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Abby's mission is to share her zeal for modern dance with the unlikely and occasionally resistant dance viewer and participant - to take modern dance beyond its niche audience by making work that is accessible without compromising its artistic intention. She employs anyone brave enough to invest in her projects, isn't real keen on auditions, and deeply appreciates what the untrained dancer can intuitively bring to the stage. Her work typically involves large groups of people from a multitude of backgrounds, of diverse ages, shapes and sizes. The theatric, oftentimes comical nature of her dances and the risks her work takes, helps to redefine what makes a dancer, and moreover, what makes a dance, while drawing a new community of dance-viewers to the art form.
Abby was recently awarded a fourth grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to help fund the Built on Stilts Dance Festival. The Martha's Vineyard Cultural Council is a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Fabulous performers in Abby's work have included the following:
In New York
Mike Allen
Michael Andrews
Mayumi Ando
Cary Baker
Ty Baldwin
Jill Barnes
Lauri Berritta
Sandi Berman
Nicholas Bodkin
Jessie Bohl
Rebecca Bone
Nicolle Bradford
Jonathan Ciccarelli
Josie Carbone
Layla Childs
Alexis Cohn
Jen Cooke
Aisha Dacosta
Adam Davidson
Johnny De Arden
Megan DeMarkis
Julya Denholm
Danielle Dicamillo
Molly Dickerson
Natacha Dockery
Katie Federowicz
Carlo Fiorletta
Sara Edwards
Justin Francavilla
Rebecca Frank
Erin Galligan
Patricia Dominguez
John Grauwiler
Alex Greenshields
Sherry Greenspan
Brigitte Griswold
Hilary Grubb
Marissa Gruneberg
Sarah Gullo
Richard Harrington
Anne Harris
Eric Hoffman
Josh Howard
Marcelle Hopkins
Addie Johnson
Jason Jones
Kate Kaminski
Elissa Kammer
Lisa Kasimow
Chelsea Knight
Britt Lamoureux
Jeong-min Michelle Lee
Danielle Loustau-Williams
Kenneth Lang
Betty Law
Lena Lewellyn
Anna Luckey
Maureen McLaughlin
Stacey Menchel
Elizabeth Merida
Mandana Mofidi
Christie Mueller
Cree Nevins
Yuka Ogata
Janesssa Olsen
Katie O'Neil
Reshma Patel
Jen Pearcy
Julia Peck
Ydelca Perez
Craig Peterson
Anne Palmer
Estee Pierce
Shelley Pinard
Adam Pollock
Jodi Reiter
Sonya Robbins
Natasha Ross
Melissa Sanfiorenzo
Cesarina Santos
Zoe Scheiber
Marissa Schoenfeld
Leanne Schmidt
Sarah Seely
Jessica Seeman
Mahdi Shah
Ean Sheehy
Aki Shidara
Miya Signor
Bathsheba Squires
Emily Taradesh
Sam Tiegan
Saori Tsukada
Kathyrn Tuman
Tradon Turner
Hubie van Riel
Rachael Vacharasovan
Cristiano Veracosa
Tommy Wilkinson
Crystal Willis
Zoe Wolff
Edmund Young
On Martha's Vineyard
Jilana Abrams
Sara Ahren
Bonnie Alexander
Cameron Alexander
Flo Alexander
Tilly Alexander
Rhonda Backus
Cary Baker
Colleen Carroll
Layla Childs
Jen Cooke
Lori Cunningham
Courtney Daly
Meredith Dillon
Alyson Esposito
Katie Federowitz
Lara Forman
Amy Jardin
Laura Sargent Hall
Erika Hughes
Alexis Iammarino
Ilona Kamens
Roberta Kirn
Margaret Knight
Judy Kranz
Anna Luckey
Anita Macfarlane
Alexis Major
Mary Esther Malloy
Ashley Mondrick
Lily Morris
Kelly Peters
Sonya Robbins
Marissa Schoenfeld
Liz Schneiter
Jessica Seeman
Lilah Steece
Sharon Strimling
Sofi Thanhauser
Holly Thomas
Tommy Wilkinson
Alison Wilson
Zoë Wolff
In Canada
Katie Fitzgerald
Paige Henry
Hayley Higdon
Alaynna Miller
Mel Stuckey
Meghan Westerman
Abby has also had the pleasure of working with the following artists as colloborators on past projects:
Akil Kraja and Loch Philips of Offramp Films, Ryan McFaul, Jeremy Wilson, Jill Barnes, and Cree Nevins (film)
Oliver Butler, Matthew Dean, Paul Duffy, Ijeoma Iheanacho,Tommy Wilkinson (sets)
Sydney Maresca, Sarah Cant, Tradon Turner, Emily Taradesh (costumes)
Click here to E-mail Abby with any questions or if you're interested in participating in future projects. Past participants are invited to provide website links to their names listed below. Please send your requests...
