Alexa Rittichier’s new work Collecting Ourselves gathers together the creative talents of seven current and alumni InterArts MFAS to explore the collective body of an ensemble. Her proposal to Performance Studies International 19 was accepted, and the ensemble will be traveling to Stanford University in June to perform their piece at the conference.

Rittichier describes the interdisciplinary work as an exploration of the collective body of an ensemble. “When bodies come together to form an ensemble, each person brings an individual kinesthetic awareness to the group,” says Rittichier. “From a place of divergent body histories, our group collects shared body memories and experiences, derived from the various practices of acroyoga, modern dance, rock climbing, Butoh, athletic conditioning, and sharing meals together.” She sees the work as a way to expand and extend the group’s shared times, and as a remembrance of the group history. “We are using our experiences to grow a shared body memory and contribute to the evolution of a collective body.

Members of the group include Lydia Feuerhelm (BA Dance, 2014), Jenny Garnett (Interarts Media MFA, 2012), Emily Rose, (current Dance/Movement Therapy + Counseling MA), Courtney St. Clair (current Dance/Movement Therapy + Counseling MA), Michael Chad St. John (Interarts Media MFA, 2012), and Don Widmer (InterArts Book + Paper MFA, 2012), led by Rittichier as Artistic Director. The ensemble is currently exploring various funding possibilities to enable them to travel to the conference with all members. For information on the project and opportunities for supporting the group, click here.

Video stills from rehearsals, photos by Alexa Rittichier.