About Moontides in 23, 149 Parts
Through modern dance choreography set to contemporary rock ballads, Moontides in 23,149 Parts follows the story of “The Woman of Jermoondi” who escapes from her mundane life in rural Ohio by falling into a dream. In two acts, the Woman’s journey through sleep takes her into an underwater world that mimics the inner workings of her mind. Within this watery existence, she rediscovers a lost love—“The Man Who Smelled of Crushed Grapes,” and through emotionally charged modern dance performances, the audience witnesses a dreamlike representation of his struggle with addiction, and her fight to save him from it.
Moontides in 23,149 Parts further brings to life the mind’s powers by introducing “Thought Birds”—physical manifestations of thought who are able to interact with their human counterparts, move in synch with them, or independently from them. These Thought Birds add dimension to an already powerful love story by illustrating a spectrum of feelings through their movement.
“This piece presents a juxtaposition of two people who have trapped themselves—A woman who fears change and cannot break free from her mediocre life, and a man who is stuck in an unending cycle of addiction,” said Writer and Director Leslie Guyton. “Our hope is that by illustrating this struggle througha metaphorical dream world, Moontides will leave the audience with a sense of empowerment, and an awareness of the infinite possibility of change that lies within every human being.”
In addition to captivating choreography that ranges from delicate, emotional movement to an explosive, acrobatic solo, Moontides in 23,149 Parts also features intricate costume pieces including textured, woven cages that mask the faces of the Thought Birds, and eye-catching props such as the “glass umbrella” used by the show’s narrator.
THE MOVEMENT WORKSHOP GROUP’s work is inspired by the work of famed German Choreographer Pina Bausch. Of the group's creative process, Choreographer Liza Hostetler-Ingalls said, "Moontides is unique in our body of work. Each piece within the show is distinctive in how it came to life - one starting with the imagery that appeared in my mind while first listening to a song, another starting with a movement phrase that came from a cast member's improvisation." By prompting her dancers to improvise based on
designated emotions, viewpoints, and thoughts, Hostetler-Ingalls builds off of their impromptu movement to create the piece.
