All Photos Courtesy of Bobby Kintz – Images originally published along with blog by Kolleen Kintz at http://www.second-glance-photography.com
When we were both located at Load of Fun, I had the privilege of sharing several inspiring moments with Mara Neimanis. During that time, we got to know each other through passing conversation in the halls, occasional sit downs, and this one time when she flew me through the air! Over the course of nearly a year, I developed a deep respect for Mara as a person and artist, despite the fact that I had never seen her perform.
If someone asked me to describe Neimanis, I would choose words like thoughtful, strong and graceful. As a performer, she is fully committed to her art and craft, and always working towards realizing her visions. Last weekend at Theatre Project was the first time I got to see Mara in action, at the opening night of her latest production For That Which Returns. Upon experiencing her creations for the first time I find that I would describe her work much like I describe her as a person. Demonstrations of strength, grace, and thoughtfulness filled the stage, as the audience sat privy into a meditation on the relationship between mothers and daughters.
Photo Courtesy Bobby Kintz – www.second-glance-photography.com
Neimanis is the founder and principal performer of In-Flight Theater. As opposed to many aerial artists, whose craft is aerial performance alone, her craft also includes theater and storytelling, most of which takes place in the air. Extending the traditional performance area upwards, she utilizes vertical space to tell her stories. With her use of invented aerial apparatus, which combine both static and suspended steel sculptures, Neimanis and her collaborators are setting the bar for an entirely new way of thinking about not only aerial work, but theater as well.
Neimanis has developed her own theatrical language by drawing upon her experience and training in Mask Performance, Clown, Commedia dell’Arte, Circus Arts and Physical Acting, all of which she seamlessly weaves together to create stories, text, and characters which “explore the rich interplay of imagination between air and ground.” Her resume is extensive, including time put in at The San Francisco School of Circus Arts, Trapeze Arts, NECCA and The Toronto Circus School. She is a protégé of aerial pioneer, Terry Sendgraff, and a graduate of The Dell’Arte International School Of Physical Theatre, where she served as an instructor and company member for seven years. She was a Creative Alliance Resident Artist from 2004-2007, and is the co-producer of The Baltimore Alley Aerial Festival.
Photo Courtesy Bobby Kintz –www.second-glance-photography.com
Though Neimanis is well known for her solo work, she is also an active collaborator. To create and present For That Which Returns, she has teamed up with Washington’s award winning Arachne Aerial Arts, comprised of duo Andrea Burkholder and Sharon Witting. The co-directors of Arachne Aerial Arts began flying together in 2000, and also began experimenting with taking aerial arts to new heights, by combining the artistry of dance with the drama of aerial acrobatics.
For That Which Returns loosely revolves around the myth of Demeter and Persephone. Demeter is a goddess who ruled over the growth and death of the world’s vegetation. Persephone is Demeter’s daughter who is taken away from her mother and brought to the underworld. In response, Demeter stops nourishing the earth, thereby threatening the future of humankind. A deal is worked out, and Persephone is allowed to visit her mother each spring and help the earth continue to blossom. Neimanis and her collaborators from Arachne Aerial Arts use this myth as the jumping off point to explore the maternal bond.
Photo Courtesy Bobby Kintz – www.second-glance-photography.com
The show is both deeply personal and strikingly universal. Director Bryce Butler successfully took people from different backgrounds and helped them become one in the telling of the shared drama of a mother/ daughter relationship. His vision and talents are clear in the plays seamless transitions through a series of vignettes. From childhood play, through maturity, and into old age, the audience finds themselves observing the growing and shifting dynamics of motherhood and daughterhood. The three performers play many roles throughout the show, stepping into various mini-dramas that unfold on stage, and above it.
Photo Courtesy Bobby Kintz – www.second-glance-photography.com
The three actors in the show play many roles and characters throughout the performance. The one character that remains throughout the evening is the aerial apparatus that sits at the center of the stage. The set is a large steel structure, appearing much like a giant weather vane with a giant arrow suspended above. This original apparatus emerged out of Mara’s long time collaboration with sculptor Tim Scofield, who has created many of Mara’s aerial structures and devices.
Scofield holds a BFA from Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois. His MFA in Sculpture is from Syracuse University, where he received the 2000 Master’s Prize through the College of Visual and Performing Arts. From 2000 -2008 Tim worked at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore as the Sculpture Technician, and also taught a variety of classes and workshops, including metal fabrication, mold making, sculptural kinetics, and stone carving. His collaboration with Neimanis spans over four years, during which time he not only constructed her apparatus, but also co-founded the Alley Arial Arts Festival.
Photo Courtesy Bobby Kintz – www.second-glance-photography.com
Aside from the beauty and grandeur of Scofield’s structures, I was struck by their practicality. It was truly impressive to observe the variety of actions that could take place on such seemingly simple apparatus, yet it was rare to see the same movement twice throughout the show. In my mind, this is clear evidence of a true collaborative relationship between sculptor and performer, each knowing each others needs, as well as learning what works over years of working together.
Photo Courtesy Bobby Kintz – www.second-glance-photography.com
Along with the set, story, performance and performers, another critical component to the show’s success is its sound selection. The show opens with a rain storm, whose sounds is made live by the spreading of grain by the performers, who all momentarily assume the role of Demeter, as they sow their seeds as well as provide the water to allow them to grow. The music selection guides us through mood and emotion, which properly enhance the expression emerging from the stage. Inter-spliced throughout the show is a conversation with two little girls, guided by their mothers, speaking truthfully (and quite adorably) about their view on life, death, and their beloved moms. This genuine glimpse into childhood love and innocence provides a real life subtle reflection on the shows undertone.
Upon leaving Theatre Project last Thursday Night, I felt reflective and positive. I knew I had just witnessed masters at work, and I was inspired not only to make art, but to take a deep breath as well, and remember that life and the relationships we have are fleeting for all of us. And though I have never been a daughter, I certainly have a mother, who I called, shortly after I got home.
Photo Courtesy Bobby Kintz – www.second-glance-photography.com
There are four more chances to catch For That Which Returns at Theatre Project. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, November 8th through 10th at 8:00 PM and Sunday, November 11th at 3:00 PM. If you have a mother or daughter, bring them along to the show, and take a moment to reflect on your unique bond. Even if you come alone or bring a date, you will find this show to be dynamic, thought-provoking, and full of heart.
Neimanis will also be back at Theatre Project from February 21st through March 3rd to present Naomi’s Flight, for which she will once again be flying solo, as she takes a deeply personal look into her mother’s dementia.
Photo Courtesy Bobby Kintz – www.second-glance-photography.com
Additional Resources:
Click here for more information on the show
Click here for more information on In-Flight Theater
Click here for more information on Arachne Aerial Arts
Click here to read the blog post on For That Which Returns on Second Glance Photography’s Blog
Click here to PURCHASE TICKETS to For That Which Returns
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