Fall 2022 metamorphosis
What would a coming-of-age story look like as told through modern dance? In metamorphosis, we depict the story of a unique yet universal character—for simplicity’s sake, let’s call them Ari—as they transition from childhood into adulthood. Each dance explores some of the prototypical emotions, memories, and events of coming-of-age stories; together, the dances create an abstract narrative that loosely traces Ari’s path from innocence and naivety, to conflict and inner turmoil, to growth and maturation. Through Ari’s story, we ask: what happens when life-changing events change our ability to feel joy, process sadness, or cherish memories? How do our experiences growing up shape the development of our identities? This fall, HRMDC presents metamorphosis: a modern dance reimagining of the coming-of-age story.
Directed by Karina Halevy '23 and Mira Becker '24 | Loeb Ex, Loeb Drama Center | Reserve your free tickets
Saturday, October 22 at 2 pm
Saturday, October 22 at 7 pm
Sunday, October 23 at 2 pm
What would a coming-of-age story look like as told through modern dance? In metamorphosis, we depict the story of a unique yet universal character—for simplicity’s sake, let’s call them Ari—as they transition from childhood into adulthood. Each dance explores some of the prototypical emotions, memories, and events of coming-of-age stories; together, the dances create an abstract narrative that loosely traces Ari’s path from innocence and naivety, to conflict and inner turmoil, to growth and maturation. Through Ari’s story, we ask: what happens when life-changing events change our ability to feel joy, process sadness, or cherish memories? How do our experiences growing up shape the development of our identities? This fall, HRMDC presents metamorphosis: a modern dance reimagining of the coming-of-age story.
Directed by Karina Halevy '23 and Mira Becker '24 | Loeb Ex, Loeb Drama Center | Reserve your free tickets
Saturday, October 22 at 2 pm
Saturday, October 22 at 7 pm
Sunday, October 23 at 2 pm
Past Productions
Spring 2022
translations
translations was an exploration of the storytelling language of dance. Specifically, we thought about how our lives are made of stories we live, read, hide, and cherish. We asked questions like what makes a story worth remembering? Worth sharing? What stories do we tell others? What stories do we tell ourselves? How true are these stories, and what makes a story true? Because dance offers a unique storytelling medium, this show challenged us to interpret meaning by synthesizing clues from movement, body language, music, motifs, lyrics, lights, shapes, connections between dancers, intensity, and stillness. With dance as a vessel, translations showcased our stories.
Directed by Karina Halevy '23 and Mira Becker '24. Check out videos from the show here.
translations
translations was an exploration of the storytelling language of dance. Specifically, we thought about how our lives are made of stories we live, read, hide, and cherish. We asked questions like what makes a story worth remembering? Worth sharing? What stories do we tell others? What stories do we tell ourselves? How true are these stories, and what makes a story true? Because dance offers a unique storytelling medium, this show challenged us to interpret meaning by synthesizing clues from movement, body language, music, motifs, lyrics, lights, shapes, connections between dancers, intensity, and stillness. With dance as a vessel, translations showcased our stories.
Directed by Karina Halevy '23 and Mira Becker '24. Check out videos from the show here.
Fall 2021
archive
archive was an exploration of childhood, memory, and growth as HRMDC celebrated our 45th anniversary. archive was also a time of celebration as it marked our return to in-person auditions, rehearsals, and concerts after a year of virtual performances due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During a semester marked by memories of the past and hopes for the future, archive invited dancers, choreographers, alumni, and audience to reflect on their time and place in not only HRMDC's but also Harvard's history. During a semester that saw the return of campus life full and alive, there was no better way to celebrate moving from 40 to 45.
Directed by Veronica Tang '22 and Lucy Poulson '23. Check out videos from the show here.
archive
archive was an exploration of childhood, memory, and growth as HRMDC celebrated our 45th anniversary. archive was also a time of celebration as it marked our return to in-person auditions, rehearsals, and concerts after a year of virtual performances due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During a semester marked by memories of the past and hopes for the future, archive invited dancers, choreographers, alumni, and audience to reflect on their time and place in not only HRMDC's but also Harvard's history. During a semester that saw the return of campus life full and alive, there was no better way to celebrate moving from 40 to 45.
Directed by Veronica Tang '22 and Lucy Poulson '23. Check out videos from the show here.
Spring 2021
daybreak
daybreak was an exploration of how we sustain ourselves in the everyday. In this particular time of political and social turmoil, isolation, and crisis, dancers and choreographers examined the ways in which they've kept themselves sane and was a tribute to that which gives them light in the darkness. In a time when it was difficult to imagine a respite from the tragedy surrounding everyone, daybreak allowed choreographers, dancers, and audience alike to imagine a brighter future.
Directed by Veronica Tang '22 and Lucy Poulson '23. Check out videos from the show here.
daybreak
daybreak was an exploration of how we sustain ourselves in the everyday. In this particular time of political and social turmoil, isolation, and crisis, dancers and choreographers examined the ways in which they've kept themselves sane and was a tribute to that which gives them light in the darkness. In a time when it was difficult to imagine a respite from the tragedy surrounding everyone, daybreak allowed choreographers, dancers, and audience alike to imagine a brighter future.
Directed by Veronica Tang '22 and Lucy Poulson '23. Check out videos from the show here.
Fall 2020
surreal
surreal was an exploration of a word that has come to capture the essence of this moment - the uncertain, frightening, extraordinary, upside-down quality of it all. This virtual production aimed to traverse our individual and collective experiences of time, space, technology, human connection, and self-reckoning in these unprecedented times. Through novel intersections of choreography, performance, and media, surreal examined not just the strange new reality we've found ourselves a part of, but the unique experiment of making digital an art form that has long been grounded in the physical.
Directed by Katherine Deng '21 and Cassandra Kane '21. Check out videos from the show here.
surreal
surreal was an exploration of a word that has come to capture the essence of this moment - the uncertain, frightening, extraordinary, upside-down quality of it all. This virtual production aimed to traverse our individual and collective experiences of time, space, technology, human connection, and self-reckoning in these unprecedented times. Through novel intersections of choreography, performance, and media, surreal examined not just the strange new reality we've found ourselves a part of, but the unique experiment of making digital an art form that has long been grounded in the physical.
Directed by Katherine Deng '21 and Cassandra Kane '21. Check out videos from the show here.
Spring 2020
ca\dence
ca\dence explored ideas relating to the interplay between sound and dance. The show utilized many different forms of sound and included instances of live performance, silence, percussive movement, and novel uses of music. ca\dence was a way for choreographers to showcase the relationship, both the harmony and tension, between sound and dance.
Unfortunately, due to the impacts of COVID-19, HRMDC was unable to perform ca\dence at the Loeb Experimental Theater. Many people were involved in making this show more than a concept, so we would like to thank our choreographers, dancers, board members, guest artists, our supporters from HRDC, the Harvard Dance Center, the Loeb production staff, and our lighting and sound producers, Clay and Clarissa. We would also like to extend an additional thank you to the class of 2020 for the dedication, artistic genius, and talent they gave to HRMDC. We are so sorry you were not able to perform in your final HRMDC performance and wish you the best in all your future endeavors.
Directed by Jess Eng '21 and Katherine Deng '21.
ca\dence
ca\dence explored ideas relating to the interplay between sound and dance. The show utilized many different forms of sound and included instances of live performance, silence, percussive movement, and novel uses of music. ca\dence was a way for choreographers to showcase the relationship, both the harmony and tension, between sound and dance.
Unfortunately, due to the impacts of COVID-19, HRMDC was unable to perform ca\dence at the Loeb Experimental Theater. Many people were involved in making this show more than a concept, so we would like to thank our choreographers, dancers, board members, guest artists, our supporters from HRDC, the Harvard Dance Center, the Loeb production staff, and our lighting and sound producers, Clay and Clarissa. We would also like to extend an additional thank you to the class of 2020 for the dedication, artistic genius, and talent they gave to HRMDC. We are so sorry you were not able to perform in your final HRMDC performance and wish you the best in all your future endeavors.
Directed by Jess Eng '21 and Katherine Deng '21.
Photography Credit: Madeleine Klebanoff O'Brien
Fall 2019
an escape
an escape
In this performance, each piece was inspired by a different interpretation of what it means to escape—whether it be breaking from physical containment, losing oneself in a work of art, or discovering a haven in the company of others. As a whole, an escape acted as a doorway through which we represented these various forms of the self and reality, ultimately exploring how movement and performance offer both dancers and audience members a means of personal escape.
Directed by Cassandra Kane '21 and Daniel Rivera '20. Check out videos from the show here.
Directed by Cassandra Kane '21 and Daniel Rivera '20. Check out videos from the show here.
Photography Credit: George Liu
Spring 2019
Frame of Mind
Frame of Mind
In this show, each piece was inspired by a famous work of visual art, whether the medium be painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, photography, film, printmaking, or architecture. Ultimately, Frame of Mind explored how audiences engage with art – the aesthetic, cultural, and personal 'frames' through which we examine any piece of work – and how art affects our own thoughts and emotions in any given moment: our own frame of mind.
