About Bandaloop
BANDALOOP honors nature, community, and the human spirit through perspective-bending dance. An innovator in vertical performance, BANDALOOP seamlessly weaves dynamic physicality, intricate choreography and climbing technology to turn the dance floor on its side.
Founded by Amelia Rudolph and under the artistic direction of Melecio Estrella, BANDALOOP re-imagines dance, activates public spaces, and inspires wonder and imagination in audiences around the world. The company trains dancers and youth at home and on tour, and has performed for millions of people in over 30 countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia, and on screens in films and digital media.
How did this USAI grant support your organization’s mission?
USAI has been supporting BANDALOOP international productions almost annually for more than a decade. Critical seed money / travel resource funding from USAI allows both BANDALOOP and our international presenter to take the courage to book American Dance. Site reactive free public art is not easy to produce but with USAI furthering our mission to bring dance to new audiences no location can be turned away.
What are some highlights from BIRD STRIKE and participating in Santiago A Mil?
BIRD STRIKE in Santiago was a major lift. Almost 10,000 Chileans witnessed the art on architecture and choosing to perform on a heritage site allowed it to be all the more meaningful. international presenter to take the courage to book American Dance. Site reactive free public art is not easy to produce but with USAI furthering our mission to bring dance to new audiences no location can be turned away.
What are some highlights from the collaboration between Bandaloop and Las Plumas? What was made possible by this collaboration?
Santiago a Mil was a fantastic partner, with a history of producing international artists they knew how to connect me with the right partners to define success. Plumas playing original music by BANDALOOP composers Destani Wolf and Ben Juodvalkis was a stunning feat, live music realized with live dance in an international bi-lingual environment.
Plumas playing original music by BANDALOOP composers Destani Wolf and Ben Juodvalkis was a stunning feat, live music realized with live dance in an international bi-lingual environment.
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Image: BANDALOOP company performs at Santiago A Mil festival. Credit: Basil Tsimoyianis.
How has USAI influenced your relationship with other artists and presenting organizations?
The LAS PLUMAS collaboration could not have happened without Festival a Mil and their long lasting relationships. Meeting Carmen Romero on the BANDALOOP scout, months before the production, allowed for a quick awareness of what BANDALOOP needed to bring forth a musical score that accented the location but drew from the BANDALOOP musical resonance and repertoire.
If you could repeat this program, what would you do differently?
We would repeat this program, we would work with Festival a Mil, we would work with Las Plumas, we would work in Chile and we would love to see these activities build tours.
Why is it important to you to support international programming?
International programming is critical. As an American Dance company, we have performed globally on over 400 locations in over 35 countries. Annually we average two to three international cities to fifteen to twenty cities domestically. It is important for us to be the minority, share our work outside our own vast nation and explore locational reaction in the public realm that is not easily understood. It makes us whole.
What program or project do you have coming up in the fall that you are excited about?
In addition to a half dozen domestic works from The Salish Sea to Biddeford Maine and NYC at the Apollo, we return to the international scene for a new work on St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.