Phillyist Interviews... Miro Dance Theatre

Tonight, Miro Dance Theatre will present the first of its Open Studio Series at Girard College (a private boarding high school in the Fairmont Park area). Once a month, the Open Studios will give audiences a sneak peek at Miro's works-in-progress, and then invite them to respond to what they've seen. And if audience participation isn't enough to get you excited for the series, we should also mention that it's free.

Earlier this week, Phillyist had a chance to ask Miro founders Tobin Rothlein and Amanda Miller a few questions about the Open Studios over email.

Did you have the idea for the Open Studio Series before Girard College approached you, or was it something you'd been considering for some time?
Tobin Rothlein: The Open Studio Series is something that had been planned prior to our residency at Girard College. It’s funded by the William Penn Foundation and the Independence Foundation, and was originally to be held at our former studio on Sansom Street. We are very happy to be holding it in our new studio at Girard College.

What about Girard, or its artist-in-resident program, particularly appealed to you?
TR: What appeals to us most about Girard is their dedication to their student body and the opportunity they have provided us to bring dance to the campus for the first time. Plus, our studio is gorgeous, and it gives us the space necessary to create our work with video and projection.

The Open Studios "[give] audiences open access to the creative process, and a chance to see and respond to new dance works in progress as well as previous pieces from the Miro repertoire." Has this audience interaction always been important to Miro, or does this speak more directly to the educational aspects of the Open Studio Series?
TR: We designed the Open Studio Series because audience interaction is important to us. We were looking for new ways to build a more meaningful relationship with the local audience. We don't view this as purely educational but also as a part of our creative process. By participating in this type of dialogue, audiences are actually playing an active role in the development of new work.

How much of what the audience will be seeing will be Miro, and how much will be Girard students? Are the students more involved in the dancing or the multimedia aspects? How long have you been working with them?
Amanda Miller: Actually, the Open Studio Series is not a showcase for student work. What the audiences will be seeing is the process and repertoire of Miro Dance Theatre. But later this year, we will be dedicating one Open Studio Series to the educational outreach we’re doing with the students of Girard. We began working with the students in January and are introducing them to the creative process and dance as an expressive form. They’re currently engaging in similar exercises as our own company and will premiere a student work in May or June, alongside our May premiere of "Pitch Black". All the students will be working with video, and our emphasis, in keeping with our mission, is on combining contemporary dance, video, and visual art.

This is your first month doing the Open Studio Series. What should audiences expect at the events in the future?
AM: Open Studio Series will be different every month, yet audiences can always expect meaningful discussion, live performance and special guest in a casual environment where they can feel comfortable asking questions and engaging with Miro's creative process. They can expect to see dance up-close and personal, in a manner unique and different to what they’ll see in a fully produced theatrical performance. We’ll be sharing new works as they develop and will be showcasing excerpts from our repertoire. This is a great opportunity for people who are interested in the creative process, who have lots of questions, or who would just like to get to know Miro in a more casual and personal way.

Miro Dance Theatre
Launch of its Open Studio Series
Thursday, February 15, 2007
5:30-7:30PM
Girard College, Mechanical School
2101 South College Ave. (at Girard Ave. & Corinthian Ave.)
(accessible by #15 & #33 buses)
Free and secure parking
Event is free; snacks will be served after!

Amanda Miller in Miro's New Studio at Girard College, via Canary Promotion + Design.