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Tori Rumzis

Spring Creative Notes – Dianne McIntyre

Though she is an unparalleled force in the international world of contemporary dance, Dianne McIntyre feels right at home in Cleveland. This is of course because the city was – and now again is – home.

“I was extremely fortunate to have grown up in Cleveland,” says McIntyre – who’s accolades include the prestigious Doris Duke Impact Award (2016), John S. Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship and upcoming Dance/USA Honor Award (to be presented this June). “It wasn’t strange for me to want to be an artist here. The arts community in Cleveland was structured in such a way that I felt very supported as I began my journey and eventually pursued my artistic career, wherever that led.”

McIntyre moved back to Mt. Pleasant – the neighborhood she grew up in – after three decades in New York City. There, her immersive choreographic career led her to create work for countless dance concerts, theater (including four Broadway shows), television and film.

Besides my work in concert dance, in the late 1970’s I began to choreograph for theater as well. From theater I learned to merge the dramatic with the actions of dance. This facet of how I work is what led me to connect with David ([Shimotakahara, GroundWorks Executive Artistic Director]). Throughout my experience with the company I have been so impressed – the dancers are incredibly trained and have amazing technique while also possessing the unique ability to move easily from one choreographic style to another.”

Though McIntyre had seen Shimotakahara’s work several times after moving back to Cleveland, it wasn’t until a friend intervened that they connected. “Kathryn Karipides (GroundWorks Board Member and Founder of Department of Dance at CWRU) said, ‘Dianne, you two should know each other.’ She felt like we had a similar way of approaching work – and things progressed from there.”

The connection led to 2009’s Just Yesterday, which she choreographed for GroundWorks. Says Shimotakahara: “Dianne has a particular way of combining theater and dance which is all her own. It’s critical to her that her work connect in a real way – not an abstraction.”

By McIntyre’s own admission this is because her work often deals with narrative in ways that seemingly wrestle with the day-to-day. By showcasing experiences that allow you to understand the dancers in specific settings, it not only allows for a narrative to emerge, but for the audience to extract meaning from it. “Art can do that,” says McIntyre.

Her newest work – The Witness – is set to premiere as part of GroundWorks’ Spring Season in Cleveland, Akron and New York. “What excites me [about The Witness],” says McIntyre, “is the power of the dancers’ performances. They use everything: the dance, the acting, the emotion. They do not hold anything back.”

Shimotakahara notes: “In terms of dance and, more broadly American artists, Dianne will have her own page in our lexicon. Her impact as an artist, a woman, and a person of color is so important to what dance is today as well as what this artform will become in the future. It’s  critical for younger generations of dancers to have the chance to work with her and learn from her at this vital point in her career. I’m grateful that her latest work will be a part of our Spring Season and that we continue such an important partnership with one of the true leaders in dance.”

Learn more or purchase tickets here.

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