Sling Dance Project Takes Flight

What does it mean to take flight? Choreographers Julia Duffy-Dzubinski and Amanda Leigh Oakley, co-directors of Sling Dance Project, aim to answer this question in the title piece for their upcoming performance, Take Flight, premiering this weekend. 

Oakley came up with the idea for "Take Flight" after having a conversation with her boyfriend, Nicholas Hanson, the lead singer for Ghostbunny, who feels anxious when flying. While she personally has no fear of going down on a plane, she started thinking about how many people do, and the idea just grew from there. How scary it is sometimes to grow your own wings and take flight, to take a leap of faith and fly away from the place you are and move on to something bigger. So, big picture, "Take Flight" is about facing your fears. 

Sling Dance Project Company members
Photo Credit: Dean Campbell

I am lucky to be performing the piece with the two collaborators, along with three other talented Austin dancers - Pamela Patel, Emily Knox and Sammi Waugh. As a dancer I feel it's important to know the origin of a piece's concept because I want to have as close to a real life experience as possible. I believe it helps the choreographer's vision read more clearly to an audience. To me "Take Flight" is a wonderfully physical exploration of how it would feel to be a passenger on a plane in jeopardy. Set to music by local Austin band, Ghostbunny, the movement feels at times jerky and rough, as if we are being thrashed through the air as a plane whips out of control, but also holds moments that suggest we are floating outside the atmosphere. Just when it seems we will tumble in slow motion from a precipice, we are sucked back by an unknown force into real time for the next happening. There are many surprising moments in the piece and as a dancer, it's a welcome challenge to perform them. My personal experience throughout the rehearsal process has allowed space for reflection on how I perceive and approach turbulence in my own life.

Rehearsal for "Take Flight"

The piece requires technically sound dancers to execute successfully, but Dzubinksi says, "It's the concept that drives the technique." I can get behind this. Too often I find myself bored at performances that focus solely on the physical talent and not on the emotion behind what is being presented. I can walk away from performances like these and say, "Wow, those dancers sure can lift their legs high." But ultimately I want to FEEL something.

Guest Choreographer Nicole Olson

Sling is relatively new to the Austin dance scene, having produced two shows previously - "Glimmer in A Room" (Cafe Dance, August 2014) and "Passengers" (The Off Center, December 2014). Dzubinski previously produced the highly successful and anticipated No Assurance shows for three consecutive years prior to teaming up with Oakley last year. 

This performance is host to a variety of other choreographers and dancers as well, which is how Dzubinksi also arranged No Assurance. Sling's mission is to provide a platform for artists to express and challenge themselves, and they prefer working with choreographers who are willing to venture out of their comfort zones. The company doesn't limit the style of dance to only contemporary or modern so it opens the door to a variety of dance forms. The directors have a handful of choreographers they ask to create for each show including Hannah Brightwell of Verge Dance Company; Rosalyn Nasky, a stunning, long-bodied soloist from Austin whose works never cease to amaze me in their both graceful and disjointed manner; and Pamela Patel, long time friend and collaborator to Dzubinksi. I usually present a piece as well, but sadly one of my dancers was injured, so the duet I had planned will land in a future performance down the road. Once the "regular" slots are filled, the company does an open call to the dance community, often hosting choreographers from outside of Texas. The point is to create as diverse a program as possible. 

Guest Choreographer Elisa Marie Cavallero
Photo Credit: Scott Belding

When asked why she decided to leave "No Assurance" behind Dzubinski told me that after having her second child she realized that she didn't have the time to dedicate to producing full length shows alone. Oakley reached out to her saying she was interested in helping, and thus, Sling was born. Both choreographers felt that Austin's dance performance opportunities were limited, with most being full time companies or extremely specific styles, but they knew that people wanted to move. 

Okay, so why call it Sling? The two brainstormed over a long list of words that implied movement - the slinging of a body through space, propulsion forward. Dzubinski also mentioned a body sling, in that it is wrapped around one's body - a circle, or feeling of connectedness.   

What's it like co-directing?

"Different," laughs Dzubinksi. The two had to learn each other's communication styles early on, and with each show things run more smoothly.

This is your first time choreographing together. Tell me about it.  

"It's been really good," says Oakley. "We have different visions, but once you relinquish control it all comes together into one solid thing. I like the team element of co-choreographing."

Are all your future pieces going to be co-choreographed?
Not all of them. The creative process has been wonderful since deciding to work together, but life gets in the way, so time management becomes an issue, though they both would love to work together again creatively.

What are Sling's future goals? 
Everything is still short term since the company is still living from show to show. But eventually Dzubinksi would like to present two shows per year - one would be presented in the vein the shows are now, with multiple groups performing; the other would be a formal Sling show with works choreographed and performed by the company dancers. Sights are set on travel to nearby Texas cities which host a range of different festivals. Oakley would also like to bring in musicians to perform live with the dancers, and have a more interactive vibe with other types of artists.

"Take Flight" is happening Friday and Saturday, August 14 & 15 at 8:00PM at Bravo, Balance Dance Studios. Tickets are already on sale and will likely sell out, so head on over to Brown Paper Tickets to get your's now.  Complimentary wine will be served before, during and after the show!