Sierra Madre Playhouse Presents World Premiere of New Dance Work by Steven Atwater & Thomas Ford at Sierra Madre Playhouse

Los Angeles-based interdisciplinary dance artists Steven Atwater and Thomas Ford, hailed for their innovative integration of sound, embodiment, and technology, present the world premiere of their new thought-provoking evening-length work “In Search of an Exit,” which addresses otherness and belonging, in back-to-back performances on Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18, 2025, 7:30 pm, at Sierra Madre Playhouse. Through a compelling blend of movement and sound, “In Search of an Exit” reflects their shared commitment to dramatizing marginalized experiences and amplifying voices at the periphery. It offers a raw, immersive exploration of identity and community.  

Atwater and Ford use original sound scores, technology spanning mediated forms, and emergent movement vocabularies inspired by historically ostracized bodies and sci-fi folklore to build worlds in which the social, cultural and political entangle with the aesthetics of their collective histories. They have presented their work at such prestigious venues as the Joyce Theater and the Kennedy Center.  

Atwater’s choreographic work has been presented by Next@Graham (a Martha Graham Dance Company choreography series), Capezio A.C.E. Awards, Peridance APEX Showcase, and STEPS NYC Performance Lab. He is the founding director of companyONE, a pre-professional training program whose students have been accepted to BFA/dance programs at Ailey/Fordham, SUNY Purchase, Marymount Manhattan College and PACE University, and summer programs at The Rock School and American Ballet Theatre, among others. 

Ford, an Assistant Professor of Practice on the faculty of USC Kaufman, has established a versatile career as a writer, performer, educator, and curator.His choreographic work has appeared at the Joyce Theater, Symphony Space, Ailey Citigroup Theater, and the Kaye Playhouse, among others. He has taught at some of the dance field’s most prestigious institutions, including the Joffrey Ballet School (NY), Marymount Manhattan College, and Hunter College/CUNY. 

For tickets ($12-$35) and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.