Ashley A. Friend
www.dancecore.org

Ashley A. Friend offers a dynamic, artistically daring, and modern experience of American dance.  ID-iloveamerica is a response to the current cultural climate, new technologies, and her travels around the United States.  As a contemporary dance choreographer since 2001 Friend has crafted a unique intricate and idiosyncratic movement vocabulary called the scary body.  Her work is compelling and mysterious, giving the viewer pause for personal interpretations and lasting impressions.  Since 2004 she has worked closely with live electronic music composer David Morneau.  Friend is also known for composing her own scores and developing sound-scapes to match the specificity of her choreography.

“Her dance is arresting and her strong tactile gestural movements are governed by a sensitive control of dynamics.”
– Michael Smith, Santa Barbara News Press

Touring Programs

ID-iloveamerica
Includes two 25-30 minute pieces: ID & Honey Flat
Tours with 1 dancer and 1 musician
(Live electronic music accompaniment by composer David Morneau)

These solo works are all based in reflection of self, other, and travels around the United States from 2008-2009.  There will be a short pause between pieces

ID demonstrates self-restraint, judgment, and ideals of home.

Honey Flat begins in a stark, dark, reflective state, elevates to exuberance, and ends in mental and physical tasks.

I Hate John
50 minutes, no intermission
Tours with 1 dancer and 1 musician
(Live electronic music accompaniment by composer David Morneau
I Hate John dips into the surreal and focuses the magnetism of observation and intention as the performer delves into a play of imagery and striking sound-scapes.

The Weaving Series
WEAVING 1, 2, 3, & 4
50 minutes, pauses between pieces
Tours with 1 dancer
Includes video projections
The Weaving Series is a string of solos that concentrate on intentionality of movement and the mind of the dancer. These dances focus on the puzzles of braiding and threading the limbs and experimenting with various media, video, and sound.

Background of The Weaving Series:
The pieces were inspired by the memory of visual artist, professor, gallery owner, and father Dennis Friend (1943-1976.) Mr. Friend died of Anthrax in January of 1976 from polluted Pakistani wool used in his weaving. He was 32 and his daughter, Ashley A. Friend, was six weeks old. Ms. Friend has currently finalized the fourth piece in the series; upon completion the entire Weaving Series will consist of 32 works in honor of Mr. Friends years. It is a life-long project where the possibility for new works continues to expand choreographically, philosophically, technologically, and the narrative is endless.

Territory: Tehachapi
*Ashley A. Friend is currently seeking a venue to premiere Territory: Tehachapi in the Fall of 2011 or Fall 2012.

This is an evening-length work that concentrates on narrative, sound, and ecstatic movement vocabulary. The piece is set to be a series of contradictions, from the sleek empty stage space to a messy and complicated environment, from a simple and direct narrative to the surreal, complex, and even meditative world of the known and unknown. Territory: Tehachapi is a glimpse through a microscope and a peer through a telescope at what everyone faces, questions, embraces, and curses: mortality.

Outreach

Ashley A. Friend is committed to expanding the modern dance community through teaching workshops and classes.  Her teaching includes modern dance technique and improvisational structures, as well as a choreography workshop that enables and empowers the students to create his/her own work.  It is informative to explore personal movement and signature style.  Friend teaches all ages, from 5 through adult, and from open community groups to professional dancers.  Her classes will suit your community and your need to dance!

One National or International week includes two adult community dance workshops.

One weekend US Performance includes one adult community dance workshop.