Adam Pollock & Erin Galligan in Flash Dance, from Monsters & Mirrors; hevy at play,2003
Saori Tsukada, Jen Pearcy & Abby Bender, clowning around in Joyous, a circus,2003
Ty Baldwin, Sherry Greenspan, Saori Tsukada & Jason Jones in Flash Dance, 2003
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as a flasher and as a mean chicken
Abby Bender Schmantze Theatre's Zerosum
a harmlessly interactive night of dance and gaming
premiered May 30-June 1 and June 5-8, 2008.
Conceived by Abby Bender and Jeremy Wilson
With original music by Eli Orling
Costumes and sets by Emily Taradash and Abby Bender
Choreographed and performed by Abby Bender, Rebecca Bone**, Lyz Merida, Shelley Pinard, Natasha Ross, Rebecca Frank, Sarah Seely, Jonathan Ciccarelli, Katie Federowicz, Sara Edwards, Julia Peck, Justin Francavilla, Kate Kaminski, Katie O’Neill*, Reshma Patel, Ydhelca Perez, Bathsheba Squires, Tradon Turner, Marisa Gruneberg and Johnny De Arden
Abby Bender Schmantze Theatre's
GUTTERBALL (a wilderness)
premiered in May, 2007 and was resurrected for Freefest in September and another full run in October, 2007.
Conceived and choreographed by Abby Bender in partership with the performers: Josie Carbone, Adam Davidson, Danielle DiCamillo,Sara Edwards, Katie Federowicz, Marcelle Hopkins, Kate Kaminski, Ken Lang, Lyz Merida, Mandana Mofidi, Christi Mueller, Janessa Olsen, Katie O'Neill, Reshma Patel, Julia Peck, Natasha Ross, Melissa SanFiorenzo, Bathsheba Squires, Emily Taradash, Tradon Turner, Pedro Jimenez and Tommy Wilkinson with collaborations on costumes with Emily Taradash, video with Akil Kraja and Loch Phillipps, sound with John McCloskey and sets with Paul Duffy. Lighting Design by Andrew Dickerson.
Click HERE for a review of the show!
Abby recently premiered The Dopple Gang at Built on Stilts in August with Katie Federowicz, Laura Sargent Hall and Roberta Kirn and Melon (PantyExplosion IV) a work not necessarily in progress at Triskelion in June as part of WAXworks. The piece starrred the lovely Alexis Cohn, Katie Federowicz, Jessica Gaynor, Hilary Grubb, Marisa Gruneberg, Jeong-min Michelle Lee, Lyz Merida, Jo Morris, Jackie Moynahan, Christi Mueller, Zoe Scheiber as well as chickens large and small playing with various fruits and all clad in superhero panties. It was awesome.
Click here for press, audience feedback and dancer's testimonials
Danielle Loustau-Williams and Alexis Cohn in "Septic Crisis" at The Yard in July '06 on Martha's Vineyard. "Septic Crisis" was seen again in October 06' at Triskelion as part of The New WPA's FreeFest and on Dec. 9th, '06 at the Triskelion Benefit. Originally crafted for Built on Stilts in 2000 and rebuilt for "Monsters and Mirrors" in 2003, this piece has been redeveloped several times and further incarnations are likely to come.
Abby's 2006 monster, ZOO,
was a comic, weird and mournful tale of crime and ultimate redemption that premiered May 11-13, 18-20, 2006. ZOO featured lighting design by Brian Aldous, sets and costumes by Abby Bender, TraDon Turner and Ijeoma Iheanacho and was performed by Kenneth Lang, Marisa Gruneberg, Jackie Moynahan, Hilary Maia Grubb, Megan Demarkis, TraDon Turner, Janessa Olsen, Josie Carbone, Jessica Seeman, Tommy Wilkinson, Kate Kaminski, Marissa A. Schoenfeld, Cristiano Veracosa, Danielle Loustau-Williams, Carlo Fiorletta, Abby Bender, Rachael Vacharasovan, Yuka Ogata, Julia Peck, and Katie O'Neill
 Dig Deep was nominated for Time Out NY's Dance Audiences Award in summer of 2004 and was one of twenty finalists. Abby's June, 2004 evening-length program, DIG DEEP-a little experiment, premiered at Triskelion. The piece, performed to sold-out houses for its six-show run, dealt directly with the choreographer's artistic mission, forcing a hard look at the fine line between dance audiences and performers. Bender's first foray into writing alongside choreography, DIG DEEP, with its comical, sincere and often surprising approach to a staged audience's experience of dance, had a powerful impact on its viewers, many of whom came back for second and even third shows. A multi-faceted exploration of the tensions, dependancies, and idiosyncracies implicit in the performing arts' relationship to its audiences, DIG DEEP was bold and refreshingly timely in this age of oftentimes inaccessible "high-art".
