Communion
Communion is an experimental video art response to the isolation and uncertainty we are all facing as artists and humans in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. Because dancers can no longer breathe together, touch, or share the experience of movement within the physical studio, Communion invites 40 dancers, separated by physical distance and the pandemic, into a digital space to commune together.
Each unique duet is created from videos by two different dancers who are separated by cities, countries, and sometimes continents. Artist Janessa Clark combines these videos to create virtual duets which is set to music donated by a composer who is also collaborating remotely.
When Janessa started COMMUNION, the 40 incredible artists and 8 accomplished composers featured in the project generously agreed to share their time and creativity without any certainty of a fee. HERE has made a small contribution for the artists in order to share this work with you, but they deserve more support. Please consider making a donation of any size in appreciation of their artistry. When you click here and donate, your support will go directly to the artists. Thank you for communing with us.
Communion will be screened in person at HERE’s Mainstage from June 3-19, 2021. Reservations are required and attendees will be asked to fill out a health questionnaire, have their temperature taken at the door, and will need to wear a face mask and social distance while at HERE.
If you make a donation of $50 or more, you will receive a free limited-edition art print from one of the Communion duets. Art prints will also be available for sale in the box office. Please contact tickets@here.org if you have any questions.
Watch a new duet for free on Facebook every Friday at 1pm! Facebook: bit.ly/HERElive
Duet # 1 Janessa Clark (Brooklyn, NY) & Laura Peterson (Brooklyn, NY) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 2 Leslie Kraus (Norman, OK) & Ogbitse Omagbemi (Berlin, Germany) Composer: Anne Müller (Berlin, Germany)
Duet # 3 Gerald Casel (Santa Cruz, CA) & Peiling Kao (Honolulu, HI) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 4 Ori Flomin (New York, NY) & Helena Franzén (Stockholm, Sweden) Composer: Fatrin Krajka (New York, NY)
Duet # 5 Gesine Moog (Stockholm, Sweden) & Yutaka Nakata (Lille, France) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 6 Benoît Lachambre (Montreal, Canada) & Dan Safer (Preston Hollow, NY) Composer: Sxip Shirey (New York, NY)
Duet # 7 Julian Barnett (Burlington VT) & Takahiro Yamamoto (Portland, OR) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 8 Jennifer Nugent (Brooklyn, NY) & Kendra Portier (College Park, MD) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 9 Gus Solomons, jr. (New York, NY) & Guy Whitney (New York, NY) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 10 Wendell Gray II (Atlanta, GA) & Catie Leasca (Salem, MA) Composer: Major Andres Scurlock (New York, NY)
Duet # 11 Doug Elkins (New York, NY) & Sharon Estacio (Florence, Italy) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 12 Alice Klock (Whidbey Island, WA) & Kumar Ravi (Delhi, India) Composer: George Baldovin (Zagreb, Croatia)
Duet # 13 Ivy Baldwin (Putnam Valley, NY) & Saùl Ulerio (New York, NY) Composer: Tim ‘Love’ Lee (Wassaic, NY)
Duet # 14 jess pretty (Brooklyn, NY) & Jessie Young (Port Angeles, WA) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 15 Kimberly Bartosik (Brooklyn, NY) & Joanna Kotze (Brooklyn, NY) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 16 David Dorfman (New London, CT) & Jeanine Durning (Stockholm, Sweden) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 17 Aaron Lewis (Highland Park, NJ) & Jordan Lloyd (Brooklyn, NY) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Duet # 18 Jasmine Hearn (occupied land of the Karankawa and Atakpe people, Texas) & Catherine Kirk (unceded land of Lenape and Canarsie peoples, New York) Composer: Michael Wall (Salt lake City, UT)
Duet # 19 Kelly Bartnik (Brooklyn, NY) & Alexandra Beller (Brooklyn, NY) Composer: Michael Wall (Salt Lake City, UT)
Duet # 20 Rosalynde LeBlanc (Hawthorne, CA) & Colleen Thomas (New York, NY) Composer: David Shane Smith (Santa Fe, NM)
Running time for full project: 50 minutes, single channel, video
Note: All of the Communion performers and composers have donated their time and artistry to make this project possible. The work is dedicated to them and everyone who has struggled to cope during the Covid-19 pandemic. May these duets bring light to all. All music used with permissions. All rights reserved.