Global Site Performance

Site-Specific

Encompassing the Equinox

Interactive Video

The dandelion puffball represents the unity of the “solo seed” dancers while in various locations around the globe. Click on the puffball to start viewing.

The 44 Solo Seeds of Equinox

Equinox Dance 2024

September 22, 2024

This year, the Equinox took place on the 22nd day of September, at 44 minutes after the hour. I love numbers and I know I wanted to celebrate this auspicious time. The Equinox marks the precise moment when day and night are of equal length, occurring exactly between the two solstices. This event is experienced simultaneously across the globe. This is why we’ve chosen to highlight the number 44 in both the number of dancers and the seconds of our dance—emphasizing the universal harmony that the Equinox represents.

Our team included Seungkyo Jung from South Korea, Elina Sargysan from Armenia currently living in Minnesota, and Andrea Hanson who grew up in Hong Kong and Seoul and is a Senior at St. Olaf College in Minnesota. When discussing our project earlier this fall, they came up with the idea that the 44 dancers would send in their 44-second dance videos ahead of time, and during the Equinox, we would show the premiere!

In addition to our Film Premiere (edited by Elina and Andrea!), we were led in a ritual by Bogyeol Choi from South Korea, at the exact moment of the Equinox, 44 minutes after the hour. Bogyeol runs a School for Community Dance in Seoul, and I met her last October when she invited me to South Korea to choreograph community dances. At the Zoom gathering on Sunday, the participants discussed how we each find balance in our lives, and how we can, as a gathered community, together encompass the Equinox. Dancers also shared about the spot they chose to film their video; a place where they felt balance. We were delighted to have over 80 participants from all over the world, including dancers from Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America!

While the Zoom community was open to all, the dancers themselves were all women. When women stand together, we create a global resonance of coherence. By coming together, we can be creators of goodness, unity, and positive change through the vibrations we emit. Our aim was to radiate balance, peacefulness, and positive alignment, making a meaningful impact on ourselves and the planet.

Our 44 Dancers: Alys Ayumi Ogura, Andrea Hanson, Annie Holcombe, Antinea Jimena, Barbara Bauer, Bernadette Knaeble, Carey Siriani, Carol Gariano, Catherine Baumgartner, Catherine Brennan, Christine Mantey, Dany Dhen, Deborah Heltzer, Debra Donaldson, Elina Sargsyan, Emily Higgins-Norberg, Geum Jung Kwon, Gizelle Salame, Halunaa, Holly Anne, Ioanna Koutiva, Jennifer Elam, Jessica Abejar, June Beyer, JungYoon Kim, Keren Brown, Louise Miner, Maren Waldman, Maria Sangiorgi, Mary Lee Sanders, Mary Willmeng, May Kesler, Millie Baker, Mindy Levokove, Natasha Alhadeff-Jones, Sarah Arnett, Seungkyo Jung, Smile Garcia, Sujin Yeo, Tara Stepenberg, Tracy Moroney, Tricia Mary Lee, Victoria Day, Wendy Morrell

Call of the Columns

Call of the Columns ~ September 2023

On the Autumnal Equinox in 2023, local dancers created a site-specific performance at the National Arboretum in Washington DC. Our intention was to send positive energy toward all those who work in government in the DC area. The dancers held positive regard for each other, as they created the repertoire for our dance. The three groups (the stairs, the pool, the columns) worked independently to create specific movements in a cooperative manner. These three dances were woven together by the director.

The music was composed by Lee Blaske for the 1991 Autumnal Equinox performance choreographed by Hardenbergh at the Farmers Market in Minneapolis, titled “Urban Sky Harvest”. How lovely to be able to use Lee Blaske’s composition for an Equinox dance a second time. The music continues to be wonderfully appropriate.

Dancers: Kathy Wallens, Roberta Geier, Reena Bernards, Anne Hoover, Ken Shilling , Abby Crowley, Peggy Hoffman, Sharon Werth, Marcia Freeman, Gretchen Dunn, Sherry Mitchell.

