The Momentary Kicks Off a Year of Dance with Open-Level Contemporary Dance Classes
Flyover Contemporary Dance Company to complete residency, teach dance classes, perform new work
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Spring 2024 is the season of dance at the Momentary. This spring, for the first time ever, the Momentary is hosting a local dance company for its artist-in-residence program. Flyover Contemporary Dance Company will bring together local dancers to build a new dance performance, in collaboration with artificial intelligence, that will premiere at the Momentary in April.
The Momentary’s artist-in-residence program supports artists in both the exploration of new frontiers and in the creation of new work. Flyover will work alongside a world-class support team of producers, preparators, and curators as they explore, experiment, research, and develop new work.
“Introducing Flyover Contemporary Dance Company as our first-ever local dance company in residence marks a significant moment in history for the Momentary and the artist-in-residence program,” said Cynthia Post Hunt, the Momentary’s curator of performance. “Their innovative approach to dance enriches the vibrant arts scene in Northwest Arkansas and advances the Momentary’s mission to catalyze creativity and broaden the field of artistic possibilities.”
Flyover will be offering contemporary dance classes in the RØDE House at the Momentary throughout the spring. These classes, recommended for adults (16+) with some previous dance experience, will explore contemporary dance grounded in modern dance techniques. Classes will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from January 17 to April 3.
“Flyover’s residency at the Momentary is a terrific opportunity to broaden our network of movers and dance lovers in the area while sharing our love for dance. We’re grateful for this partnership and the impact it will have on our community,” said Karen Castleman, co-founder of NWA Movement Hub.
Flyover’s residency culminates with (un) C.A.N.I. (Creative Acts of Neo-Intelligence), a series of danced explorations that probes humanity’s increasingly tangled relationship with artificial intelligence. The immersive, multimedia performance will physically manifest the unsettling relationship between the human and the not-quite human, investigating ideas like doomscrolling, algorithmic biases, fearmongering around human job loss, and danced portrayals of robots.
In 2023, Flyover collaborated with the Momentary, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and 21c Museum Hotel for Art Off the Walls: Dance in the Museum, a year-long series that employed site-specific choreography to create meaningful dialogue with artwork in museum spaces in Northwest Arkansas. For Flyover’s residency at the Momentary, the group will not create a piece in response to an exhibition. Rather, they will create an entirely new work, (un) C.A.N.I. (Creative Acts of Neo-Intelligence).
Tickets for the open-level contemporary dance classes are $15 per class and open to all but recommended for people 16+. Reserve your spot online or with Guest Services at 479-657-2335.
In addition to Flyover, the season of dance unfolds this winter with performances by STAYCEE PEARL dance project & Soy Sos in February and Versa-Style in March. For more information about the residency and upcoming programming, please visit the Momentary’s website.
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About Flyover Contemporary Dance
Flyover Contemporary Dance is a group of contemporary dance professionals dedicated to bringing high quality dance to Northwest Arkansas. FCD believes that the rich artistic potential residing within the so-called “flyover states” deserves recognition and celebration on the national stage and beyond. The group creates choreography that is inherently collaborative, that transcends individual limitations and generates art that is greater than the sum of its parts. Flyover Contemporary Dance aims to foster a deep sense of community within the local dance scene, providing a platform for emerging and established dance artists to grow and flourish via purposeful place-making. While in residence, FCD will create a new work to premiere at the Momentary in April 2024.
About the Momentary
Opened in February of 2020 in Downtown Bentonville, the Momentary is conceived as a platform for the art, food, and music of our time. It is a catalyst for creativity and economic vitality, and a welcoming hub that gathers and celebrates local heroes and international stars. The Momentary was founded by the Walton family, based on the vision of Tom, Olivia, and Steuart Walton. The Walton Family Foundation is supporting this project as a way to enhance the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas. Its commitment to cultivating arts and cultural experiences provides more opportunities for education, engagement, and enjoyment in our region. The Momentary is an extension of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Alice Walton. The Momentary welcomes all with free general admission. Additional offerings include live music, an artist-in-residence program, culinary experiences such as Onyx Coffee Lab and the sky-high Tower Bar, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, an outdoor festival space, and a retail shop. For more information, visit theMomentary.org. The Momentary is located at 507 SE E Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. The Momentary’s Founding Funders are Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, RØDE Microphones, The Coca-Cola Company, Tyson Family Foundation, and Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.