// STRICTLY outside 2018//
In partnership with the Freeway Park Association, with community partners the First Hill Improvement Association.
This site-specific work—by choreographer Jody Kuehner with participants from the Strictly Seattle Professional/Advanced Session—will use Freeway Park as a stage for performance. Brute Beauty centers around the recent national #metoo movement, positioning Freeway Park’s own history within the conversation. The hour long roving performance highlights dance artists engaging the opposition of the parks harsh concrete elements and beautiful lush natural backdrops as they dynamically activate the elevated structures throughout the park through movement. Brute Beauty is a performance of empowerment for womxn, feminism, and the importance of safe public spaces.
Freeway Park’s dance legacy (through the original design of Lawrence Halprin with input from his wife, legendary dance artist Anna Halprin) will be highlighted through a walking tour at 11AM before the scheduled performance, and will be led by Velocity Artistic + Executive Director Tonya Lockyer and a member of the Cultural Landscape Foundation.
PERFORMANCE
SAT JUL 14
Freeway Park 700 Seneca St
FREE + open to all
WALKING TOUR / 11AM
PERFORMANCE / 12PM
CHOREOGRAPHER
Jody Kuehner is part dance artist and part bio drag queen named Cherdonna Shinatra. Jody is in her seventh year dancing for the Pat Graney Company. She has also been Pat’s dance intern for the company’s prison project “Keeping the Faith.” She’s in her fifth year dancing with Mark Haim and has acted as his Administrative Assistant and Rehearsal Director for various projects. She worked as Dayna Hanson’s Production Coordinator for two evening length works and has been Assistant to the Director for Hanson’s feature length film “Improvement Club”. She is also Hanson’s Assistant Director for the most recent work “The Clay Duke”. From 2003-2009, Jody was a member of d9 Dance Collective and has also danced with Wade Madsen, KT Niehoff, Laura Curry, and Amy O’Neal (Tiny Rage) among others. Jody’s persona Cherdonna Shinatra performs regularly with DeLouRue Productions and also performs periodically with paulanow productions and NARK Magazine. She and Lou Henry Hoover made work as “The Cherdonna and Lou Show” for five years, teaching, producing, performing. They were recognized as Seattle Magazine’s 2010 Spotlight Award Winners. The Cherdonna and Lou Show also presented work and taught at the CORD conference on dance and gender in 2012. Jody currently teaches technique at Velocity Dance Center and has taught at their summer intensive Strictly Seattle as well as the Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation. She has presented choreography at On The Boards, Velocity Dance Center, Northwest Film Forum, Bumbershoot and the Joyce SoHo NYC. She is Velocity’s Artist in Residence for 2014 and is being produced by Velocity’s Made in Seattle program. Jody is also in residence at KT Neihoff’s space 10 Degrees. She holds a BFA in Dance Performance from the University of South Florida and has been supported by the Seattle Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs and 4Culture.
This event is sponsored by Carlo Scandiuzzi and our media sponsor
