(Referring to Eurydice)
“I don’t know, should I say it? Is it a surprise? There is another great movement part; you'll have to see it and come watch to find out. All I’m gonna say is... Madonna.”
Anastasia Culin is a senior dance major with a theatre minor. She transferred into the Rowan University Department of Theatre & Dance from The Young American’s College of the Performing Arts. With this group, as well as doing her academic studies, she had the opportunity to travel, perform, and teach all over the USA with five tours. She also traveled to Japan with four tours and did the same work there.
Anastasia is currently performing in Rowan’s production of Eurydice, as well as being the choreographer and movement specialist, playing tomorrow February 27th- March 1st. As a department we recently went to a preview of the new prologue she created for the play. This prologue, as well as this production, is a brilliant example of what movement driven theatre is. After our talkback, I saw a great opportunity to interview Anastasia on what this prologue is about, why dance-theatre is so important to her, and why people should have an open mind to include as many interdisciplinary forms of art in theatre as possible.
Interview:
Rowan has a great level of movement training and strong focus on movement driven theatre. People outside of our department may be surprised to find that a production of a play could have such strong physicality. Could you elaborate on why this is crucial to your show?
“Yeah! So- with Chris Roche’s, Eurydice’s director, vision of the character Orpheus being a DJ (Who is written to be played as a musician, specifics are up to directing choices) and his love for the music of female artists and their remixes, there’s such an energy for artists like Cher, Madonna, and Whitney Houston there; it resembles the music videos of that time with their high energy and jazz-esc movement. There is also an importance to understanding that the script and this text is based off of a Greek tale, so I looked into Greek art. I saw that there were a lot of different shapes that they made, and I’m using those shapes in the piece as well. It is a balance in the physicality of trying to find the Greek in it while also representing the musicians inspiring the movement.”
And why is movement driven theatre so important to you? More specifically, why is it so important to you that our department has such a strong focus on it?
“It’s very important to me because I started off as a dancer, and then my love of theatre came along with that. I’ve always been drawn to pieces of art that have strong movement in them. For example, I love musicals, but I also love these plays that have dancing in them, as well as dance theatre pieces. I believe it’s so important that Rowan creates this kind of work because we’re founded on ensemble based theatre, and I think this show is a great example of the uses of all these interdisciplinaries together.”
After recently seeing a preview of Eurydice, the most evident change in it is that you’ve created a brand new prologue for the play. What is this prologue about?
“In this prologue, our role is to establish the relationships between these people. Primarily, we wanted to show the audience how The Father has been brought to Hell, as well as these new nymphs, sister characters of Eurydice, and having them taken away one by one shows how much Hades will do to get to Eurydice.”
Why do you think it’s important that you have a prologue? I’ve seen productions of Eurydice before with an ensemble in them, but I feel like the way you and Chris are doing it is so unique, so important. Why do you think it’s important these new characters exist in the production?
“My character is Anthusae and she is a flower and nature nymph. The addition of the sisters/ nymphs adds even further representation of how the show is based on memory. There’s parts of the play where we can somewhat remember our past before going to the Underworld, and there’s parts where we’re being taught how to be like The Stone characters, those who have completely forgotten their past. The difference between them and Eurydice however, is that Hades wants Eurydice specifically. These new elements highlight how, for lack of better words, he just uses them to get to her.”
Why did you create this prologue? What do you think the audience will get out of its existence?
“It sets up the whole show. I made this in hopes that you would see these relationships and how they’re related. -and the work goes from there. You’re seeing these people disappear and you’re asking “What’s happening?” “Where are they going?” Then you’re just left with Eurydice, and Orpheus comes in. I think it also sets the tone of the show. The use of this music is very different and non traditional with our production.”
So it’s like the exposition that wasn’t always there in the beginning of the author’s play.
“That! Ditto.”
How do you find working with Chris on this project? I know I loved getting to work with him last semester.
“Oh, I love working with Chris. He makes such a safe and supportive environment; it’s the kind of environment and energy I want to bring into all my future projects. The support, the kindness, the challenges, the safety that he creates, and the passion that he gives just makes us want to give it all of our passion too.”
What have you taken away from this program as a movement driven artist?
“I’ve taken away that I don’t just have to box myself in as an actor, singer, or dancer. That I am an artist and I am a designer, and to use words that are more open to other disciplines rather than just one or the other. -really pushing the envelope because if it was easy, everyone would do it. It’s hard but it’s what we love to do. It’s our passion, and I can’t see myself doing anything else besides this.”
Did you find that before you got here you were boxing yourself into that “dancer” category, not seeing yourself doing more?
“I struggled with it a bit. I’d been dancing my whole life, then I found theatre in 6th grade and started doing musicals. I went to GCIT for acting, so I always had love for this thing. But I always thought that to go into the “real world” I had to pick one, be really good at one. When I realized different productions of different things were going to ask for many different parts of that, it really helped.”
Why would you recommend studying at Rowan?
