FUNHOUSE movement theater

Summer School Funhouse Dance Residency Snippets

165 students, K-8, participated for free in the residency which was a part of Sahuarita Unified School District’s summer school programming.

During our time together, kiddos learned about different elements of movement.  They learned about time, space, and energy.  

When we explored movement related to space, we danced in one spot or we locomoted (move across the floor).  We danced on a low level, medium level, or high level.  We explored the ideas of positive and negative space.  Negative space is where there is nothing but air and positive space is where there is something of substance.  Dancers used their bodies to create shapes that had lots of air between body parts.  Dancers used these shapes and hula hoops to create a “coral reef” that other dancers, “sea creatures,” went through those negative spaces.

When we explored time, we used the terms tempo, unison, and canon.  The kiddos learned a song called Sodeo (Raffi) to work on unison movement and tempo.  They also learned a dance called the Domino Canon- which required one student to move, followed by another, and then another, etc..  

In the exploration of energy or movement qualities, we talked about pendular (like a monkey swinging in the jungle), abrupt (space between the movements like a robot), vibratory (small and fast movements of the muscles as in a shiver), and sustained (continuously flowing like melty chocolate).  

Kiddos had multiple opportunities to create their own movement using the above elements of time, space, and energy.  They did that as individuals as well as working together with a partner, a small group, or with the entire class.  Throughout this process, they worked to take responsibility for themselves and take care of each other.  They learned how to collaborate with one another in the creation of choreography for mini- dances.  

TRANCEfigurations

TRANCEfigurations was hosted by Yume Japanese Garden in Tucson, Arizona in November 2021. TRANCEfigurations was a meditative butoh experience presented by Funhouse Movement Theater, directed by Lin Lucas and featured Sherry Mulholland, Margaret Evans, Sabrina Geoffrion, Karenne Koo, and Keita Tsutsumi. The performance included original poetry by Araceli Montaño, Taylor Johnson, and Angelique Matus and a musical soundscape by Calm Whale. Visitors to this unique performance encountered dancers dispersed throughout the refined splendor of the Japanese garden, each engaged in improvisational communion with the sights, sounds, and sensations of the natural environment.

Spring's Awakening

Funhouse movement theater had the honor of performing Dr. John Wilson's 100th piece of choreography, Spring's Awakening. The performance was incredibly well received, and this photo was showcased at the Tucson International Airport for years.