Selmadanse presents Under the Canopy: Expressions of love, loss, and resilience from members of the Boston dance community

Conceived and directed by Joanie Block

Inspired by Sandy Block (July 29, 1949 - November 21, 2021)

Centered on the endurance of inspiration in the wake of pain, Under the Canopy weaves together stories of loss and resilience from members of the artistic community. Through film, original sound score, dance, physicality, and prose, Jewish choreographer Joanie Block creates a world of intimacy, trust, and the human capacity to love. Throughout this interdisciplinary evening, audiences are invited to reflect on their own experience of loss, and those who feel alone in their bereavement may externalize or enhance their healing process by witnessing this collection of works.

From Director Joanie Block: "Before my husband Sandy died he made me promise to keep dancing. After he died I wanted to curl up and slip inside myself like a pair of socks. And for a while I did. But I promised him, so weeks later I went back to the studio. Along with the tears, the choreography poured out of me. My students and I danced my grief. Eventually I decided to create a performance piece about grief in honor of my beloved Sandy."

Under the Canopy portrays seven stories of loss. Loss of homeland, identity and loss of a parent to dementia, among others. Personal in circumstance and universal in feeling. For who among us has not experienced loss? The tenderness of each story from members of the Boston dance community remind us that there is hope and light, even in the wake of grief.

Join us beforehand for lunch at Brown Sugar Cafe Thai restaurant.

About Joanie Block and Selmadanse

Joanie has been a part of Boston’s vibrant dance community for over 30 years. She has performed with Lis Fain, Nikki Hu, Benita Bike, Dorothy Hershkowitz, Yo-EL Cassel, Jennifer Linn, TeXtmoVes, Across the Ages Dance Project and The Elders Ensemble of Prometheus. 

In 2011 she founded Selmadanse, a modern dance company giving expression to a lifelong love of dance. Selmadanse presents multimedia, conceptual concerts inspired by personal stories holding universal truths. Joanie’s work about life, love, fragility and strength of the human heart is powered by the belief that one small shift of perception stimulates a ripple of insights that can change our lives and affect our view of the world.