Five rising choreographers in York’s Dance MFA Program in Contemporary Choreography and Dance Dramaturgy have discovered that, despite diverging interests, they have a lot in common.
Dancing alone but coming together to mount a collection of autobiographical solo works, Bee Margot Pallomina, Pamela Margot Rasbach, Catherine Jane Murray, Vanessa Jane Kimmons and John Henry Gerenasearched for a title for their 
creative enterprise. They found inspiration in the quirky commonality of the women’s middle school monikers and dubbed their joint production Margot, Jane and Henry. The show runs Oct. 25 to 27 in the MacLean Performance Studio in the Accolade East Building at York University.
In Something About Me, John Gerena draws on his previous education in design to interpret the emotions associated in the colours black and white
“These MFA candidates are reflective, concerned dance artists whose horeography is filled with complex images inspired by rich intellectual inquiries grounded in, and informed by, their physical experiences,” said Professor Darcey Callison, graduate program director and the show’s artistic director. “While their dances are very distinctive and diverse, they’re linked by the autobiographical nature of the works and the artists’ shared experience of the MFA program. How fitting the show should be named after them.”
In his choreography, Something About Me, Gerena draws on his previous education in design to interpret the emotions associated in the colours black and white. Recalling a cluster of memories that pass between light and shadow, the dancer expresses his body’s experience of pain, despair, sadness, melancholy, anger, hope, peace and a desire for truth.
Margot and Jane by Kimmons (BFA, BEd ’08), isa ruthless exploration of the implications of being a sexually-charged humanitarian in 2012. While she observes the LGBTIQQ2SA community reframing the male-female gender dichotomy, the choreographer wonders: How might lingering expectations for conformity influence the identity, autonomy and freedom of a youthful and decadent 21st century female?
Margot and Jane by Vanessa Jane Kimmons explores the implications of being a sexually-charged humanitarian in 2012
Murray examines the concept of “the compassionate citizen” in her piece, Recalling/Calling. She developed the work from her experience interacting with, and interviewing, pregnant teenagers and young mothers. By situating herself in another person’s experience, the choreographer explores her personal challenges and ability to foster compassion.
Remember flipping a cassette tape over to find out what was recorded on the other side? Pallomina’s b side takes a look at what’s underneath the surface. Her choreographic research delves beneath narrative to unearth hidden meaning and potential. In her solo, she asks: What is the autobiography of the body? By privileging the body through 
somatic practice, b side lets the body’s intelligence take the lead.
Bee Margot Pallomina’s b side takes a look at what’s underneath the surface
In her piece, Fräulein, Rasbach explores various sides of her personality through a set choreographic structure, incorporating elements of chance into her dramatic work. In each performance, she rolls a dice, determining which side of her personality she dares to show her audiences next.
Margot, Jane and Henry runs Oct. 25 and 26 at 7:30pm, and Oct. 27 at 2pm in the MacLean Performance Studio, 244 Accolade East Building, Keele campus. Tickets are $25, or $12.50 for students and seniors. For tickets, contact the Box Office at 416-736-5888.
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