“In the performing arts world there is not set career path. You create your own chutes and ladders type of lifestyle; it depends on how much you want to do a certain thing. I think Rowan prepares us for if we want to perform and then create work, or if we want to create work and then perform. They’re not just preparing us for one specific pathway, that it’s one way or no way, they allow us to see what we may face and to not be afraid of it. I learned not to give up because there are so many other options that I am open to from being at Rowan. That if I were to get hurt as a dancer I have this passion for acting I can do. Lighting is pretty cool too!!
Do you feel like it sets you apart as an artist (as an RUTD student) that you’re learning a great deal about being in your body?
“I think so, because as an artist you want to learn as much of everything as possible; it makes you a well-rounded performer. Like our dance majors and theatre majors also have to do design-tech. There’s so much art and creativity involved. Why would we not want to learn about that? Having my foot in each of the puddles and ponds of each discipline gives me such a big basket to pull creative ideas from, instead of just one.”
How do you want to go about pursuing a career path in dance-theatre; what does that entail?
“I want to do a lot of things with my future. I want to perform as much as I can in many things. I love musicals; I love children’s theatre as well. Then, along the way, having the opportunity to collaborate on productions, to be a movement specialist and choreographer in “non traditional” movement pieces would be a great opportunity because it brings a new light onto that piece. Like if someone were to bring dance into other straight plays, it would make it very different.”
How would you define dance-theatre?
“I think it’s a case-by-case type of thing. To each person it’s slightly different- if you’re coming from a dance background, if you’re coming from an acting background. To me it’s being interdisciplinary between the different elements of dance and theatre. I think it’s more than just a concert dance stage. There are stories that have to be told. There’s strong themes that can be told. I’ve just been introduced to dance theatre and I’m newly exploring it- what it means to me and what it means to others. Maybe I’ve known it and wanted to do it my whole life, loving all these different elements of singing, dancing, and acting besides in a musical.
I feel like I find that theatre being more movement driven is like this added layer as plays are being created and produced, even further than just acting on the stage.
“People learn and view things differently. Like, many people are visual learners and that’s why a lot of them are drawn towards the movement part of it. Other people rely more on their ears, but that just means there’s a lot more text and music we can involve: in other languages such as ASL, culture pieces coming together, etc. I just think it’s having an open mind to include as many forms of art as possible.”
I wish there was more being created on larger platforms in the public eye like the storytelling being done here by our professors and students at Rowan.
“It seems very much that people think there’s just general musicals and plays. Then, every once in a while there’s a production like Spring Awakening’s deaf West End revival. There’s also the use of differently abled bodies that should be done more often. That’s something I’m really passionate about.”
Do you want to talk more about that?
“Yeah! So for my Dance History paper I wrote about different physically integrated dance companies and the use of people with different abilities in theatre. It was about how representation matters and it’s so important to have those people play their own parts instead of other people playing them because it’s going to be true and honest. The best way to do that is to cast people who are living those stories, for people to see, in things like plays and musicals, an actor playing a character that happens to be how they are and who they are.”
Has this affected you on a personal level?
“I was born with amniotic band syndrome, ABS, and it’s affected my hands as I only have five fully formed fingers. I also have mild to moderate hearing loss. I feel like I’m in this place where I’m not “normal” but I’m also not “disabled.” I’m in this in between world where I want to explore how much of each world can be brought together, how they can each with equal parts create art.
Are you up to anything else here in RUTD?
“For the choreography showcase I’m making a piece with five amazing artists and I’m excited with what’s happening. I’m using what I’ve taken from Eurydice in creating a movement piece, and applying that to the choreography showcase as well. It also works vice versa. One thing is always affecting another. The unison and individuality of a Greek Chorus being done within Eurydice is also something I can bring to the showcase.”
Do you have a favorite part about this production of Eurydice?
“Well I love the prologue, but there is a part... I don’t know, should I say it? Is it a surprise? There is another great movement part, you'll have to see it and come watch to find out. All I’m gonna say is Madonna.”
What’s your biggest takeaway from creating this unique production?
“My greatest takeaway is to trust myself, to support myself in what I’m doing, and to love what I’m doing because if I don’t love what I’m doing, others aren’t going to love what I’m doing. I know what kind of environment works great with support, kindness, and safety, as well as finding ways to challenge them but always be communicating with them, Communication is such a big thing.”
Why should people come see your production of Eurydice?
“It’s a great take on a classic tale. If you love music by Whitney Houston, Cher, Madonna, or Greek Mythology, it’s right up your alley.”
Do you have any final thoughts or advice that you’d like to share with the readers of this article?
“I would say that if you’re only on one track right now (ie: acting, singing, dancing, tech) be open to exploring other classes. You might find a passion you didn’t know was there. It doesn’t hurt you at all to learn something new. I know as a dancer it’s scary to sing but it’s going to make you better and influence your dancing. Also, learn how to challenge yourself further with what you already know. Once you sit in it, you’re stuck in it.”
Come see Anastasia Culin's performance and choreography, as well as the rest of her wonderful cast, for a great example of movement driven theatre.
February 27th-March 1st in Tohill Theatre at Rowan University.
Anastasia Culin
RUTD senior, performer, choreographer, and movement specialist for Rowan University Department of Theatre & Dance's upcoming production of Eurydice.
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