Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre Presents BORDERLESS a multicultural dance performance with live music

AUSTIN, Texas (May 29, 2024) - From June 28-29, Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre (AADT) will proudly present the premiere of Borderless at the Draylen Mason Music Studio at KMFA Classical 89.5. For this highly collaborative project in our 34th Season, AADT’s critically-acclaimed Founding Artistic and Producing Director Andrea Ariel brings together diverse multicultural artists and their ensembles to present an exhilarating evening of dance, theater and live music.

The performances create a “borderless” space for audiences to experience a rich collection of stories and experiences expressed through dance, theater and music centered around these questions: What connects us and what disconnects as humans across ethnicities and cultures? Each of the artistic partners have created new works around these inquiries with their ensembles (and other artists) that are woven together through choreography and music created in a collaborative process with artistic direction by Andrea Ariel.

The artistic partners featured in the project include Anuradha Naimpally (Austin Dance India), Luis Ordaz Gutiérrez (Proyecto Teatro), Jun “Sunny” Shen (Shen Jun Movement Effect), and Ciceley Fullylove (Independent dancer, choreographer and singer) and musicians/composers Frederico7, Claude McCan, Bruno Vinezof, Alán Uribe (members of Frederico7 y Los Primes and several other bands) and Rey Arteaga (Son y No Son). The project explores new experimentations within a collaborative creative process with a focus on multicultural expression and promises to bring a vibrant and inspiring experience to audiences.

The dances explore common threads of traditions that bridge our past and present, passed down through ritual, food, customs, and music; the community and shared joy experienced on a dancefloor through the anticipation of the beat and the collective groove; and the meaning of home, rebellion, and longing for freedom amidst family obligations, delving into the exploration of tradition versus modernity.

The performances will also include moments of live composition conducted by Andrea Ariel. Soundpainting is a unique sign language used to sculpt a composition in real time with improvising performers. Live composing adds mystery, increases anticipation and elevates excitement in performances in many different contexts.

About Andrea Ariel & Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre

Andrea Ariel is the Artistic Director of Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre, based in Austin, TX where she produces, choreographs, and performs works that are created in collaboration with artists working in dance, music, theater, poetry, film, media and visual art. Ariel has created over 50 original works since first forming the company in 1990. Recent productions include “Reimagine: Celebrating 30 Years” “Rally” and “Locked-In” following the highly- acclaimed “The Bowie Project”. Her work has been presented in Texas, California, Illinois, Arizona, New Mexico, Washington, and New York and she has been a recipient of numerous project support grants and commissions including 30 years of support from the City of Austin, Economic Development Dept. Honors for her work include special citations from the Austin Critics Table, The Sound and Vision Award (2017), for accomplishments in the realm of dance and a commitment to visionary cross-discipline work, and the Site for Sore Eyes and Ears Award (2016) for invigorating collaborations of dance and music in site-specific performance.

Ariel has collaborated with cross-disciplinary artists such as Frederico 7 y Los Primes, Graham Reynolds, Peter Stopchinski, Yuliya Lanina, Patrice Pike, The Golden Hornet Project, composer/conductor Walter Thompson, the Super Creeps, and NYC's Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble, and many more. Andrea Ariel is a Certified Multidisciplinary Soundpainter and Educator and has experimented with this form of live composition since 1998 and was instrumental in its development with creator Walter Thompson.

Andrea was selected as a Creative Ambassador for Dance in 2014 and 2019 representing the City of Austin in Milan, Italy and Madrid, Spain while participating in International Soundpainting Think Tanks working with artists from over seven countries. Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre is a recipient of the City of Austin’s Artist Access Program for the 2023- 2024 season and has been in residence this season at The George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center and the Asian American Resource Center where she held a series of free Community Voices Workshops inviting community member’s participation in a creative exploration for Borderless.

This project has been financed in part by the City of Austin’s Elevate Grant Program.