Headlong Dance Theater
Headlong Dance Theater
1170 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
Tel/Fax (215) 545-9195
Email us at: info@headlong.com
www.headlong.org
Headlong Dance Theater was founded by Co-Directors David Brick, Andrew Simonet and Amy Smith in 1993. David, Andrew and Amy collaborate in the creation and performance of all Headlong’s dances and share credit for all the company’s work. In 1996, Nichole Canuso, Heather Murphy, and Christy Lee joined the company. Christy left to pursue another career avenue (she is co-owner of a housewares store called P.A.D.), but Nichole and Heather continue to work with Headlong. They contribute immensely to the creative process, as do the other dancers who work with Headlong on a project basis.
Over the years, Headlong has created over forty dances, many of which are known for their witty take on contemporary culture. Rather than relying on a single dance style or technique, Headlong develops a unique movement vocabulary for each new piece. The Co-Directors’ eclectic movement backgrounds include modern, ballet, jazz, tap, contact improvisation, releasing techniques, theater, sports, sign language, Bharata Natyam, and Ghanaian dance. Drawing on these and many other sources, Headlong creates movement that both reflects and comments on the subject matter they are exploring. In Shosha, they looked at photographic images of the Jewish ghetto in 1930's Warsaw, as well as video footage of the Living Theater and other experimental theater groups of the 1970's. In Britney's Inferno, for example, they used videos of Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys as a source of movement material.
David, Andrew and Amy were inspired by the work of Richard Bull and Cynthia Novack early in their careers, and Headlong continues to practice choreographic improvisation in the studio and on stage. In fact, many of the company’s dances include or consist entirely of structured improvisation.
Headlong has performed nationally and internationally to a range of audiences, and their work -- informed by a deep commitment to collaboration, humor, and formal experimentation -- has won many fans and much acclaim.
"Does experimental dance have to be intimidating? Not according to Headlong Dance Theater, which likes to lace its cerebral offerings with sly humor... Headlong is clearly not your typical dance company, with dances in keeping with the troupes's motto that intelligent experimentation can be compelling and, in some cases, hilarious."
- New York Times, March 24, 2002
Headlong Dance Theater’s mission is: to create and perform new and visionary works of dance theater that use the entire body including the voice, the face, and the mind; to create accessible dances that are relevant beyond traditional dance audiences; to bring new audiences closer to dance by performing informally, in nontraditional venues, and for free; to develop and propagate training techniques that bridge dance and theater and empower performers to be co-creators; to provide mentoring and leadership in the local and national arts communities; and to dance our way into the blind spots and hot spots of our strange times.
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