Dig Deep featured films by Jill Barnes, music by Drew Heller, lighting by Brian Aldous and an incredibly diverse cast of actors and dancers including: Patricia Dominguez, Jill Barnes, Josie Carbone, Jodi Reiter, Mike Andrews, Megan Demarkis, Carlo Fiorletta, Britt Lamoureux, Hilary Grubb, Danielle Loustau-Williams, Richard Harrington, Jason Jones, Kate Kaminski, Edmund Young, Crystal Willis, Kenneth Lang, Aki Shidara, Tradon Turner, Marisa Gruneberg, Lauri Berritta, Natacha Dockery, Saori Tsukada, and Tommy Wilkinson.
Abby joined the University of Western Ontario's Dance Company during her Canadian stint in 04-05. She was delighted to work with such youthful and athletic dancers on a damn good revision of her tutus piece. She also performed in the work of several company members.
Visit the photo album for Abby's work
DANCE HISTORY
Works:
The Dopple Gang, Built on Stilts, Martha's Vineyard, MA. August, 2007
Melon (PantyExplosionIV) a work not necessarily in progress, WAXworks at Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY, June 2007
Gutterball, a wilderness, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY, May 2007
Opus Ten, Rumpus 9,999, Built on Stilts, Martha's Vineyard, MA, 2006
Sleeping Giants, August 2005, Built on Stilts, July 2007, The Yard, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Piqued March 19th, 2005, University of Western Ontario Dance Company performance, London, Ontario, July 2007, The Yard, Martha's Vineyard, MA, October 2006, Free Fest at Triskelion Arts
Septic Crisis, July 2007, The Yard, October 2007, FreeFest at Triskelion Arts
ZOO, April 2006, October 2006, Triskelion Arts
Light Falls on Everything, co-choreographed with Laura Sargent Hall, (d), August 2004, Built on Stilts, Martha's Vineyard, MA
The Royal We, co-choreographed with Nora Laudani, August 2004, Built on Stilts, Martha's Vineyard, MA
DIG DEEP--a little experiment, June, 2004, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY
Speak my language, August 2003, Built on Stilts, Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Bedtime Poems, June 2003, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY
Joyous a Circus, May 2000, Dance Theater Workshop, New York City; revised (d) June 2003, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY
Septic Crisis Surcharge, August 2000, Built on Stilts, Martha’s Vineyard, MA; revised June 2003, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn
Serenade, June 2003, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY
Flash Dance, June 2002, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY; revised 2003, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY
Piqued, August 2002, Built on Stilts, Martha’s Vineyard, MA; revised December 2002, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY
Locus (Built on Stilts Group Collaboration), August 2002, Built on Stilts, Martha’s Vineyard, MA
3 Piece Suit/e, May 1994, Bard College; revised (d) June 2001, WAX, Brooklyn, NY
50 Times Your Natural UVB Sunburn Protection, August 2001, Built on Stilts, Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Float?, August 1999, Built on Stilts, Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Shadow (KICK STAND Collaboration), August 1999, Built on Stilts, Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Mostly Heroes, May 1998, Context Studios, New York City; revised (d) December 1998, Bard College
Garden, August 1998, Built on Stilts, Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Sail Away on the Island Queen, August 1997, Built on Stilts, Martha’s Vineyard, MA; excerpted July 1999, Knoxville, TN
Let’s grow old and die together, August 1997, Built on Stilts, Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Breathe Loudly and Wake Up,, May 1995, Bard College
Swing my Arms, May 1995, Bard College
Pleased the Ice is Broken, May 1995, Bard College
Circus of Souls, (Collaboration with Anna Luckey) May 1995, Bard College
Crusaders in the Groove, December 1994, Bard College
Wide Bone Spill, May 1994, Bard College
Excerpt, August 1994, Block Island Arts Festival
Tantalus at Rest, November 1993, Bard College; December 1993, the Bardivon, Rhinebeck, NY
Dark so early these days, November 1993, Bard College
Where Elephants Waltz Through, May 1992, Bard College
Wait, May 1992, Bard College
