2007 is almost to a close and I could list the many performances Catalyst had throughout the year, and give you a heads up on what is to come, and this would probably be the smart thing to do....but, I am not in such a directorial, strategizing mood (I often am not) - and I looked up from my computer and I saw this poem and it seems more
important to share than any news I have at the moment.

Who could ever tire of this heart-stopping transition, of this breakthrough shift between seeing and knowing you see, between being and knowing you be? It drives you to a life of concentration, it does, in which effort draws you down so very deep that when you surface you twist up exhilerated with a yelp and a gasp.

Who could ever tire of this radiant transition, this surfacing to awareness and this deliberate plunging to oblivion - the theater curtain rising and falling? Who could tire of it when the sum of those moments at the edge - the conscious life we so dread losing - is all we have, the gift at the moment of opening it?
-Annie Dillard, An American Childhood

Catalyst enjoyed a fine 2006 with performances at the Rogue Buddha Art Gallery in Minneapolis (thank you RBG,) at Dance Theater Workshop in New York City, on the banks of the Missouri River in South Dakota, on a farm in Nebraska, along 35W in Iowa and as part of KICK! in Montreal, Quebec.

"Capture!," the dance-film series Catalyst and Firetrunk produce at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis continued with 5 screenings of experimental dance films from around the world.

And, our work was featured in Mental Contagion, the Star Tribune and in the November issue of Dance Magazine.

For our next adventure we go to Austin, Texas where we are bring presented by Dance Umbrella with shows at the soon to be demolished site of Gallery Lombardi (January 25-28 @ 8pm , 910 W. 3rd St., Austin TX, www.danceumbrella.com.)

Also in January - Dance Theater Workshop is screening our film Wingspan 5’2’’ in their video dance series "Captured." The film screens the entire month whenever DTW is open.

If you’re in Minneapolis, look for the second installment of the experimental dance series, Windfarm at the Rogue Buddha Art Gallery, with special guests in February, March and April.

And - if you’re anywhere near Chicago, you’re going to want to be at Links Hall every weekend in March as Tramp moves the work of 5 independent choreographing entities (Catalyst, Hijack, Karen Sherman, Morgan Thorson and Laurie VanWieren) from Minneapolis to Chicago for a month filled with performances, workshops, receptions, postshow discussions, informal gatherings of dance professionals and a symposium. Links will post the info soon at www.linkshall.org.

Here’s to a happy and healthy 2007...
Emily Johnson
Director, Catalyst

June brings the entire Catalyst dance company to the eastern coast of the U.S.A; we’re performing in New York City for the first time: Heat and Life at Dance Theater Workshop June 28- July 1. We’re cooperating with New York’s “Citizens Campaign for the Environment,” holding postshow discussions and conversations on the subject of global warming. They’re a great organization that has really helped us get the word out about the show. Find out more info on them at www.cce.org.

For a recent interview about this show see Mental Contagion.

To hear a recent podcast interview go to Great Dance.

And, of course, to buy tickets go to www.dtw.org!!

While in New York, JG Everest - the composer and musician (who also performs with us in Heat and Life) will play a solo show at Tonic with Berlin based “electro-pop-princess” Barbara Morgenstern. It’s going to be a very cool show. Check out the details and listen to samples at:
www.tonicnyc.com
www.barbarmorgenstern.de
www.jgeverest.com

This fall, Catalyst will perform Heat and Life on a farm in Nebraska and in public spaces in South Dakota and Iowa - all part of our goal of bringing Heat and Life to every state in the U.S.A. While on this massive 50-State-Tour we donate to www.gocarbonzero.com - our way of trying to off-set the carbon emissions created for our flights and driving. Try it (or, of course, try driving less!).

New work is on the horizon as well, as we continue to work on “Windfarm.” Windfarm is our version of the future...complete with stilt walking. Look for it in 2007.

Capture! the dance series produced by Catalyst at the Bryant Lake Bowl in MInneapolis continues with some exciting fall programming including work by Julyen Hamilton. We’re always on the search for new dance films, you can send them (with a SASE if you want it returned) throughout the year (see the Capture! page of our website).

Thanks for your time. Come see some dancing.

Emily Johnson
Director, Catalyst