Creating Dea

Theaterlab Presents:

Mothers Myths Monsters: Creating DEA

Conceived & Directed by Stefanie Nelson
Choreographed by Stefanie Nelson & Maya Orchin
Performed by Maya Orchin & Tricia Dietrick
Music by Borut Krzisnik & Sky White Tiger
Sound & Video Design by Sky White Tiger

As part of the Mothers Myths Monsters residency, Stefanie Nelson & Maya Orchin delve into themes of identity, memory, and transformation in a piece inspired by Massimo Bontempelli’s 1925 play Nostra Dea. The character Dea, with her fluid and ever-evolving identity, exists in a constant state of renewal, blurring the boundaries between human and “other.” Video footage created by fashion icon Terrence Zhou playfully connects disability with dementia, adding a layer of social commentary. Both disability and dementia involve aspects of identity loss and transformation, whether through physical limitations or cognitive decline. Featuring two dancers, a sound designer, and a video designer, Creating DEA is a multidisciplinary, conceptual performance that combines movement, sound, and visuals to immerse the audience in Dea’s perpetually shifting world. Stefanie Nelson directs, with co-choreographer Maya Orchin performing along with Tricia Dietrick.

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Performances Dates/Times:
Friday, September 20th @7PM

Sunday, September 22nd @5PM

Performances in The Atelier

Tickets: $15 (including fees)
Click HERE to purchase!
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Maya Orchin is a choreographer and movement director based between New York and London. She has had her choreographic work presented internationally in Canada, Poland, Italy, Scotland, Germany, Russia, England, Israel, France and throughout the United States. She has had artistic residencies at PAF, Champs Melisey, S.P.A.M, DanceEast, Motore592 and English National Ballet. As a performer she has worked with artists such as Luis Lara Malvacias, Okwui Okpokwasili, Bill T Jones, Christine Bonansea, Davis Freeman, Zoe Scofield, Madeline Hollander, Reut Shemesh, Lynn Neuman, Kate Digby, Jody Oberfelder and more. She was a solo performer in ‘Room 29’ on a European tour with musicians Jarvis Cocker and Chilly Gonzales. She has been an assistant choreographer for projects with MOMAPS1, NIKE, and for Stefanie Nelson for fashion designer Terrence Zhou for Bad Binch TONGTONGs New York Fashion Week. Maya has choreographed a music video for singer H.C.McEntire and a recent commercial for LNER.

Tricia Dietrick is a twenty-two-year-old dance artist based in New York City. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tricia graduated from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she attended under partial scholarship. She graduated with honors obtaining a BFA in Contemporary Dance Performance with an emphasis in Dance Composition. She has had the privilege of her work being featured multiple times on The Boston Conservatory MainStage Theatre. This past spring, Tricia was a part of the fi rst ever all female identifying cast to perform ‘The Unsung’ by José Limón where she will be cataloged in the Lincoln Center Library for her contribution. She also has had her work ‘Youlogy’ showcased in Forward for the Boston Conservatory 2024 graduating class in New York City and Boston. Her work, ‘Letter(s) to Mom’ was featured in Moving Memory: Next Generation in New York City (2024) and ‘Liminal State’ for the Boston Conservatory Summer Dance Intensive (2024). Most recently, Tricia danced backup at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans for recording artist Blanca and also has danced in New York City to promote The Umbrella Academy Season 4. She has trained at summer intensives such as A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, Doug Varone Devices, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and Dance Italia. Tricia has performed in works by Loni Landon, Victor Quijada, Doug Varone, José Limón, Raxel Kempenaar, and Crystal Perkins. Some in fl uential teachers include but are not limited to, Kurt Douglas, Marcus Schulkind, Olivier Besson, and Alissa Cardone. Tricia cannot wait to see what the future brings and hopes to continue exploring dance creation, collaboration, and performance.

Blurring lines between fantasy and reality, Louis Schwadron (former Polyphonic Spree, Rufus Wainwright) took matters into his own paws, birthing the psych-soul pop sound world of SKY WHITE TIGER. After a decade of writing, recording, or performing as multi-instrumentalist with Radiohead, David Bowie, Elton John, Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear, The National, St. Vincent, and a batch of support tours with Rufus Wainwright, Alberta Cross, Duncan Sheik and Tempesst, Schwadron has completed a debut LP Electra, an EP Child of Fire, composed and produced a soundtrack for an immersive animation experience Particle Ink:Speed of Dark (Running at The Luxor in Las Vegas from April), and has teamed up with Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear to co-produce a single for his most recently released LP, Invisible City. With a blend of acoustic, electronic and a touch of the cinematic, Sky White Tiger transforms any space into the Tiger Realm of the endless imagination.