Dancers of the City Ballet of San Diego will present the second season of The Rosin Box Project in four performances at The White Box Live Arts in Liberty Station Thursday, Aug. 29 to Sunday, Sept. 1. The show will be premiering five new contemporary ballets choreographed, directed, and performed by the dancers themselves.
Spearheaded by Carly Topazio, the TRBP 2019 roster totals 10 dancers, one guest choreographer, and five brand new world premiere contemporary ballets. Dancers include Lauren Anthony, Liz Fittro, Bethany Green, Brian Heil, Chelsea Khun, Rony Lenis, Jessie Leigh Olson, Katie Spagnoletti, and Carly Topazio. Choreographers include Thom Dancy (guest choreographer), Green, Olson, Spagnoletti, and Topazio. The Rosin Box Project 2019 will premiere five new contemporary ballets:
– “The Shape of Things to Come,” by Spagnoletti, explores the fine lines separating present, past and future, and how the constant pulse of time is warped and fractured through perspective and bias. Inspired by overarching laws governing the universe, individualized threads are woven into an abstract tapestry showing the energy in beauty, and music in mathematics, all culminating in the shape of intangibility and possibility.
– “Frontier,” by Green, shifts to a western theme, with a choreographic structure and source of inspiration nodding to literary devices. The many moments in time and snapshots of humanity that build and lead to “Frontier” will perhaps sweep the audience away on a train rushing ever toward adventure.
– “On Love and Loss,” by guest choreographer Dancy, is a contemplation on connection and relationships. Diving deep within himself in attempt to provide relief from repressed emotions and finding the beauty and growth that emerges from love and loss.
– “An Introduction to Nothing,” by Topazio, explores several variations on a theme inspired by ideas from British philosopher Alan Watts. The ballet traverses through the five basic elements: void, water, wind, fire, and earth. Within each elemental study there are parallel emotional explorations and realities, all begging the question: “If ‘nothing’ is the realest state of being, and in the cyclical patterns of life beginning at the end and ending at the beginning, what are we to make of all the somethings that are created in between?”
– “Norupo,” by Olson, is a Norwegian Rune poem by the same name, which inspired the piece. Exemplifying the strength and passion within each dancer, and the physicality that embodies viking warriors, “Norupo” is a heavy hitting firecracker that throws caution to the wind.
Approximate run time is 90 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission, and one brief pause. Tickets are $30, general seating only. Purchase at therosinboxproject.com. The Rosin Box Project’s mission is to enrich the artistic spectrum of dance and performance art in San Diego by presenting innovative performances of pioneering and visionary dancers and in a genuinely unfiltered atmosphere; helping to push the boundaries of this artform in the San Diego community through dancer directed, choreographed, and curated intimate performances. Aiming to help encourage artistic growth and exploration to broaden the dance community via a platform in which professional dancers can share their own unique voice in a way they may not normally have the opportunity to; premiering original contemporary ballets each season.
The Rosin Box Project was created following the close of the City Ballet of San Diego’s 2017-2018 season by company dancer and photographer Topazio. In May 2018, several of City Ballet’s company members came together to direct, choreograph, and curate full-length contemporary ballet performances in the summer of 2018.
Doubling their budget and increasing performances to four shows this year, they are hoping to continue to expand and reach new audiences. As of April, TRBP is fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas, and have been awarded the Summer 2019 Virgil Yalong Quick Grant from Rising Arts Leaders of San Diego.