2/3, MoToR/dance presents Water in the Kettle (World Premiere)

February 3 and 4 at 8pm, and February 4 at 5pm

MoToR/dance and Rhythmix Cultural Works present the World Premiere of “Water in the Kettle,” MoToR/dance’s first evening-length production, featuring Artistic Director Evie Ladin’s body music choreography (harmony singing, body percussion, rhythm dance). “Water in the Kettle” illuminates the maddeningly recurrent struggles of modern women, and the country, with intention, humor, and rhythm. We put water on to boil when we organize, commiserate, work, celebrate, refuel. The multigenerational ensemble – women raised by feminist mothers, still fighting the same fights – harmonizes over polyrhythmic body music, “I just might soak it up and some.” Put some water on, we have a lot to discuss.

Ladin explains, “Appalachian culture contains the first American-born traditions, a true mix of Black, Brown and White, foundational to American culture.” In a country built on slavery and genocide while professing equality, the old songs gain new interpretation. “Water in the Kettle is a volatile lament,” says Ladin, “Decades after the civil rights and feminist movements, this backwards slide…we sing overlapping ‘trouble all the time’ songs, trouble of the heart, the mind, the gut, danced to an underlying 6/4 rhythm that came here from Africa.” America, they ask “What you gonna do with the baby-o? You tell me cause I don’t know.”

At Rhythmix Cultural Works, the audience is close, as in a village square. Layering rhythmic systems in hands, feet and body, adding three+part harmonies, MoToR/dance illustrates a collective consciousness, a precision requiring performers to listen intently to each other. “It’s an explosion of molecules as we reach a boiling point.”

MoToR/dance is Ladin, Valerie Gutwirth, Keira Armstrong, Tammy Chang , Kristen DeAmicis, Heather Arnett and Sydney Lozier. Additional performers include chorus members JJ Hansen, Cynthia Mah and Linda Carr, and musicians Amber Hines (vocal, percussion) and Lisa Berman (vocal, banjo, slide guitar).

$15-$40.

Presented by MoToR/dance.

https://www.rhythmix.org/events/motordance-2023-1/