Revolve Dance Project. Photos by Jon Doucette.
Revolve Dance Project (RDP) is presenting six world premieres of live music and dance on Sunday, July 21 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the RISD Auditorium in downtown Providence. Emerging choreographers have been working with composers to create the choreography to go along with composed live music. The event also includes a special performance by Indiana Woodward, a New York City Ballet Principal Dancer.
Revolve Dance Project celebrates young up-and-coming artists by pairing them together to create original works. “Our artists come from all different backgrounds and experiences, and we love to see that reflected in the performances,” says RDP Director Kirsten Evans, a professional dancer for fourteen years, who founded Revolve Dance Project.
We interviewed Evans about her extensive ballet career and Revolve Dance Project:
1. How did you first get involved with ballet and dance as a kid?
I found my love for dance watching my older sister in class at our local studio when I was just two years old. My first exposure to classical ballet was attending a Discover Dance performance of The Nutcracker at Festival Ballet Providence (now Ballet RI) when I was very young. As soon as I was old enough to audition for a children’s role in the show, I joined the cast and fell in love with ballet!
2. I know you were involved with Festival Ballet, now Ballet RI, for many years. What was that experience like?
Festival Ballet (now Ballet RI) was my home for twenty years. I trained in the school there before joining the company when I was eighteen. I even did a trainee-ship with the company during my senior year of high school. I feel so fortunate to have been supported and guided through a career that I am quite proud of, working my way up from trainee to performing principal roles with the company. Through my experience growing with the company, I saw many ups and downs, grew my own determination and discipline, and was even given the opportunity to learn a great deal about how running a nonprofit arts organization works, which has been immensely helpful in my work at Revolve Dance Project. Perhaps the best part of all, though, are the lifelong friendships I formed in those studios.
3. I know you have to be very disciplined to be a ballet dancer. How much time did you spend practicing a day/week?
The life of a ballet dancer definitely requires sacrifice. Every morning, dancers take a ninety-minute class to warm up and hone technique, followed by four to six hours of rehearsal five to six days per week. During performance weeks, there are twelve-hour theater rehearsals, and of course, the shows themselves are all additional time spent dancing.
4. Were there other strict guidelines you had to uphold to maintain your career?
Professional ballet really is a job that comes home with you. We are aware of every ache and pain in our bodies, and there are a lot! Taking care of your body as a performance requires physical therapy, injury maintenance, ice baths, the works. It’s not always as glamorous as it looks from the audience!
5. What made you want to establish your own dance company, Revolve Dance Project?
I have always been a musically-driven dancer. I just love the way dancing — or even watching dance — can make you hear music differently. Unfortunately, smaller ballet companies are not often able to feature live music for performances, and I was itching to collaborate with musicians and see how we could all grow from the experience. I started Revolve Dance Project as a platform for exploring these interdisciplinary partnerships where young professional composers and choreographers can work together to create world premiere collaborations. We have learned and grown so much in our first two seasons, and I can’t wait to bring Season 3 to the stage this summer!
6. Where can everyone see your dancers perform? Tell us about your upcoming event!
Revolve Dance Project Season 3 will take the stage at the RISD Auditorium in downtown Providence on Sunday, July 21 with shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Our evolving company of professional dancers and musicians will present six world premiere collaborations, with a special appearance by NYCB Principal Dancer Indiana Woodward. It’s all live music and dance, and tickets are only $15! We aim to bring the transformative experience of live music and dance to as many people as possible. Dance and music revolve around each other, and when experienced live, make artists of the audience themselves. I hope to see you at the theater! revolvedanceproject.com