Name Day

Within the Armenian Gregorian tradition, almost every day of the calendar year is devoted to a saint or martyr in the Christian faith. If someone is named after one of those figures, that day becomes his or her “name day” and is traditionally celebrated. Name Day is an emotional, geographic, and physical journey through two important life phases — birth and mourning — and it traces the steps we take to become a vital part of our own cultures. The piece examines the ways we accept reject, question, and find our own sense of belonging and has two originating points. One stems from Staib’s memories of his Armenian grandparents and his childhood split between Iran and rural Pennsylvania, the other from his movement investigation on a recent pilgrimage to Israel. An ambitious tribute to the old and new, this collection of dances and theatrical interludes unearths a curious Middle Eastern artistic sensibility:
the love of opulence is posed next to the threat of repression.

Premiere: February 2-4, 2012
Choreographer: George Staib in collaboration with the dancers
Sound Editing: Kendall Simpson
Lighting Designer: Gregory Catellier
Scenic Designer: Gregory Catellier
Costume Designer: Cynthia Church
Dancers: Meredith Brown, Emily Cargill, Helen Hale, Andre Lumpkin, Ellen Lyle, Julio Medina, Claire Molla, Jessica Moore, Allegra Ortiz, Lacey Pinson, Bridget Roosa, Daphanie Scandrick, Joseph Smith, Chelsea Spencer, Nicholas Surbey, Kathleen Wessel, Mohammad Zaidi

"Staib's vocabulary is prolific with percussive gestures..."  - EatDanceNow