Beginning on the banks of the Mississippi River, Native American choreographer Emily Johnson and her dance company, Catalyst, invited residents of the Minneapolis and St. Paul to dance and follow them on to the stage of the newly renovated Northrop Auditorium. The dance was the culmination of Northrop’s grand re-opening month and the centerpiece of Emily’s new, week-long performance, SHORE.
SHORE comprised four distinct elements of performance: FEAST, a shared meal; STORY, an evening of curated readings; COMMUNITY ACTIONS, an organized volunteer day; and DANCE, an original dance performance. With support from the Joyce Awards, Emily invited community members and the local Native American community in particular to become a part of the performance.
“Picking up trash along the river, that isn’t a performance but it is a part of this performance and part of this gathering of action,” Emily explained. “Art, and in particular performance, can really make a community stronger.”