Motion State Arts presents Jenna Riegel: Varvara at Wilbury Theatre Group

Motion State Arts presents the Rhode Island premiere of Varvara, an explosive evening-length solo dance performance choreographed and performed by Jenna Riegel. A response to the life and art of Varvara Stepanova, the piece weaves together Riegel's world with Stepanova’s through an interplay of what is real and what is imagined. A prominent Russian Constructivist artist, Stepanova’s mediums include textiles, visual poetry, and costume and scenic designs. With video, humor, and bold physicality, Riegel unravels what it means to break, rebuild, and move with unruly freedom.

The work runs approximately 45 minutes and is performed in two parts with no intermission. Part one hones in on stylized bodily control, emphasizing the angular and geometric lines seen in Stepanova’s artwork through technical virtuosity and an industrialized movement vocabulary. Part two breaks free from the constraints of this kind of Meyerholdian view of the body and unleashes a wild, circular, and destabilized approach to the performance.

In addition, Riegel will be teaching a movement and text workshop on Sunday, November 8, 10am–12pm at Wilbury Theatre Group. Open to all levels and experiences, the workshop will delve into an embodied exploration of the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which posits that damage does not ruin an object, but makes it more beautiful through its repair. Admission is $20. Info/registration: motionstatearts.org