UnRavelled
UnRavelled tells the story of a woman, Dr. Anne Adams, who had Primary Progressive Aphasia a type of frontotemporal dementia. As the disease progressed, she became more and more prolific in painting, inspired by the music of Ravel's Bolero to create this beautiful painting. The play tells her story.
I was invited by UnRavelled’s director, Jake Broder to add a dance component to the US premiere, February 25, 2021.
Jake and I connected and were inspired by the beautiful connection of sound and visual art and wished to honor Anne in the launch of this work, by adding movement. As part of this virtual launch and joined by a wonderful group of intergenerational dancers, we co-created a group dance inspired by the painting, the music of Ravel’s Bolero and this profound story.
Bolero
Choreography and concept: Magda Kaczmarska
Video editing: Chris Bravo
Music: Le Boléro de Ravel par l'Orchestre National de France
Created with dancers:
Davonna Batt, Hilary Brown-Istrefi, Myna Majors, Sarah Monks, Rowena Richie, Sandra Rivera, Jamie Robinson, Carrie Stern, Naomi Worob
And guest participants:
Gloria Aguirre, Petronilla Battista, Chris Bravo, Mary Ann Brehm, Elizabeth Maria Caraballo, Juniper Caraballo, Adolfo García, Sabrina Geoffrion, Griff Goehring, Rachel Kiekhofer, Luciano Mariano, Julie Ragland, Erica Sigal, Sandra Stratton-Gonzalez, Kuri Tituana, Meredith Wong
About UnRavelled Bolero
UnRavelled Bolero is a group dance performance created live with 25 intergenerational and multi-disciplinary performers on zoom. The dance was created as part of the US premiere (Feb. 25, 2021) of the new play by Jake Broder, "UnRavelled" and sponsored by the Global Brain Health Institute.
Incorporating research and interviews conducted by Jake Broder as a Hellman Visiting Artist at UCSF’s Memory and Aging Center, “UnRavelled” explores the fascinating connection between the work of Canadian painter Anne Adams (1940-2007) and French composer Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), both of whom lived with the same rare brain disease. According to GBHI co-director Dr. Bruce Miller, “Ravel and Dr. Adams were in the early stages of primary progressive aphasia, a form of frontotemporal dementia, when they were working. The disease apparently altered circuits in their brains, changing the connections between the front and back parts and resulting in a torrent of creativity.”
