by Rachel Staggs

I spoke candidly with Kathy Dunn Hamrick about art, music, dance and life. She is a fascinating person full of energy and expression. Seven years ago Hamrick began presenting her own work after teaching for several years. Beginning in September of last year, she and her newly formed dance company began creating a movement piece entitled So Close. The performers include Kathy Dunn Hamrick, Kate Warren, Gaye Greever, Renne Nunez, and Marlo Harris.

Hamrick states, "These dancers are all very curious about movement, about dance, about art; they are inquisitive, intuitive, and very intelligent. The really special thing is that each one of these dancers is willing to invest themselves in the process." So Close is about "how our lives are fashioned not by our intentions, but by the actions of others. Seen and unseen forces. We sort of bump and careen through life and soar sometimes. It's how we are affected by other people."

Each performance is unique and cannot be reproduced, so look for moments of brilliance. The performance space is intimate and in the round. The dancers will be using the entire space, with movement flowing between the audience and behind the audience. You will have to choose what you desire to observe in any given moment, because movement will be all around you. Hamrick compares this to everyday life, the choices we make, and things we miss because of those choices.

Beginning with the word "almost," Hamrick and her company began to create So Close. Phrases like, "this close," "plan B," "and then a miracle happened," "chance encounter," were used to keep certain images in the dancers minds as they worked on the material. In this piece, they allow those "almost" and "so close" places to happen.

The future of Hamrick's dance company is a bright one, filled with motivation and excitement about keeping a cohesive group of dancers that grows together and performs together. With a larger performance space in its future and possible touring, this dance company can only grow. Look for the 'Art Is a Living Process' series to develop and reach out into the community. With a variety of topics, Hamrick hopes this series will invoke the artist in everyone.