Ocean Trilogy
Dancers: Phillip Wainwright and Emily Zefferman in Ocean Trilogy Photo by William Roden, New Dawn Studios
Ocean Trilogy is a multidisciplinary performance and educational outreach program inspired by filmed interviews with a wide variety of ocean science experts. Choreographer Fran Spector Atkins, media artist William Roden, rap artist Baba Brinkman, and scientist Kyra Schlining from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), have partnered for over a decade to explore ways that dance might communicate science.
Ocean Trilogy looks at the challenges confronting our ocean and hopeful possibilities from cutting-edge ocean science research. Ocean Trilogy communicates ocean science in a way that reaches people's hearts!
In fall of 2020, during the Covid-19 Pandemic, Fran Spector Atkins, artistic director and founder of SpectorDance and William Roden, media artist and filmmaker, created a new socially distanced, film-version of their work, Ocean Trilogy, featuring young dancers (14-16 years old). Our vision is to bring together youth passion for dance with youth passion for ocean health. This work aligns with the United Nations "Youth for Climate Action" to "amplify youth voices for climate action".
Along with this 21-minute performance film, we offer filmed science-dance classes exploring the Ocean Trilogy themes with science content and creative movement exploration. Themes include:
Challenges
1) Ocean Acidification
2) Plastic
3) Carbon, Food Web and Extinction of Species
4) Climate Change
Hopeful Possibilities
1) Imagination
2) Engineering
3) Bioluminescence
4) Interdisciplinary Partnership
Ocean Trilogy looks at the challenges confronting our ocean and hopeful possibilities from cutting-edge ocean science research. Ocean Trilogy communicates ocean science in a way that reaches people's hearts!
In fall of 2020, during the Covid-19 Pandemic, Fran Spector Atkins, artistic director and founder of SpectorDance and William Roden, media artist and filmmaker, created a new socially distanced, film-version of their work, Ocean Trilogy, featuring young dancers (14-16 years old). Our vision is to bring together youth passion for dance with youth passion for ocean health. This work aligns with the United Nations "Youth for Climate Action" to "amplify youth voices for climate action".
Along with this 21-minute performance film, we offer filmed science-dance classes exploring the Ocean Trilogy themes with science content and creative movement exploration. Themes include:
Challenges
1) Ocean Acidification
2) Plastic
3) Carbon, Food Web and Extinction of Species
4) Climate Change
Hopeful Possibilities
1) Imagination
2) Engineering
3) Bioluminescence
4) Interdisciplinary Partnership
Ocean Trilogy Past Performances
Alvin Ailey Studio in NYC
Stanford University
Sunset Center in Carmel
5th Annual Creativity at the Core Summer Institute
Summer Reading Program - Monterey County Free Libraries
New York Botanical Gardens as part of New York Climate Week
90th Anniversary Celebration at Monterey County Free Libraries
Monterey Bay Aquarium Oceans 16 Conference
Monterey Museum of Art
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
Stanton Theater (King City)
SpectorDance (Marina)
Future Citizens Foundation (Salinas)
New Victory Theater (Santa Barbara)
Stanford University
Sunset Center in Carmel
5th Annual Creativity at the Core Summer Institute
Summer Reading Program - Monterey County Free Libraries
New York Botanical Gardens as part of New York Climate Week
90th Anniversary Celebration at Monterey County Free Libraries
Monterey Bay Aquarium Oceans 16 Conference
Monterey Museum of Art
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
Stanton Theater (King City)
SpectorDance (Marina)
Future Citizens Foundation (Salinas)
New Victory Theater (Santa Barbara)
Testimonials
"The show was wonderful, Fran! I’ve never seen anything like it. What a fresh, moving interpretation of the existential threat that our GHG emissions present – to our ocean and to ourselves. The dancers were both powerful and fragile, as we all are. Baba voiced some hard truths that I struggle with as a science communicator. The video and audio clips were clearly the result of patient, painstaking, thoughtful edits. It was breathtaking to experience these expert insights in juxtaposition with live movement. Tears came to my eyes several times, yet, I left motivated to push forward for collective action."
Kera Abrahma Panni - Monterey Bay Aquarium Science Communications
"Thank you again for a great performance tonight. Ocean Trilogy has grown so much. I liked it before, but now I love it. The dancers are spectacular, the video montages are stunning, the addition of rap between dances is entertaining and thought provoking, and
the ending is uplifting."
Dr. George I. Matsumoto - Senior Education and Research Specialist Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
"Ocean Trilogy helps people connect profoundly with ocean issues more than we might just through our mind's ability to process information and connect dots. The impact goes deeper when our body or emotions become engaged, too. Jane Parker Ocean Trilogy helps people connect profoundly with ocean issues more than we might just through our mind's ability to process information and connect dots. The impact goes deeper when our body or emotions become engaged, too. "
Jane Parker - Former Monterey County Supervisor
Kera Abrahma Panni - Monterey Bay Aquarium Science Communications
"Thank you again for a great performance tonight. Ocean Trilogy has grown so much. I liked it before, but now I love it. The dancers are spectacular, the video montages are stunning, the addition of rap between dances is entertaining and thought provoking, and
the ending is uplifting."
Dr. George I. Matsumoto - Senior Education and Research Specialist Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
"Ocean Trilogy helps people connect profoundly with ocean issues more than we might just through our mind's ability to process information and connect dots. The impact goes deeper when our body or emotions become engaged, too. Jane Parker Ocean Trilogy helps people connect profoundly with ocean issues more than we might just through our mind's ability to process information and connect dots. The impact goes deeper when our body or emotions become engaged, too. "
Jane Parker - Former Monterey County Supervisor
Thank You to our Major Funders
California Arts Council, Community Foundation for Monterey County, Nancy Buck Ransom Foundation, Rita & Luis Echenique Charitable Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Harden Foundation, Monterey County Weekly Gives, Arts Council for Monterey County, Ron Chen & Diana Huang, Harriet Mittledorf, Barnet J. Segal Charitable Trust, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Yellow Brick Road, Hal & Jacque Eastman/Peregrine Images, Karen & Jay Cook, Susan & Richard Rosen, Amanda Geurts & Hans Thomas, Union Bank, Charles Schwab, Lumpkin Family Foundation, Nick & Catherine Fanoe, Events California, Office Depot
Join Us! Catch The Wave!
For more information about for this work for live or virtual performances, workshops, or commissions
contact Fran Spector Atkins
831-601-8510
franspector5@gmail.com
For more information about for this work for live or virtual performances, workshops, or commissions
contact Fran Spector Atkins
831-601-8510
franspector5@gmail.com