Summer 2019
PROJECT // Lay Hold to the Softest Throat (working title) is an interdisciplinary project which seeks to explore an aesthetic relationship between vocal composition, and choreographic structure. This work will focus on drawing connection between non-essentialist ideas of Holy-ness, femininity, and physical discipline and the different and contradicting ways that these concepts show up in the three performers’ respective artistic and personal lives. The final production will premiere at Theatre La Chapelle (Montreal) in Fall-Winter 2021/22.
Credits: Choreographer/performer: Ellen Furey; Singers/performers: Alanna Stuart and Romy Lightman; Dramaturge and composer: Christopher Willes
Ellen Furrey
by Rose Pehtal
BIO // Ellen Furey is a choreographer based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, working in experimental and contemporary dance forms. Since 2012, she’s been involved in collaborative and messy discursive processes mostly repurposing ideas/potential of dance virtuosity and performers type showmanship as grounds for living, bodily, oblique rebellion, and debate. She’s been working alongside independent artists including Malik Nashad Sharpe, Dana Michel, Andrew Tay, Christopher Willes, Stephen Thompson, Simon Portigal, and many others. She’s appeared in works by Daniel Léveillé, Frédérick Gravel, Marten Spangberg (SE), Tina Tarpgaard (DE), and Susanna Hood. From 2012-15, she was a company member at Dancemakers (est. 1979 Toronto, CA) under the direction of Michael Trent, Benjamin Kamino, Amelia Ehrhardt. In April 2018, Ellen premiered her first full-length co-creation with prolific choreographer Malik Nashad Sharpe (UK, USA) titled SOFTLAMP.autonomies. SOFTLAMP.autonomies has since been presented at American Realness Festival (NYC) in January 2019 and will be on tour in Europe this coming fall. Ellen and Malik are beginning research for their second work through residencies at Impulstanz, Vienna and Dance Base, Edinburgh.