Since 1985, Paula Josa-Jones/Performance Works (PJJ/PW) has gained a national reputation for risk-taking, adventurous dance theater. Josa-Jones has been called "one of the country's leading choreographic conceptualists" by the Boston Globe and the Village Voice describes her work as "powerful, eccentric, and surreal". Josa-Jones creates works of total theater which combine rich imagery, virtuosic movement, evocative visual designs, and idiosyncratic use of music. The dancers do not simply dance, but are utterly transformed by the movement and characters they embody, giving a startling authenticity and depth of feeling to the dances. PJJPW has toured Russia, Europe and Mexico as well as throughout the United States. The company is committed to collaborations with artists in all disciplines, and to forging in-depth relationships with an international creative community.
DeAnna is an original cast member of RIDE, and principal dancer with PJJ/PW, having danced with the company since October of 2000. An equestrian herself, DeAnna grew up riding horses, and has now been dancing with them for the past eight years. RIDE, premiered on Martha's Vineyard in August 2001 during a four-night run to sold-out audiences. This Equestrian Dance Theater Performance is an evening-length theatrical event for horses, dancers and riders. It explores the sensuous and archetypal bond between horse and human through a powerful mix of music, dance, and aerial ballet. The cast includes eight to ten dancers and six to eight horses and riders, with live music and video projection, creating an intimate and spectacular theatrical experience.
In June, PJJ/PW created new live performance elements for RIDE during a ten-day workshop. Part of this workshop included exploration of work with aerialist Paola Styron, three horse, and dancers DeAnna Pellecchia, Dillon Paul, and Ingrid Schatz. The aerial rigging was provided by Flying by Foy, whose fifty-year credits include most Broadway performances, and who set the gold standard for theatrical flying. This concept is exciting and fresh, as there has never been a theatrical work that combined this complex and elegant aerial technology in a performance with horses.
For the past four years company members DeAnna Pellecchia and Ingrid Schatz have been working with Andalusian/Saddlebred, Escorial, otherwise known as 'Pony'. This well-known liberty-trained horse, does not bear rider or harness of any kind, taking cues from the dancers that are based solely on verbal commands and body language. "Pony Dances" (pictured right), a book featuring photography (by Jeff Anderson) of this collaboration is currently in the works, as is "ARENA" a dance film shot during the June workshop's open-rehearsal culmination/performance. The premiere of the full-length performance of RIDE is currently in development in the New York / Connecticut area and is being projected for 2010. Check back for details.
"Audience members surely had different moments...But everyone had a moment. The standing ovation at the performance's end testified to that." -Alexis Tonti, Vineyard Gazette
"There are few who can establish themselves as original creative artists; what Paula Josa-Jones has done in addition to the above is to bring each aspect of the combined arts of equitation and dance into a new and sublime focus." - Carly Simon
"How can I express the majesty of your performance, the concept and the soul-driven choreography. In The Red Pony Barn, I witnessed a miracle: the connection between horse and woman, the darkened earth beneath hooves and art. I wept when the dancer put her face to Norman's nostrils as if she were whispering to god." -Carol Dine
