Bebe Miller Company

2012-13

Ohio State dance professor Bebe Miller and her award-winning company will premiere the dance theater work A History September 27–30, 2012, following a series of creative Wexner Center residencies with her team of collaborators. Both reflective and forward- thinking, the evening-length duet involves mining the creative processes she has closely developed with dancers Angie Hauser and Darrell Jones, and dramaturgical collaborator Talvin Wilks. In particular, they have delved into the past decade of works such as the Bessie Award-winning Verge (2001) through to Landing/Place (2005—also a Bessie winner), and Necessary Beauty (2008)—all of which were also supported by the Wexner Center. Amplified with video by Lily Skove that juxtaposes their live and virtual bodies, Miller and the dancers reveal the nuanced interpersonal dynamics that informs their creative quests. As The Washington Post has written, "Bebe Miller is a cartographer of human emotions, mapping the landscape of the passions of her dance with luminous intelligence." And the the New York Times writes, "What makes Miller's choreography so moving are the sudden moments of mystery...coolly thoughtful yet dispatched with consummate ease.”

The premiere of A History will be presented in conjunction with the exhibition Bebe Miller: Tracing History which will be on view downtown at Ohio State’s Urban Arts Space in downtown Columbus August 25–September 29, 2012. Curated by the Wexner Center’s Jerry Dannemiller, this exhibition will provide further insight into Bebe Miller’s trajectory as one of the leading choreographers of her generation. It will also feature a new video installation by Maya Ciarrocchi that will tour nationally with the performance A History as a companion piece.

During their Wexner Center-sponsored residency, Bebe Miller and her collaborators will offer a series of discussions, workshops, open rehearsals, and post-performance talks connected to both their performance and the exhibition that will be of particular interest to OSU dance students, the local dance community and her avid Columbus audience.

Bebe Miller was recently selected as one of first class of 21 Doris Duke Artists which extends direct funding of up to $275,000 to outstanding performing artists. She is also the recipient this year of the Ohio State’s Sphinx Award, which recognizes outstanding faculty and staff members who have been role models and inspirations to Ohio State students.

More info: www.bebemillercompany.org