Other creators: Tanya Gerich, Karen Scrivo
Music: Lee Blaske
Videography: Montana Monardes

Directed by Global Site Performance’s Marylee Hardenbergh

Global Water Dances 2023

  • Site: Nicollet Island on the Mississippi River, Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
  • Music: Nicolas Sota Urrea
  • Videography: Caitlin Hammel

All over the world, on six continents on the same day, dancers performed the Global Section of the dance, and in Minneapolis, our focus on a local water quality issue involved how much salt Minneapolis puts into the Mississippi River, adding to the dead zone in the gulf of Mexico. The salinization destroys important phytoplankton. In our Minneapolis section, the dancers portrayed how the Downriver partners had no power over what the upriver folks put into the water; then the downriver dancers requested the upriver dancers to please reduce the amount of salt flowing into the river, and became better friends/partners, going through the sculptural arch of The Bell of Two Friends.

 We signed the petition from the Friends of the Mississippi River. calling for reduced use of salt on the highways. You, too, can sign the petition.

Sign the petition to “salt smart” to help our friends downriver.
It takes just a tiny amount of road salt to irreversibly pollute 5 gallons of water
Scan this QR code to sign the petition to support smart salting measures that can reduce salt pollution, keeping our Mississippi River healthier.

Tree Trunk Dance

Tree Trunk Dance

Performed May 14, 2022 and premiered October 27, 2022

Dancers: Holly Johnson, Lori Mercil, Ginny Belden-Charles, Janet Smith, Teri McNamara, Susan Horowitz, Alys Ayumi Ogura, Denise Tennen, Millie Baker, Rae Eden Frank, Hoang-Uyen Wing Nguyen, Louise Miner, and Amy Campbell Lamphere

Music: Bartholomäus Traubeck

Film editing: Montana Monardes

Created by Marylee Hardenbergh

Traubeck uses actual tree trunk slices to create music.
https://vimeo.com/traubeck/years

Equinox: Moment of Balance

A dance held around the world at the exact same moment in celebration of the Autumnal Equinox.

Original score composed by Nate Gebhard and Morgan Schoonover.

Slideshow

Dancers

Abby Fiat, Alba Vieira, Andrea Beeman, Ann Stanton, Ann Way, Ann Walsh, Annie Kirschenmann, Annmarie Pittman, Antinea Jimena, Antja Kennedy, Barbara Fahringer, Belkiss Amorim, Barbara Bobrowitz, Beth Giles, Carey Sirianni, Carin Torp, Carla de Sola, Carol Raymo, Catherine Cisneros, Chalmers Hardenbergh, Charline Tocchi, Christina-Marie Sears, Christine Vozella, CJ Domasig, Catherine Baumgartner, Christine Jones, Dara Haddow, , Dany Lima, Dawn Browne, Debra Donaldson, E. ConnorKelly, Elise Mennie-Duncan, Elise Risher, Frances Sablan & Callem Torres, Ginny Belden-Charles, Gloria Farrow, Haruna Tsuchiya, Ioanna Koutiva, Jan Hoistad, Jan Smith, Janet Langhorst, Jean Ando, Jennifer Payne, Jody Wager, Juni Endo, Kyla Koontz, Kathleen Wesselman, Kathryn Wiseman, Liesi Shannon, Linda  Gorham, Linda Lee Soderstrom, Louise Miner, Lorraine Farmer, Lydia Morgan, Maren Waldman, Maria Sangiorgi,  Marilyn Follett, Marilyn Habermas-Scher, Mary Hartnett, Mary Kamp, Mary Moncrieff, Mary Scott, MaryBeth Hraniotis, Marylee Hardenbergh, Mary Lee Sanders, Mindy Levokove, Moira Jackson, Nancy Cosgriffm Natasha Alhadeff-Jones, Norma Fernanda Rodríguez Vásquez, Orit Sonia Waisman, Paige Speers, Pam Margules, Pamla Wood, Pat Fisher, Paula  Coyne, Rachel Ramm, Raimonda Boriani, Rita Dunlop, Riina Koivisto, Rosemary Iliadi-Ellis, Sarah Campbell Arnett, Shannon Michaela Doree Smith, Sue Orkand, Susan Horowitz, Susan Kierr, Tara Steppenberg, Tracy Moroney, Tricia mary Lee, Teri McNamara, Vannia Ibarguen, Victoria Day, Virginia Hill, Wildy Self, Wendy Morrell, and Willow Wildheart

 

The names in Italics represent the dancers who danced with us yet were not videoed. (Deep apologies for any missing names; please tell me and I will correct this list.)