Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble Artistic Director and choreographer Sara Maslanka tells us about the evolution of "i bet you think this dance is about you," from solo work to full ensemble production. Here's what she told us:
Since 2001, Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble has presented multidisciplinary theater works with a focus on storytelling. These works include elements of theatre, music, movement, visual arts and literary text. "Getting Old Sucks" combines a variety of these elements along with an age-diverse cast to create a theater experience that we can all relate to. Such a vast variety of disciplines included in the creation of CDE's repertoire requires artists with equally diverse skill sets, making Scott and Michele the perfect pair to add to their list of creators. Scott currently serves as the Educational Manager at the Actors Gymnasium in Evanston, is an active contributor to the Improv Olympics and has earned a black belt in traditional martial arts from ISKA. Michele is an experienced director, performer and puppeteer currently working to hone her circus and movement skills in the Professional Training Program at the Actors Gymnasium. She has appeared in professional theater productions across Chicagoland with roles that include Seryohza in Anna Karenina at the Lifeline Theatre and Martha Washington in The American Revolution for Theatre Unspeakable. So how did these two dynamite artists create "Getting Old Sucks"? DancerMusic Dance Editor Kristi Licera caught up with Scott and Michele to learn more about the inspiration and creative process behind the production. Here's what they told us:
