Constellation Stories | PLACE Project

Constellation Stories
Stories of the Night Sky

This year's PLACE Project celebrates Seymour Planetarium in Springfield MA.

Saturday, November 5, 2022, from 12-4pm

Springfield Science Museum, Springfield MA

THIS EVENT HAS NOW PASSED

Enjoy perusing the following links for photos and press coverage of this event, or scroll down further for more info on the event's mission and collaborators!

PRESS

A special ‘Dance’ with the stars at Springfield Science Museum

KEITH O'CONNOR THE REPUBLICAN

A planetarium in Springfield gives new meaning to dancing with the stars

JACOB GARCIA GBH NEWS

Ludlow legacy leads to ‘Constellation Stories’ performance event

MARCELO GUSMAO LUDLOW REGISTER

View photos of the event

ABOUT THE EVENT

This year's PLACE Project travels to the stars, as we celebrate Seymour Planetarium's 85th anniversary (the oldest planetarium in the country) at Springfield Science Museum in Springfield, MA. This exciting collaborative performance of dance, light, and science features astronomy-based mythologies from China, Japan, Estonia, Greece, Puerto Rico, and Cape Verde. Our Constellation Stories event comprises contemporary performances by Luminarium Dance Company (Tanisha Anand, Alexa Barreiros, Melenie Diarbekirian, Joscelyn E. Hunter, McKenzie Lani Jones, Jamie Peña, Aniky Salima, Marissa Stellato, Victoria Paige Williams); original music composition by Madeleine Shapiro (cellist/improvisations, NYC) and Andreas Bergsland (electronics, Norway); traditional Taíno solos by Chali'naru Dones and Vinny “Tata’niki” Iraheta; and Celestial Gift, a new work by Henoch Spinola; all honoring the night sky. Visitors are encouraged to wander the museum as the dancers pop up in different locations throughout the afternoon. Free with museum admission and intriguing for all ages, this event is not to be missed!

Curious where and when each piece is being performed?

View the Performance Schedule Here!

VISIT THE MUSEUM

Springfield Science Museum

21 Edwards Street

Springfield, MA 01103

Visit Springfield Science Museum

Learn about Seymour Planetarium

MEET THE CHOREOGRAPHERS

Merli V. Guerra (MFA in Dance) is an award-winning choreographer and interdisciplinary artist combining dance, film, art, and design. She is founder and director of PLACE Project, integrating history, dance, and the arts since 2012; and co-founder and artistic director of Luminarium Dance Company, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Boston, MA (founded 2010), and Princeton, NJ (2017). Guerra has performed lead roles as a modern dancer and classical Odissi Indian dancer with acclaimed companies on tours to India (2007, 2012) and Japan (2009). Her artistic works have been presented by 100+ events across the U.S., and internationally in Europe, North America, Asia, and South America, with interactive art installations permanently on view in the U.S. and Portugal. She is a 2022 recipient of an Individual Artist Fellowship Award from NJ State Council on the Arts and Mid Atlantic Arts for her work in screendance, and a 2015 recipient of the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s prestigious Gold Star Award for her PLACE Project site-specific productions and community engagement.

Chali'naru Dones is a Borikén Taíno woman, member of the Guainía Taíno Tribe and Liaison to the United Confederation of Taíno People. A devoted mother, human rights advocate, artist, and creative entrepreneur, Dones and her son Tata’niki are often seen throughout New England sharing their culture's history through voice and dance. Her son, a powwow champion dancer captivates his audience with his spiritual uplifting energy. Together they will represent their nation with a four directions invocation, an Owl Dance, a Makana (War) Dance and close with a gratitude chant.

Henoch Spinola, a native of Cabo Verde Islands, began his classical training with Jose Mateo’s Ballet Theatre in Cambridge, MA, graduating from the Young Dancers Program in 2006 to become a full company member 2007. After leaving JMBT, Spinola began working with Prometheus Dance from 2011–2012, along with other dance companies local to Boston. He then moved to New York City to dance in a work by Itzik Galili at the Metropolitan Opera from 2013-2014. He completed the Master of Fine Arts program within the Creative Practice: Dance Professional Practice Pathway at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London in 2017. He is currently a core member with Boston Dance Theater.

MEET THE COMPOSERS

Called a “cello innovator” by Time Out NY, Madeleine Shapiro presently directs ModernWorks and performs as a solo recitalist throughout the United States, Europe and Latin America. In addition to her recital work, Shapiro has had residencies at numerous institutions presenting masterclasses and workshops. Her work has been called “focused and cohesive” (Time Out New York), “powerful and commandingly delivered” (The Strad, UK), and “played with great skill and sensitivity” (The Washington Post). Awards include: three Encore Awards from the American Composers Forum, and a Barlow Award, all to assist in the presentation of new works; First Prize in Adventurous Programming awarded by ASCAP‑Chamber Music America: a three-time Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome. Her two solo CDs, Electricity: works for cello and electronics and SoundsNature: works for cello and electronics appear on Albany records. Other recordings for Naxos, New World Records, C.R.I., Mode, SEAMUS, and HarvestWorks. More at madeleineshapiro.com.

Andreas Bergsland is professor in music technology at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). His recent research focuses on interactive dance and movement-sound interaction for users with and without disabilities. Bergsland has also been involved in composition and sound design for exhibitions, installations, dance performance, large scale multi-media events, in addition to doing live-electronics performances and working with computer instrument design for motion capture systems. In addition, he has composed several pieces for interactive dance that have been presented in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Canada and the U.S. in collaboration with choreographers like Robert Wechsler and Seh Yun Kim. Together with the MotionComposer team he received a special recognition award in the 2016 Guthman Musical Instrument Competition.