See Stefanie Batten Bland’s choreography in action on the Ringling International Arts Festival’s YouTube channel
The hit dance competition show So You Think You Can Dance? features some of the best dancers from across the country. So what does it take to be a choreographer who teaches these phenomenal talents? Just ask Stefanie Batten Bland, guest choreographer for So You Think You Can Dance- Poland.
As a native New Yorker, young Stefanie began dancing at the age of four and has been making headlines ever since. After appearing on an episode of the TV show Dance Fever at age six, Stefanie moved to L.A. with her parents, graduated from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and launched a successful early dance career. She has been a soloist for Lar Lubovitch Dance in Chicago, danced for several companies in Germany and Switzerland and served as assistant choreographer to Georges Momoye.
Her dance career has taken her across Europe, Asia and the United States. Her choreography has been included in luxury galas for Louis Vuitton and ads for Guerlain perfumes and Arpels jewelry, and her innovative projects have earned her recognition at choreography competitions, film and dance festivals in Greece, Germany and across the United States.
Stefanie is a choreographer on the move. In 2008, she founded the French and American bi-coastal contemporary dance company, Company Stefanie Batten Bland (CSBB), to fuse her dance heritage with multi-media collaborations.
“We are bridge builders who illustrate the synergy of American ardor and European subtlety,” said Stefanie in a March 2011 interview with the blog Hello I Am Dancer.
In her most recent piece, Terra Firma, Stefanie creates movements about “immigration—the search for solid ground” across bodies of water. In an interview with Kickstart, Stefanie said that the inspiration for the piece came from a conversation she had with Baryshnikov about her choreography dreams.
“I told him I would like to explore boat travel, migration, and people. Since he’s an immigrant, and well, I have also immigrated to three countries (France, Germany, and Switzerland), he was excited and wanted to hear more.”
There are no sharp points in Stefanie’s Terra Firma choreography, but rather one fluid line moving throughout the piece, a force that carries both dancers and audience on a journey of hope, yearning, and ultimately, belonging.
“You have to stay true to who you are as a person, appreciate all that has come before and celebrate it in the now,” advises Stefanie. “Accept the accidents as great opportunities to explore, even when they occur on stage. Breathe in and smile.”
Experience the fluidity of Terra Firma in The Historic Asolo Theater Wednesday, Oct, 12, Friday, Oct. 14, Saturday, Oct. 15 and Sunday, Oct. 16.
The 2010 Ringling International Arts Festival is now a part of the history books. The Festival was over 90% sold-out and audiences local, national and international enjoyed incredible performances by artists from around the world. We want to thank you for supporting the Festival and we look forward to planning for next year. We know that as long we have talented and innovative artists coming to perform here, we have an audience ready to embrace them!
