Artist Statement
2:45 p.m. on October 7, 2017
“d r e a m s” is a dance & movement installation inviting viewers to share in the dancers’ experience. This work features 6 dancers moving freely about an open space,. “d r e a m s,” provides the Beltline attendee an opportunity to simultaneously observe, interpret and participate in an experience that is both physical, visual and auditory. A full kinesthetic experience complimenting the Beltline experience, “d r e a m s” is a visceral physical journey, allowing the audience member to transcend to a place of gratitude, acceptance and peace, pulsing energy through movement that is guided and inspired by the dancers. This work will inspire audience members to move, not just through music, but through inner rhythm. The dancers of the installation will guide and encourage audience members to express their inner groove along with them, guiding them through improvised movement, creating a work of art and dance. “d r e a m s,” is a work that strives to unify by inspiring onlookers that they, too, are dancers and dreamers. This movement installation will be set to original music, and will be an estimated 15-20 minutes in length. “d r e a m s” aims to ask the audience to open their minds and escape, only if for a few minutes, from the ties that bind them to that which is not serving them. As it is intended to be performed in a site-specific location, this will bring to life the dreams that make up our beautiful Atlanta Beltline, and celebrate the landscape.
Artist Bio
Mallory Lyles Baxley is a dancer, choreographer and teacher in the Atlanta and metro-Atlanta areas. She is the Artistic Director of Atlanta contemporary dance company, Zoetic Dance. Mallory received her dance training at Chambers Performing Arts in all forms of dance including ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip-hop and musical theatre. She graduated with honors in 2011 with a BFA in Dance from the University of Georgia, where she was a 4-year company member of contemporary and ariel dance company, CORE Concert Dance Company, under the direction of Bala Sarasvati. Before Mallory became Artistic Director of Zoetic, she was a company member for 4 years, under the direction of Melanie Lynch-Blanchard. She has trained in Liverpool with Wired Ariel Theatre in bungee assisted dance, Pittsburg, PA at Point Park University’s Summer Dance Intensive and New York, New York at the American Dance Festival. Mallory’s choreography has been shown at various Atlanta venues including the West End Performing Arts Center, Synchornicity Theatre, the Masquerade, Terminal West, the Music Room, the Mammal Gallery, Armstrong Atlantic State University (Savannah, GA), the University of Georgia (Athens, GA), Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education, West End Performing Arts Center, vairous location on the Atlanta Beltline for Art on the Atlanta Beltline and more. Her work has also been shown across the U.S. in Chicago, IL, San Francisco, CA, Detroit, MI, Greensville, SC, Florida and Alabama. Mallory has taught at various dance studios in Georgia, as well as Dayton, Ohio. She has had the honor of working with contemporary dance artists Sean Curran and Matt Kent, from Pilobolus. Currently, Mallory teaches contemporary, jazz, hip hop and children’s classes at Chambers Performing Arts.