This story was originally published by ArtsATL.
The San Francisco-based company Sean Dorsey Dance returns to Atlanta’s 7 Stages Sept. 15 through Sept. 17.
Lead by the Emmy-winning transgender choreographer Sean Dorsey, the ensemble will present the Atlanta premiere of Dorsey’s new work, “The Lost Art Of Dreaming,” performed by a cast of five queer, trans and gender-nonconforming dancers: Dorsey, Brandon Graham, Héctor Jaime, David Le and Nol Simonse. It is set to a score of original and commissioned music.
Credit: Lydia Daniller
Credit: Lydia Daniller
The company will present two #TheLostArtOfDreaming activities in the 7 Stages lobby: Postcards From The Future and The Futurist Pledge. And on Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the company will host a community dialogue at the theater — the “Art of Activism: Fierce Dreaming.” The event is free, and attendees are not required to attend the performances to participate.
7 Stages has a history of working with the company, having presented Dorsey’s “The Secret History of Love” in 2014, “The Missing Generation” in 2016 and “Boys in Trouble” in 2019.
Dorsey was born female and began to transition as a teenager. He started dancing when he was 25 and is considered the first transgender modern dance choreographer. Sean Dorsey Dance, founded in 2005, has performed in more than 30 cities nationally and internationally. All the works in its repertoire incorporate transgender and LGBTQ+ themes.
Credit: Kegan Marling
Credit: Kegan Marling
Dorsey is also the founder of Fresh Meat Productions, a nonprofit dedicated to the creative expression and cultural leadership of transgender and gender-nonconforming communities. The organization creates and commissions new work, engages in education and advocates for justice and equity in the arts. The Fresh Meat Festival has presented transgender and queer performance in San Francisco annually for the last 22 years.
This summer, the award-winning film “Sean Dorsey Dance: Dreaming Trans & Queer Futures” was screened at the American Dance Festival in North Carolina.
DANCE PREVIEW
“The Lost Art of Dreaming”
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 15 and 16. 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. $25-$35. 7 Stages, 105 Euclid Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-523-7647, 7stages.org.
Dreamlab dance workshop with Sean Dorsey Dance
1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. Free. 7 Stages.
“The Art of Activism: Fierce Dreaming” discussion
11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. Free. 7 Stages.
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
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