Wonderbound welcomes audiences in new home
DENVER – COVID-19 has been exceptionally tough on arts organizations. Live audiences have been nearly eliminated for the past year, taking a toll on artist livelihoods while creating a void in the hearts of art-lovers.
We last met-up with Denver’s Wonderbound contemporary ballet company in July, speaking with president Dawn Fay and artistic director, Garrett Ammon via Zoom.
The married duo discussed the innovative ways they’d experimented and found ways to keep Wonderbound operating. From the production of short dance films, to free online instructional videos – more than 100 of them – they were finding ways to keep their company of 12 dancers and a supporting team employed.
They were surviving. And, they were looking forward to welcoming audiences safely back into their space for new performances and for the unique opportunity to attend open rehearsals.
2020 brings another twist in early November
“At our previous location over on 40th Avenue, we were victims of severe vandalization. There was a break-in, and the thieves vandalized the main electrical rooms to the entire property. They stripped out copper wiring. The damage was irreparable,” explained Fay while sharing the reason for their new location at 38th and Dahlia in northeast Denver.
“We moved the organization to a different location in six days. It was challenging to say the least on top of a challenging situation that we were already in with COVID but, ultimately it's ended up working out fabulously,” she said.
It’s that kind of optimism that keeps Wonderbound going strong.
The vandalism had delayed the run of their show, but at the same time, it allowed Ammon the unscheduled opportunity to do what he does best; create. The new location helped with inspiration for his new ballet, The Troublemakers. He’s fallen in love with the new space.
“The original structure is from the 1920s. And then it has an additional steel structure that was added onto it in late sixties,” Ammon said. Most recently, the space was home to Denver’s internationally acclaimed sculptor Ed Dwight.
“Infused in its bones is art. You can sense that when you walk into the space that the lineage of creativity and artistic creation kind of lives inside the space,” he continued.
New location brings creativity & safe space for live audiences
RMPBS toured the new space while the production crew was busy preparing the stage for The Troublemakers. Lights were being positioned, set structures moved, all on the dance team’s day off.
Soon, Wonderbound will welcome small audiences of 25 people into the space for in-person performances. Safety for their team and for the community is top-of-mind.
“We've been functioning with the stay-at-home rules with the exception of going to work and that's what's enabled us to [keep operating] from almost the beginning of the pandemic,” Fay said, while explaining how social distance will be maintained. Guests will sit at cabaret-style tables far from the dance stage and will mingle with only their own “pods” or group of guests.
These safety measures protect the dancers and the audience, while creating a very intimate experience.
“There are only 25 audience members per show so you feel like you're experiencing this very private affair,” Ammon said.
Set to premiere later this month, The Troublemakers is an original performance inspired by Ammon’s intrigue of the film noir genre of filmmaking, taking audiences on a journey of the classic Wonderbound style.
Light emerging from the ‘pandemic tunnel’
This dark-film vibe will be no match for the light our community feels as we emerge from this pandemic. Fay describes the scene from one of their first performances within the new space and the reaction from a guest.
“The lights came up, the music started, the dancers started dancing, and literally like one second passed and she stood up and said at the top of her voice ‘Thank you so much!’ Then of course the whole audience started applauding. It was that genuine, authentic relief of being able to have some semblance of normal and being able to witness and experience live art,” Fay said, adding that it’s community strength and support like this that has helped Wonderbound navigate the past year.
Purchasing performance tickets, direct donations and emotional support have made the difference in allowing this small organization to survive.
“It has been through the generosity of those people, those supporters of ours – whether it's five dollars, or five-hundred or five-thousand – each of those contributions have helped make it happen,” Ammon said. “Each of those contributions help to ensure that we can keep going and help ensure that we can keep on contributing to our community and adding beauty to the community.”
Wonderbound recently received an $80,000 grant from Bonfils-Stanton Foundation in their second round of emergency grants for local arts organizations, and is partnering with Colorado Symphony on an International Composition for Dance Competition for composers, with an application deadline of May 31, 2021.
Keep up to date with Wonderbound here.
Learn about artist-in-residence, Micahel Dowling and his sketches of Wonderbound dancers during the production of The Troublemakers. They’ll soon be auctioned by Michael with proceeds donated to the dance company.