AXIS Dance Company

AXIS Dance Company

AXIS began in 1987 when founding Artistic Director Thais Mazur had the great idea and creative vision to gather a group of dancers with and without disabilities to explore dance and create a performance piece. This first piece premiered in 1988, receiving a standing ovation. With Thais as a driving force, AXIS quickly took off from there, receiving offers to perform and requests for classes and other education programs. In this first decade the Company developed a new, innovative movement vocabulary distinctly its own and a language for speaking about and teaching ‘physically integrated’ dance. AXIS introduced audiences and presenters locally, nationally and internationally to this new form of contemporary dance by bringing to stage an exciting and impressive body of work. AXIS filled an important and otherwise unmet need by providing a forum where dancers with and without disabilities of all ages and levels of dance experience could create and dance together. But it wasn’t always easy convincing some that AXIS was creating dance and not ‘just doing therapy.’

In 1997 as the Company entered its second decade, AXIS went through a change in leadership and a corresponding change in its philosophy, artistic direction and education focus. With the new Co-direction of Judith Smith and Nicole Richter, AXIS set out to radically increase the artistic quality and range of its repertory by commissioning world-class choreographers from outside the company as well as continuing to support its in-house choreographers. Inspired by Nicole’s work in the UK, AXIS also dramatically expanded its education and outreach programming, renaming it Dance Access and soon after adding a youth component Dance Access/KIDS!

Under the artistic direction of Judith Smith since 2001, the company has collaborated with and commissioned works by such innovators as Bill T. Jones, Stephen Petronio, Joe Goode, Joanna Haigood, David Dorfman, Alex Ketley, Kate Weare, Sonya Delwaide, Victoria Marks, Ann Carlson, Margaret Jenkins, Joan Jeanrenaud, Meredith Monk, Fred Frith, Eve Beglarian, Katrina Wreede and SoVoSo. More than any other company in the United States, AXIS has been a bridge between contemporary dance and physically integrated dance.

Now entering its third decade, AXIS’ vision is to remain a leader in the emerging field of physically integrated dance by continuing to set new artistic and educational standards. Likewise, it aims to be a contender in the field of contemporary dance by commissioning renowned choreographers, composers and designers to create an exciting, innovative touring repertory. AXIS wants its work to challenge traditional definitions of ‘dance’, ‘dancer’ and ‘ability’ to expand dance to include an entire community that has been virtually left out of the performing arts. At AXIS, our biggest dream is to make a lasting contribution to contemporary dance.

Free to Rep | April 1 – 21, 2007

AXIS Dance Company, comprised of dancers with and without disabilities (physically-integrated), focused on movement and choreographic exploration with four choreographers who had not previously been commissioned by AXIS. Participating choreographers were selected through a competitive proposal and review process. Margaret Jenkins and Victoria Marks joined the choreographers in residence and served as mentors to the project.

The research residency culminated with a day-long symposium on repertory development in the U.S. The primary goal of the program was to encourage artistic exploration in a supportive environment void of the usual time and financial constraints surrounding many commissioning structures, providing an opportunity for AXIS to formally explore the best ways to orient new choreographers to the company.

Artistic Director Judith Smith brought three of the four choreographers back to create work on AXIS which has toured across the company.

Kate Weare was commissioned by the company to create Foregone, which premiered in 2007. Alex Ketley was commissioned to create To Color Me Different and Vessel, both of which premiered in 2008. Rodney Bell and Sonsheree Giles received Isadora Duncan Dance Awards for their performance of To Color Me Different and performed the piece on So You Think You Can Dance in 2011. In 2010, AXIS premiered ODD, a full-length triptych choreographed by Shinichi Iova-Koga in collaboration with AXIS, his company inkBoat, and composer Joan Jeanrenaud.

AXIS was presented at FSU's performing arts festival Seven Days of Opening Nights in the year following their residency, where they presented Kate Weare's work in its final form to the local community.

Shinichi Iova-Koga, Alex Ketley, and Kate Weare each returned to MANCC in subsequent years as Choreographic Fellows.

AXIS Company members in residence: Judith Smith [AXIS Artistic Director], Rodney Bell, Lisa Bufano, Margaret Cromwell, Sonsheree Giles, Alice Sheppard

Choreographers: Isabel Croxatto (Chile), Shinichi Iova-Koga, Alex Ketley, Kate Weare

Choreographic Mentors: Margaret Jenkins, Victoria Marks

Convening Participants: Rita Felciano [Writer/Critic], Jane Forde [National Dance Project/New England Foundation for the Arts], Mary Luft [Tigertail Productions], Jodee Nimerichter [American Dance Festival], Douglas Sonntag [National Endowment for the Arts], Todd Wingate [University of California Riverside], Jawole Willa Jo Zollar [Urban Bush Women]