Directed by Cassandra Kane '21 and Daniel Rivera '20. Check out videos from the show here.
Directed by Cassandra Kane '21 and Daniel Rivera '20. Check out videos from the show here.
Photography Credit: Ryan Garvey
Fall 2018
Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time highlighted what the stories of our childhood embody. Fairytales have a timeless quality because they speak to universal understandings that ring true to people from all walks of life. Although not directly based off of pre-existing fairytales, Once Upon a Time utilized fairytale symbols and motifs that evoked a sense of familiarity, comfort, and happiness.
Directed by Fotini Anastopoulos '20 and Tiffany Lau '19. Check out videos from the show here.
Directed by Fotini Anastopoulos '20 and Tiffany Lau '19. Check out videos from the show here.
Photography Credit: Olivia Nie
Spring 2018
dreams
dreams
Dreams pushed the boundaries of dance performance and viewership while also exploring themes that are important in our everyday lives. From life goals to nightmares, Dreams was an immersive, trance-like journey, staged as one continuous dream. This show embodied many different passions, fears, and hopes, allowing everyone to be in touch with what matters to them - something we often neglect in the bustle of our everyday lives.
Directed by Fotini Anastopoulos '20 and Tiffany Lau '19. Check out videos from the show here.
Directed by Fotini Anastopoulos '20 and Tiffany Lau '19. Check out videos from the show here.
Photography Credit: Sophia Tang
Fall 2017
theories
theories
Theories bridged the gap between arts and sciences in a very visual way while also celebrating the diverse academic interests of the members of our company. This show was inspired by theories that ranged from mathematical rules to sociological hypotheses. Due to the abstract nature of the project, each piece stood out as an original work of art while still contributing to the collective theme.
Directed by Sarah Coady '19 and Gabe Martinez '18. Check out videos from the show here.
Directed by Sarah Coady '19 and Gabe Martinez '18. Check out videos from the show here.
Photography Credit: Fotini Anastopoulos
Spring 2017
Brave New World
Brave New World
Set in an environment inspired by Aldous Huxley’s 1932 novel of the same name, Brave New World was the Harvard-Radcliffe Modern Dance Company’s second exploration of narrative dance. Taking advantage of the blackbox Loeb Experimental theater, audience members were seated in the round and immersed in an up close experience of dance, light, and projections. Featuring the work of student and professional guest choreographers, Brave New World explored themes of individuality, social issues, sexuality, and consumerism.
Directed by Sarah Coady '19 and Gabe Martinez '18. Check out videos from the show here.
Directed by Sarah Coady '19 and Gabe Martinez '18. Check out videos from the show here.
Photography Credit: Sophia Tang
Fall 2016
40
40
A show dedicated to celebrating our 40th anniversary! The show featured pieces inspired by HRMDC's past productions choreographed by current students as well as returning alumni, celebrating the company's history while showcasing new work.
Directed by Laurel McCaull '18 and Michelle Ko '18. Check out videos from the show here.
Directed by Laurel McCaull '18 and Michelle Ko '18. Check out videos from the show here.
Photography Credit: Melanie Fu
Spring 2016
Exposure
Exposure
This dance performance was inspired by photography and the photographic process. Integrating different forms of media to expose the creative process behind the show, HRMDC brought forth a comprehensive artistic experience.
Directed by Laurel McCaull '18 and Michelle Ko '18. Check out videos from the show here.
Directed by Laurel McCaull '18 and Michelle Ko '18. Check out videos from the show here.
Photography Credit: Ben Grimm
Fall 2015
The Odyssey
The Odyssey
HRMDC's first exploration of a narrative. This show was inspired by the classic novel written by Homer.
Directed by Elizabeth Melampy '16 and Moira McCavana '16. Check out videos from the show here.
Directed by Elizabeth Melampy '16 and Moira McCavana '16. Check out videos from the show here.
Photography Credit: Ben Grimm
Other Past Productions
{Excerpts} (Spring 2015), Tempo (Fall 2014), Enough Space (Spring 2014), Mosaic (Fall 2013), Reconfigured (Spring 2012), 35 (Fall 2011), With Intent (Spring 2011), Traces of (Fall 2010), In Transit (Spring 2010), Pandemonium! (Fall 2009), In Case of Emergency (Spring 2009), flying backward : inching onward (Spring 2008), The Shallow End (Fall 2008), Levity (Spring 2007), Off the Page (Fall 2007), Local Architecture (Fall 2006)