An immersive, interactive ballet with chamber orchestra
Photos by Sarah Annie Navarette
thank you austin for a beautiful sold-out run!
Response to MoonFall
“So powerful, and then so tender. Not often are such disparate qualities drawn so beautifully into juxtaposition. Gentle love duets turn into angry ensemble conflicts. The shambling, morose movements of sun-scorched villagers segue into the powerful dances of the magician, seemingly in a heartbeat. That note is key, because while MoonFall, the newly premiered ballet by Red Nightfall Dance Theatre and Density512 danced to an original score by Sam Lipman deals directly in duality and opposites, it comes deeply and profoundly from the heart.
MoonFall creators have a scrupulous devotion to ballet, within which they create and innovate with a sense of liberation. […] All these ballets may have a proud place on the stage of world performing arts. Austin is so lucky.”
“The MoonFall immersive ballet WOWED me. An incredibly ambitious, beautiful, complex, funny-and-serious musing on celestial bodies, mythology, nature, environmental degradation, role-player fantasy games. Novel and adventurous in its staging and presentation but not self-consciously so. Always ever-so-slightly winking at you while it delivers its message. And beautiful, athletic choreography and dazzling, inspiring music from a 12-piece chamber orchestra! The small breakout performances in the middle of the production had me laughing out loud in several instances. I was lucky to see it in its entirety and hope I get the chance to do so again!”
Audience Response:
Overall, what did you find meaningful, evocative, interesting, exciting, striking?
“The easy ability to strike to the elemental core of complex reality, day/night, sun/moon, alive/dead, suffering/joy, and the ability to draw in and entrain audiences of moderns in a somewhat abstract and mythic story touching on the genetic structures in us all.”
“Choreography was stunning. At times, I saw more acting expressed by your performers than I see in professional Actors on stage in Austin. The score and orchestra were on another level of excellence as well.”
“The professional choreography to the music composed by Lipman. Sensitive, haunting no words needed. Graphics, scenery so unique.”
“The community of the arts coming together to bring something new to the people of Austin.”
ATX Premiere | May 10-11, 16-18, 2024
ATX Workshop Performances: March, April, October 2023
Austin Dance Festival - April 5, 2025
Barnstorm Dance Festival, Houston Texas - Tuesday May 28th and Friday May 31st, 7:30p
connect(TX)ions Dance Festival, Austin, Texas - Friday May 31st and Saturday June 1st, 7:30p
Presented by Red Nightfall Dance Theatre and Density512
Artistic Direction, Choreography, Concept by - Dorothy O’Shea Overbey
Story, Music, Artistic Direction by - Samuel Lipman
Producer, Story Consultant, - Kenzie Slottow
Interactivity designed by Kenzie Slottow & Dorothy O’Shea Overbey
Art & Projection by Yuliya Lanina
DadaLab - 2008 Alexander Avenue (between MLK and Manor)
To our incredible donors, thank you!
We would not be here without you
For the Wonder, Production Underwriter
Sylvia Arabian & Andrew Schwartz, Dave Glassco, Lauren Sheppard, Nancy Scanlan, Marvin Brittman, Richard Hartgrove, Carol Williams, Karin Richmond, Joel Hobbs, Tim & Marie Slottow, Jane Schwartz, Harriet Kirsch Pozen, Andrea Trisdale, Wei Li, Peter Rock, Alyson Wagner, Steven Rutkowski, Maria Thompson, David G. Robinson, MP Mueller, Brad Robb, Glenda Moore, Margaret Murray Miller, Blair Johnson, Laura Snavely, Lisa Kramer, Donna Lipman, Sabrina Mikan, Nina Mosier