Myra Bazell
Madison Cario

Myra Bazell

Myra Bazell's work is explosively physical dance theater that engages the heart, and launches the spirit. Urban aggressive influences and post modern sensibilities collide in Bazell's work creating a strikingly forceful elegance. While pressing significant issues into abstract imagery, Bazell maintains a sensual playfulness that has attracted diverse audiences.

Press

"If there is such a thing as raw elegance, Bazell taps its essence. "
- Philadelphia Inquirer

"One of Philadelphia's leading dancer/choreographers..."
- Philadelphia City Paper

"...a wonderful collision of rapture, capture, and trap -- hot themes explored in a postmodern style."
- Dance Magazine

Short Biography

Fifteen years of directing theater, choreographing her own work and free lancing as choreographer for major opera companies, music videos, and musical theater, has taken Myra throughout East and West Europe, South America, the Middle East and Russia. Myra Bazell draws from a diverse and extensive background in Release technique, Contact Improvisation, Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Flamenco and street dance of an Afro-Latino base. She received her BFA in dance from the University of the Arts where she taught Movement Theater there for twelve years. She also teaches at Temple University, Bryn Mawr College, Susan Hess Studio, Kumquat Dance Center and the Performance Garage, Philadelphia.

During the 2005/06 season Myra choreographed This Is Funked Up, a commission by Dance Celebration, Annenberg Theater, Philadelphia and Le Foulard Orange an evening length dance work in collaboration with designer Madison Cario commissioned by the Live Arts Festival, Philadelphia. She also staged and choreographed Bach's Saint Matthew's Passion with three choirs and orchestra at Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, was commissioned by Bryn Mawr College, and choreographed The Trojan Women at the University of Maryland. Original full length dance theater pieces created 1999-2006 include Traces, DownWind, Trapture, Blood Line, EndZone, Quiescence, Le Foulard Orange, and This Is Funked Up, two duets and an octet on dancers of the Pennsylvania Ballet Company for Shut up and Dance and the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Bazell's works have been performed in Israel, Russia, London, France, Germany, Argentina, and NY.

In Theater Myra choreographed Myths and Hymns and Pal Joey for the Prince Music Theater, Chicago for Villanova University, Pacific Overtures, Arabian Nights and Winesberg Ohio at the Arden Theater as well as Ave. X, Three Penny Opera and Arcadia for the Wilma Theater,. She directed Year of the Woman, Lantern Theater, Clucks and Whirr and I Stand Before You Naked for Theater Catalyst and is resident director for Philadelphia Young Playwrights. Operas include La Traviotta, Philadelphia Opera Company Pagliacci and Operissimo, Sylvan Opera, and Museum, American Vocal Academy.

 

Madison Cario

Artist's statement

Madison Cario is an artist who is interested in the spaces in between. She gets her training from the streets and her inspiration from the weeds that grow in the cracks of the sidewalk. Her favorite mediums are the artists themselves, their art forms and the points where they intersect.

Narrative Bio

Madison's training comes from experimentation, collaboration and through her work as the Production Manager and Technical Director for several performing arts organizations, including the Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Venue 9 and Il Teatro in San Francisco, California. For the past 12 years she has been creating environments using lights, sets and sound. She has done design work for numerous dance and theater companies, including; Tania Isaac Dance, Group Motion, Sebestainne Mundheim, Kate Watson-Wallace, Thaddeus Phillips' Lucidity Suitcase, Scrap Performance Group, Myra Bazell, Silvana Cardell, ASH Contemporary Dance, Philadelphia Young Playwrights, Curtain Call Creations, Marianela Boan, Sarah Jones, Opus I, Megan Bridge, ContempraDance Theater, Gwendolyn Bye, Rebecca Malcolm-Niab, Travesty Dance, Passion Y Arte, Martha McDonald, Merge Dance, Hannibal, Greg Giovanni, The Bald Mermaids, Rain Pyror, Rhodessa Jones, San Francisco Mime Troupe, Deborah Slater Dance Theater, Working Women Theater Festival San Francisco, Integrated Arts and others. MadisonÕs work has brought her to traditional theaters and black box theaters as well as non-traditional and site-specific venues such as warehouses, lots, empty houses, churches and outdoor locations.