WHALE (2018)

Choreographed by Alison Cook-Beatty
Music: John Cage, Litany for the Whale and Arvo Part, Fratres
Artwork: Sang-Hyun Chung
Updated Costume Design (2019): Adrienne Perry
Lighting Design: Tony Marques
Performance info: 8 dancers, 16 min and 4 sec.
Premiered at Salvatore Capezio Theater at Peridance on April 7th, 2018

WHALE (world premiere) is set to the music of John Cage and Arvo Part and is inspired by the New Zealand film The Whale Rider by Niki Caro and the paintings of Sang-Hyun Chung. In both the movie and the music there is a recurring theme of call and response that is infused into the choreography. The story follows: Only males are allowed to ascend to chiefdom in a Maori tribe in New Zealand. This ancient custom is upset when the child selected to be the next chief dies at birth. However his twin sister, Pai (dancer Ava Trochiano) survives.. She enlists the help of her grandmother (dancer Hannah Dillenbeck) to claim her birthright. But to break with convention, she’ll have to do the impossible: win over her ultra-traditional grandfather (dancer Gion Trechlier).

Photos by Paul B Goode