In May 2015, the YDC company members visited the Whitney Museum of American Art to get inspiration for their next project. They saw several pieces of work and took their ideas back to the studio. They settled on an installation by Karen Klimnick and began composition on what became to be know as The Family Project.
In November 2015 young dance collective was invited to present The Family Project as a work in progress at MassMoCA. As part of the collaboration with MassMoCA, artist Jamie Diamond, known for her photographic representations of constructed families, directed a photo session in which the company members dressed as their mothers. Working with Jamie continued the visual art influence of the YDC project and we are thrilled to have used the images created with Jamie Diamond in the final presentation of the show.
On Thursday, January 19th and Friday, January 20th, the day before and of the 2017 presidential inauguration, cullen+them presented young dance collective’s The Family Project in the theater at New York Live Arts.
We were told by many of the audience members that this full evening of original work based on family dynamics, relationships, ancestry and life experience, felt incredibly relevant at that particular moment. With the myriad of changes happening in our young artists individual lives and in the world around them, we know it was an empowering experience for them and their families. The day after the performance, the members of young dance collective, many of their parents, Hannah and Kim boarded a bus to attend the Women’s March on Washington.
The Family Project Collaborator and Production Team:
Original Composition and Sound Design: Austin Guerrazzi
Lighting Design: Laura Mroczkowski
Production Management: popboompow/David Taylor
Photo and Video: Em Watson
Performance Photos and Video: Jamie Diamond