Performances in others’ work:
Bird, Bath and Beyond by Laura Sargent Hall, Little Loves by Katie Federowicz, Where does it begin? by Sara Ahren, Built on Stilts, Martha's Vineyard, MA, August, 2007
Circus of Do's and Dont's, by Cirque This, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY, April 2006
Filtered by Jackie Moynahan, Dixon Place, New York, NY, January 2006
Unlikely Love by Autumn Anna Luckey, Haute Air by Laura Sargent Hall, Built on Stilts, Martha's Vineyard, MA, August, 2006
Number Ten Dream by Hilary Maia Grubb, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY, June 2006
Sleeping with Cirque This, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY, June 2006
Beauty and the Feast by Laura Sargent Hall, Triskelion benefit, December 2005 and Built on Stilts, August 2005;The Three Little Pigs by Nora Laudani, Lift Me Up by Alexis Major, and Se vuelve siempre al amour by Anna Luckey, Built on Stilts, August 2005;
Gershwin Variations by Wendy Taucher and Carly Simon, The Yard, August 2005;
Four company works by Donna Peterson, Katie Fitzgerald and Shawna Eisenstat, University of Western Ontario Dance Company performance, March 19th, 2005, London, Ontario
Undone by Autumn Anna Luckey, Built on Stilts, August 2004; Cirque This!'s, Elemental Town, Triskelion Arts, May, 2004, Mimesis by Cary Baker, Triskelion Arts, October 2003; Not so Sweet Nothings by Alexis Iammarino and Bounce by Laura Sargent Hall, Built on Stilts, August 2003; Stethoscope by Sonya Robbins and Running by Anna Luckey, Triskelion Arts, June 2002; Bananavan by Anita McFarlane and Summer of my Discommode by Laura Sargent Hall, Built on Stilts, 2002; Interstice by Anna Luckey, WAX, June 2001; Pep Squad, Football Squad and Mod Squad by Laura Sargent Hall, Rich and Famous by Anita McFarlane, Belong by Sara Ahren, and Color Code by Anna Luckey, Built on Stilts, August 2001; De La vie a La Mort by Mary Esther Malloy, Built on Stilts, August 2000; I am running because I like to go forward by Anna Luckey, Dance Theater Workshop, May 2000 and at St. Mark’s Church, December 2000; Supper by Cary Baker, Dance Theater Workshop, May 2000 and at Mulberry Street Theater, Fall 2000; Present by Aisha Dacosta, Out of Many, One by Laura Sargent Hall, Birds of a Feather by Sally Cohn, and Unsung by Anna Luckey, August 1999, Built on Stilts; Biological Highlighter by Anna Luckey and Hatch by Cary Baker, Context Studios, May 1999; She loves me…by Anna Luckey, Built on Stilts, 1998; Do you see what I see? by Anna Luckey, Built on Stilts, 1997; Countless performances in the works of fellow students at Bard College many moons ago.
Dance Administration:
Co-founder/Director of KICK/STAND/DANCE, 1998-2004; Benefit Coordinator for KICK/STAND/DANCE, 1999-Current, Co-founder/Director of Triskelion Arts, 2000-2004;
Executive Director, Triskelion Arts, 2005-Current
Co-founder/Co-director of Built on Stilts Dance Festival, 1997-2001;
Executive Director, Built on Stilts Dance Festival, 2001-Current
Other Professional:
Panelist at Bard College "Life after Bard," 2005, Volunteer Dance instructor at the London, Ontario YMCA, October 2004-March 2005; Member of The University of Western Ontario Dance Company, London, Ontario,December 2004-March 2005, Panelist at Dance Theater Workshop’s panel discussion “For the Benefit of Benefits”, New York, NY 2004; Choreography for the two-man show Nharcolepsy by Chris Kauffman and Richard Harrington, New York, NY, 2003; Choreography for the Ukes of Hazzard premiere music video, New York, NY 2003; Community Dance Workshop leader and weekly instructor, Built on Stilts, Martha's Vineyard, MA, 2000-2002; Private party performance of Float?, Martha’s Vineyard, MA, 1999; Commissioned work of KICK STAND DANCE, Triskelion Festival, Knoxville, TN, 1999; Dance Instructor for community center, Columbus, OH, 1997-1998
Grants:
Personal grants: Stephen Hahn Foundation grant, 2003; Company grants: Stephen Hahn Foundation grant, 2001, 2002, Outer Space grant from Dance Theater Workshop and New York State Arts Council 2001, 2003, 2004, Opportunity Foundation grant, 2001,2002, Massachusetts Cultural Council grant for Built on Stilts Dance Festival, 2004, 2005
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RESIDENT COMPANIES AT TRISKELION
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