the dance

A dance studio becomes a memory palace as a woman recalls a relationship she had at 17 with her 36 year-old dance teacher. She is joined by her former teacher and her 17 and 8-year-old selves in a kaleidoscopic and deeply intimate exploration of her trauma that is part memory play, part investigation, and part dance concert. "the dance" asks how we move forward from events that have scarred us in order to make...

A dance studio becomes a memory palace as a woman recalls a relationship she had at 17 with her 36 year-old dance teacher. She is joined by her former teacher and her 17 and 8-year-old selves in a kaleidoscopic and deeply intimate exploration of her trauma that is part memory play, part investigation, and part dance concert. "the dance" asks how we move forward from events that have scarred us in order to make ourselves whole again.

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the dance

Recommended by

  • Shaun Leisher: the dance

    A play I'll be thinking about for awhile. Love how Dushko plays with time and reality to explore the scars of the past.

    A play I'll be thinking about for awhile. Love how Dushko plays with time and reality to explore the scars of the past.

  • Nick Malakhow: the dance

    A potent and highly theatrical exploration of a woman's scars and trauma connected to her dance instructor. The refraction of the relationship through the lens of her child, teen, and adult selves provides such compellingly and elegantly visualized insights into the way it formed and impacted her identity throughout the years. "Him" is certainly not left off the hook in the slightest, but he is rendered with disarming complexity and nuance. I loved the alternation of gorgeous theatrical moments and sequences with microscopically painted moments of layered, human, and often unsettling...

    A potent and highly theatrical exploration of a woman's scars and trauma connected to her dance instructor. The refraction of the relationship through the lens of her child, teen, and adult selves provides such compellingly and elegantly visualized insights into the way it formed and impacted her identity throughout the years. "Him" is certainly not left off the hook in the slightest, but he is rendered with disarming complexity and nuance. I loved the alternation of gorgeous theatrical moments and sequences with microscopically painted moments of layered, human, and often unsettling naturalism--particularly the final scene between girl and Him.

Character Information

1 m, 3 f (ages 8-10, 18-22, and mid thirties)
  • child
    an 8 year old child, precocious.
    *strong dancer
    Character Age
    8
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • girl
    a 17-18 girl, provocative
    *strong dancer, should be cast 18+
    Character Age
    17-18
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • woman
    a 36 year old woman, precise
    *strong dancer
    Character Age
    36
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • him
    a 36 year old man, personable
    *strong dancer
    Character Age
    36
    Character Gender Identity
    Male

Development History

  • Type Workshop, Organization Nervous Theatre Company, Year 2020

Awards

  • Princess Grace Award
    New Dramatists/Princess Grace Foundation
    Semi-Finalist
    2021