2/16/16
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Aug. 1, 2013
For interviews, contact Danielle Wilkins at 917-674-9712 danielle@dassdance.org
For more information, visit www.dassdance.org
Kill date Sept. 22, 2013
Local dance company reaches globally to help Awa tribe of the Amazon
What: World Premiere of Tale of Ten Green
Time: Sept. 20 & 21 - 8pm Public Shows
Place: Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave. Seattle 98122
Tickets: $15 student / Senior & $20 General
BrownPaperTickets: http://taleof10green.bpt.me
Sept. 20 “ Awa Tribe Gala” 7:30 Pre-show cocktails + Post performance dinner reception $50 includes
show - 50% goes to Survival International http://taleof10green.bpt.me
Artistic Director: Daniel Wilkins Technical Director: Linet Henry
Dancers: BoJohn Diciple, Mia Monteabaro, Dade Glaser, Brittany Falso, Graham Vanderwood and Jachen Mackler
In its thirteenth year of presenting controversial, potent, high risk productions, DASSdance opens the
2013-2014 season with an exciting premiere that will transform a Seattle landmark - Washington Hall into a lush forest canopy and unleash the highly athletic and emotionally charged DASSdancers onto
Brazilian terrain in DASSdance All-Terrain style.
DASSdance is honored to contribute to the important work of Survival International with Tale of Ten
Green, a new dance theatre work inspired by the Awa tribe's struggle to keep their land and
independence. Some of the tribes in the Awa are "Uncontacted Tribes", some of the last remaining on
earth. These people are not backwards - they are a highly evolved , self sufficient cultures that have
everything they need directly from their land but loggers have already wiped out 30% of their virgin land
restricting their ability to hunt and continue peacefully in their lush ecosystem.
Recently there has been a triumph for their cause, on August 16, 2013, the Brazilian military moved in on
the illegal loggers confiscating and destroying machinery and closing at least eight saw mills. The work
however is far from over as there are still loggers on the Awa land and further support is needed.
A letter from Leila Batmanghelidj, coordinator of Survival International stated,
“DASSdance has produced a work of art, largely inspired by Survival’s uncontacted
tribes campaign. They have offered to donate half of the proceeds generated from their 2
annual galas to Survival International and we are delighted and honored by the gesture.
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We fully support generating awareness through artistic and creative endeavors. This falls
directly under our “Getting Creative to Save the Awá” campaign. The Awá are a
Brazilian tribe of about 460 (about 100 of which are uncontacted) who are literally
surrounded by illegal logging operations. The rapid destruction of their land could easily
wipe the Awá off the map and we are working very hard to get the Brazilian government
to put a stop to this. We are appreciative of DASSdance’s support and their use of artistic
expression to raise awareness for tribal peoples rights worldwide.”
Artistic Director, Daniel Wilkins will transform the company of DASSdance into a “lost tribe” amid an
overgrown, lush ecosystem created across the stage by the Lighting Designer Linet Henry. As Wilkins’
most “natural” work to date Tale of Ten Green will weave a simple choreographic story line with
authentic music, spoken testimony from the Amazon tribes, live singing from the DASSdancers.
Repurposed used clothing, live plants, and projected images will compose the lush habitat. Theatrical
lighting and imagery of the Amazon Rainforest will transport the audience into a world of movement and
stunning visual display. Wilkins used recorded testimonies from Survival International as background to
the dance and inspiration for the story line. He is drawing from the simplest of sources such as recorded
testimony, drumming and flute. The excellence of the professional dancers brings a unique brand of a
cutting edge style created from different dance vocabularies. The movement will utilize the signature
DASS All-Terrain Dance—the forward pushing athletic contemporary style along with high-flying
acrobatics—simplified in a way that steers the dancers toward a purely spiritual quest.
Tale of Ten Green is a thoughtful look through an artist’s eyes and heart of a strident political crisis,
telling a story woven from the music, environment and challenges that the uncontacted tribes of the
Amazon live with today. The goal is for the audience to come away with an understanding of and respect
for indigenous peoples.
Wilkins writes that “I want the audience to get to know my created ‘tribe’ so they are vested deeply in the
journey they are taking in Tale of Ten Green – which is a reflection of the real people the story portrays. I
want audience members to walk away feeling they have reengaged the connection to our earth that is
often lost in our consumer driven society, as well as resolve to play a role in the efforts to protect the
rights of indigenous people and the incredible natural resources that make this planet a beautiful place to
live and thrive.”
About DASSdance
danielandsomesuperfriends (DASSdance) began in New York City in 1996, formally incorporating in
2000 as a non-profit in New York. 2003 marked the transition into a bi-coastal company, adding Seattle
as a base. DASSdance is a nonprofit contemporary dance company that vigorously expands the
physicality of dance in an innovative voice that serves a globally conscience community. DASSdance
exists to offer cutting edge dance theater and professional-level training to the general public and
underserved communities. DASS has an active Outreach program and partners with peer artists and
nonprofits on projects that engage and bring our community closer together, encouraging collaboration
and understanding.
About Daniel Wilkins
Daniel Wilkins is the Producing Artistic Director and Founder of DASSdance. He ventured away from
ballet early in his career after attending the School of American Ballet and dancing with Pittsburgh Ballet
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Theater and Suzanne Farrell Ballet to pursue contemporary dance with such New York based companies
as Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Donald Byrd/ The Group.
In starting his own company, he fused together another part of his history; that of competitive sports and
an interest in visual arts which included working at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Wilkins’
personal style is called “All-Terrain Dance,” a rough and tumble athletic new art form based on modern
and ballet techniques but mixed with jazz, hip hop, gymnastics and other styles of movement fused
together to create dynamic expression that speaks in today’s terms.
The World Premiere of Tale of Ten Green is brought to you by:
dvfff.org
howlmedia.com
waxon.com
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