Ogden, Utah-- Good Company Theatre is pleased to present its first dance concert since opening in 2012, SPHERE: In Between. This limited engagement is collaboration with three dance troupes based in Ogden, and Salt Lake City: joBdance, LAJAMARTIN, and The Penguin Lady Dance Collective.
The second in an ongoing series of SPHERE concerts, SPHERE: In Between is a dance experience that adapts original choreography by Joseph Blake (joBdance), Laja Field and Martin Durov(LAJA MARTIN), and Natosha Washington (The Penguin Lady Dance Collective) to the unique setting of Good Company Theatre’s storefront alternative space. SPHERE was conceptualized as a coming together of three very distinct, bold, and innovative voices within the Utah dance community that immerses audiences in a captivating evening of raw physicality, nuanced emotion, and rich symbolism.
“Contemporary dance may be new to Good Company Theatre but we have been discussing it internally for years,” explains GCT Founder and Co-Director Alicia Washington. “It is truly exciting to work wih ambitious, creative choreographers and dancers who are enthusiastic about the possibilities of our theatre.”
SPHERE: In Between features a solo by joBdance, a duet by LAJAMARTIN, and a group number by The Penguin Lady Dance Collective. The concert is 70 minutes without intermission, and contains some adult language and themes. It is recommended for audiences aged 13 and over. Performances are Thursday, January 17, and Friday, January 18 at 8pm. Tickets are $20 at goodcotheatre.com or at the door before each concert.
Joseph “jo” Blake earned his M.F.A. from the University of Washington (2017) and B.F.A. from the University of Utah (‘03). As a member of the Salt Lake City-based Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, he taught and performed internationally for ten years dancing in works by such artists as Wayne McGregor, Carolyn Carlson, and Bill T Jones. joBdance is a conceptual, site-specific multidisciplinary dance company that he premiered in 2019. Blake is currently Assistant Professor of Dance at Weber State University.
LAJAMARTIN is a physical dance theatre company founded by Laja Field and Martin Durov. Originally from Salt Lake City and Slovakia respectively, the two met dancing for Johannes Wieland at the Staatstheater Kassel, Germany.In 2015, Durov and Field moved to NYC, and became founding members of VIM VIGOR dance company. There, they co-created and performed works in NYC, Santa Barbara for DanceWORKS at the Lobero Theatre and toured to Prisma Festival in Panama. Two years later the duo launched their own creative platform, LAJAMARTIN, and premiered at Joe's Pub Festival in NYC.
The Penguin Lady Dance Collective (TPLDC), lead by Natosha Washington, consists of professional performers, educators, and choreographers who are passionate about dance and movement. TPLCD's goal is to provide access for audience members of all backgrounds and ages to connect with and relate to the stories we tell through dance in professional concerts, interactive performances, and lecture demonstrations. Natosha Washington has been a choreographer and director her entire life, but professionally since 2004, after receiving her bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Modern Dance. Her choreography has been performed at the Kennedy Center, and by Repertory Dance Theatre, University of Utah’s Performing Dance Company, Brigham Young University’s and BYU-Idaho’s Contemporary Dance Theatre and Utah Valley University’s Dance Ensemble, Sunset Studio Company of West Virginia, and Saint Mary’s Hall Dance Company of Houston Texas.
