Or, each choreographer might be given carte blanche for a more traditional repertory concert where a piece lives on its own without having to fit the context of an entire evening. PASSING THROUGH PIG’S EYE was very successful at reaching its intended community. 16 artists were involved as collaborators and performers onstage, and another seven scenic and technical artists were involved in creating the aesthetics of the work. From an audience perspective, attendance exceeded our expectations. There were two “tracks” for the show (each named after a fabled gangster in St Paul’s history), enabling participants to experience very different versions of the production. Some patrons opted to return for a second night to experience the performances in the “other” track. The attendees were, perhaps, a bit more diverse that expected and younger that the typical dance and theatre-going audiences (many were in their 20s and 30s). There were also a large number of people who had never seen the Flying Foot Forum perform. This may have been the result of the excellent press received for the show. There were four exceptional reviews, as well as a preview cover story in the entertainment section of the Pioneer Press. Attendance was also enhanced because Park Square Theatre assisted with marketing and provided access to their extensive audience database. The program was well-designed to provide accessibility to everyone who wished to participate. All the buildings and the streets involved in the traveling portion of the performances were wheelchair accessible. Performers were assigned to direct people who might need them to elevators, and assisted people in getting from one place to the next. There were also seating areas designated in each location for patrons who used wheelchairs. One patron in wheelchair was a 101 year-old woman who had been a docent at the Landmark Center when she was younger. When asked if we got all the history right, she responded with a definitive “yes!” Chairs were provided in all locations for people who needed to sit. While there was a significant amount of time traveling from one venue to the next, rest stops were built-in to make sure that the walking was never unpleasant for each track of people made up of different ages and physical ability. Finally, two ASL interpreters were hired for the signed performances because there were two tracks in the show. There was (at least) one interpreter in each location at all times.