How long does it take to really get to know someone? And once you do, how does your opinion of that person change? How about your opinion of people who share their characteristics or experiences? Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre has long been interested in building empathy by telling nuanced stories from the perspectives of people who are misunderstood, marginalized and stereotyped. It’s an undertaking that requires generous measures of time and care; crafting these stories in all their complexity, with true compassion—and through the abstract mediums of movement and music in particular—can’t be accomplished in the few weeks normally afforded to dance projects. CRDT gives collaborating choreographers and composers years to develop a new work, with ample opportunity for audience response along the way.
