Indigenous Pitch Dance Collective will be presenting the work of Curt Haworth and Vince Johnson/illReality Theatre, Thursday through Saturday, March 24-26 and March 31st through April 2nd, at 8:00 PM at the Performance Garage, 1515 Brandywine Street Philadelphia Pa 19130. It promises to be a mesmerizing experience of dynamic dance and eclectic music played through a milieu of existential twist and absurdist trips.

Choreographed by Curt Haworth in collaboration with the performers, Either/Or is humanistic choreography, seeking to parse and celebrate the human condition: our obsessions, passions, ambitions and angst.  The Dance is an absurdist romp set to deconstructed text by Søren Kierkegaard and Samuel Beckett with music by Tim Motzer. The performers Bethany Bender, Leanne Grieger, John Luna, William Robinson, Annie Wilson, Zachery Svoboda along with the Indigenous Pitch Dance Collective: Genevieve Adams, Rachel Condello, Amaryah Ferry, Christine Herrman, move with athleticism mixed with sequential momentum and gesture. Delving into what it means to live and breathe, melding form and content, so that neither leads nor follows but points to the poetic junction of the literal and abstract.

Drunken Monkey is the mystically wicked alter ego of Vince Johnson and the illReality theatre crew.  Five nomadic warrior monks make up the Drunken Monkey Clan: Knuggle Buckets Brown (Vince Johnson), Meow Hallelujah (Christine Gerena), Suave Electricity (Edwin Lopez), and the Mmm Yeah Dragon Whisperers (Brandon Shockley/guitar and Nezih Antakli/percussion). The clan takes audiences through a fantastical journey driven by pulsing dance, martial arts and music. Johnson highlights an emerging acrobatic movement style and sport called Martial Arts Tricking within the clan’s arsenal of weapons. All content in Drunken Monkey originates from the Dragon Scrolls which are under the sole possession of the Clan. Witness the secrets of the scrolls in the Drunken Monkey Ritual of performance.

Curt Haworth
Curt Haworth is an expatriate Californian who lived in New York City for twenty years before moving to Philadelphia in 2009. He holds a BA in Creative Writing from UC Santa Cruz and a MFA in Dance from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.  He has an eclectic movement background ranging from athletics to modern dance and release techniques, to yoga, contact improvisation and ballet.  His work has been shown in Philadelphia at: the Annenberg Center, The Painted Bride. The CEC, and various Fringe venues; and in NYC at: The Danspace Project, LA MAMA, DNA, Symphony Space, Movement Research at the Judson Church, IFNY, Dixon Place, PS122, Metamorphosis, DanceNow, New Dance Alliance; as well as at: Rockland Community College, Bennington College July Program, and Tanecne Divadlo in Bratislava, Slovakia. He was a Movement Research Artist in Residence in 2001-2002.  Curt performed with Lisa Race’s Race Dance from 1993-2000, and toured internationally with David Dorfman Dance from 1990 to 2002, while creating over 15 original roles.  He has taught regularly at Movement Research and DNA (formerly Dance Space Center) in NYC. He has taught and set work as a guest artist throughout the United States and Europe and is currently an Associate Professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

Vince Johnson
Philadelphia native, Vince Johnson, began his professional career in performance as a company member of Zenone Dance Collective, directed by Ron Wood and then later served as a principle dancer for Rennie Harris Puremovent. He has appeared with Kosoko Performance Group, Brian Sanders’ Junk and with singer, Raven Symone. As a martial artist, he dedicated much of his formative years to sport karate competition, winning three world titles in creative forms categories. Johnson holds a BFA in English and Philosophy from Villanova University. In 2008, Johnson founded illReality, an arts, culture and entertainment company that produces and supports live events that feature captivating people and scenes. illReality productions include: Journey to the illSide , Stew, HomieSapiens, Trick or Treat: Chronicles of the New Age Ninja, Drunken Monkey.  Appearances include: Painted Bride Art Center Atypical Series, The Rock School for Dance Education, 2010 Dance USA Philadelephia: Rocky Awards, 2010 Pig Iron Theatre Benefit Concert, Kosko Performance Group’s 2010 Showcase and Network For Ensemble Theaters: Philly. illReality also produces an international event series called Trickadelphia, which is dedicated to martial arts tricking, a rising sport and subculture. Trickadelphia Events have been held in the United States and France since 2009.

Indigenous Pitch Dance Collective, Inc. is a collective of ethnically diverse Philadelphia-based dance companies whose goal is to create and perform works of artistic excellence that reflect and highlight the diversity of our city and its native, homegrown dance styles. We support emerging choreographers by providing rehearsal space, critical feedback and performance opportunities in which to explore and develop their artistic styles. Through the art of dance, visual and language arts, music and theater, we assist, educate and nurture children affected by natural and/or socio-economic disasters. We fulfill this mission with performances, residencies and workshops throughout the United States and abroad.

The performances will take place Thursday through Saturday, March 24-26 and March 31st through April 2nd, at 8:00 PM at the Performance Garage, 1515 Brandywine Street Philadelphia Pa 19130.  Admission is $10 students and $20 general admission, $5 group specials. Audience reservations may be made by calling:  (215) 908-2550