Reading and Reception for Allison Orr's "Dance Works: Stories of Creative Collaboration"

Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 4:30pm
Romance Languages and Literatures Lounge, 300 High Street, Middletown, Connecticut

FREE! Reservations required.

Celebrate the release of the Wesleyan University Press book Dance Works: Stories of Creative Collaboration by Allison Orr, Research Fellow of the College of the Environment and Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies. Orr is Founder and Artistic Director of Forklift Danceworks based in Austin, Texas.

Orr will read short excerpts from the book, followed by a reception with food and a set by DJ Mo Torres and DJ Lloyd. Orr will be joined by collaborating Wesleyan University Facilities staff whose movement and stories were featured in the WesWorks performance on campus in October 2021. 

Read Wesleyan Facilities Staff Showcased through WesWorks Performance (with Photo Gallery, Video) in The Wesleyan Connection.

Part memoir, part guide, in "Dance Works: Stories of Creative Collaboration" Orr reflects on her major collaborations and shares interviews with people she’s made dances with over the past two decades. Power line workers, sanitation workers, and firefighters reflect on their memories of performing with Forklift Danceworks and the lasting impact those dances made. Alongside larger conversations in the arts, Orr offers a look at how to create community-based art projects, how the creative process can bring people together to address civic issues, and the beauty of choreographing the day to day.

Presented by Wesleyan University's Center for the Arts, College of the Environment, Dance Department, and Wesleyan University Press.