March 30, 2004
Contact: George Yatchisin
(805) 893-3494
e-mail: yatchisin-g@ sa.ucsb.edu
Mary Anthony: A Life in Modern Dance and Meredith Monk’s Book of Days—a unique double bill about and by modern dance legends—screens at UCSB Campbell Hall
Summary Facts:
- Mary Anthony: A Life in Modern Dance is a touching portrait of a cherished and influential modern dance pioneer
- Book of Days is Meredith Monk’s film meditation on history, creativity and anti-Semitism that stunningly recaptures life in a medieval village
- Mary Anthony’s filmmakers Tonia Shimin and Wendy Popadynetz will hold a question and answer session after their film
- The evening is co-presented by the UCSB Dance Division
- Monday, May 3
- 7:30 pm / UCSB Campbell Hall
- General public: $8 / UCSB students: $6
- Tickets & Information: UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535
UCSB Arts & Lectures and the UCSB Dance Division will present two films about and by modern dance legends, screening Mary Anthony: A Life in Modern Dance (2003, 65 min.) and Meredith Monk’s Book of Days (1988, 75 min.) on Monday, May 3 at 7:30 pm in UCSB Campbell Hall. Director Tonia Shimin and co-editor Wendy Popadynetz, both UCSB faculty members, will conduct a Q&A after the screening of their film Mary Anthony.
Mary Anthony: A Life in Modern Dance is a vibrant and touching portrait of a cherished and influential modern dance pioneer who has become a New York institution. At 87 Mary Anthony, through her teaching, spirit and perseverance, continues to inspire an international community of dancers and people in all walks of life. Including excerpts from 11 works of choreography and interviews with Anthony and leading figures in the dance and theater world, the documentary is a rich story of a courageous life in the arts which sheds light on an important era of American modern dance. Critic Jennifer Dunning of The New York Times called the film “all that a documentary should be—vivid, graceful and informed storytelling.”
Mary Anthony: A Life in Modern Dance received its world premiere at The Dance on Camera Festival presented at the Walter Reade Theater in Lincoln Center in January 2004 to a standing ovation. Its West Coast premiere was at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February 2004.
The film’s director Tonia Shimin is a Professor of Dance at UC Santa Barbara. As a dancer Shimin has toured throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East as a member of the Jose Limon and Pearl Lang companies, as soloist with the Mary Anthony Dance Theater, Anna Sokolow’s Player’s Project and Repertory West Dance Company, and she has performed with the Martha Graham Dance Company. Since 1993 Shimin has been directing, producing and choreographing award-winning dance films. In 1994 Passage won a CINE Gold Eagle Award and both Passage and Who Called Me to This Dance? have screened at festivals around the world.
Meredith Monk’s Book of Days was shot in the preserved medieval town of Cordes, France. Set around 1350, the film weaves together characters, music, movement, time and space, as Monk skillfully draws parallels between the 14th century plague and fear of Apocalypse and our time of AIDS and fear of nuclear annihilation. “Typically for Monk,” writes the Washington Post, “it’s at once a phantasmagorical, droll, poignant and intellectually stimulating exercise.” The film is presented in conjunction with Meredith Monk’s appearance with Pico Iyer In Conversation on Wednesday, May 5 at 8 pm in UCSB Campbell Hall.
This event is sponsored by The Daily Nexus, KCSB 91.9 FM, the Santa Barbara Independent and Blue Agave. Tickets are $8 for the general public and $6 for UCSB students and available in advance, and at the door, starting at 6:30 pm, if still available.
For tickets or more information,
call UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535.
Editor: For photos, please call
George Yatchisin at (805) 893-3494.