Reine Rien (2001)

Premiered: Williamsburg Art Nexus (WAX), NYC, 2001

Choreography & Direction: Dawn Stoppiello in collaboration with the performers
Videography, Music & Direction: Mark Coniglio
Lighting Design: Susan Hamburger
Costume Design: Akiko Sato, Katrin Schnabl
Performers: Danielle Goldman, Lisa Herlinger-Thompson, Michou Szabo and Sandra Tillett.

Commissioning Partners: Puffin Foundation, NYFA – NYARF

Photo Credit: Piro Patton

DESCRIPTION

Reine Rien is an abstract, conceptual work inspired by the meditative aspects of the expansive flatlands and distant horizons of the American Midwest. The name comes from the juxtaposition of two French words that, literally translated, read as “Queen Nothing”, and was created using a method where the choreographer had no specific intention but instead trusted that through the artistic process, a subconscious knowledge would reveal itself.

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS

Watch Full Performance Video (15m)

REVIEWS

“Video trees yield to water. The sound of footsteps emerges through vaguely medieval music; flies suddenly buzz… when [the dancers] stop their tangential curving movements and make small gestures, trees flicker away and voices die. Dancing makes virtual rainfall… very handsome, out-flung movement”. – Deborah Jowitt, Village Voice

“Multimedia mavericks Troika Ranch have created an oxymoron: warm, glowy conceptual art. The movement of the dancers, who were wired to a computer, releases both music (insect swarms, quasi-Gregorian chants, a splatter of rain) and a beautiful idea – that whole cities of sound are immanent in the air, and human motion makes them visible.” – Apollinaire Sherr, Village Voice