Music by Elisabet Curbelo | Collaboration with Urban Jazz Dance Company

A surrealist, interdisciplinary work blending opera, music, dance, American Sign Language, motion-sensor technology, and inspired by the poetry of Federico García Lorca.

Composer: Elisabet Curbelo

Collaborators: Urban Jazz Dance Company

Anticipated Premiere: 2023

Duration: 55min

Instrumentation: sop, pno, perc, 4-5 dancers, electronics

Status: In Development

Key Collaborators: Antoine Hunter and the Urban Jazz Dance Company

ABOUT THE WORK

Ululations and Gurgles of the Invisible by composer Elisabet Curbelo is a surrealist experience, where visual and auditory experiences are connected through the use of wearable motion-sensor controllers and is performed using American (ASL) Sign Language.

Inspired by the poems of Federico García Lorca, “Ululations” is a 4-part work for soprano, percussion, piano, and dancers from the deaf community that investigates themes of isolation, oppression, communication, community, and transcendence.

Sign language is traditionally used as a medium to translate language and sounds to a non-hearing audience, “Ululations” breaks this tradition by uniquely centering the use of ASL as the driving force of the opera. The singer is not the only performer carrying the narrative of the work through the performance of text. All the musicians in the ensemble perform in ASL while simultaneously on their respective instruments as well as the ASL-fluent dancers.

Process video from the Sept 2023 workshop at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA.

DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE

September 10, 2023 - Experimental Workshop:

One public presentation. Documentation. Excerpt 3 movements in order to:

Develop new movement vocabulary with the dancers
New multimedia visual design
Adapt motion-sensor technology to our dancers troubleshoot as needed
Introduce musicians to ASL language, and
Develop effective modes of communication for successful rehearsal processes.
Finalize steering committee in order to utilize best practices for artist collaboration and communication and for guidance on the best way to move forward with the production.

OCT 2023 - SEPT 2024

On the road to full production:

March - June 2024: Two remote workshops to further develop technology.
Contract production, design, performance, and project personnel, and arrange travel accommodations.
Production and design meetings over Zoom
Contract Production, design, and project continuation meetings over Zoom
Rehearsals with choreographer in-person
Premiere performances at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA (3 perf) and the Museum of Science, Boston. (2 perf)
Project reflection and future planning
Livestream on the Guerilla Underground Festival

NOVEMBER, 18, 2018 - First workshop presentation at UCSD in the Conrad Prebys Music Center’s Experimental Theater. One performance.

Photos from the Sept 2023 workshop at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA by Timothy Gurczak.

KEY ARTISTS

Elisabet Curbelo, composer

A composer and performer from the Canary Islands. She holds a Ph.D. in Music Composition from UC San Diego under the mentorship of Roger Reynolds. Throughout her career, Elisabet’s work and dedication have been valued by diverse institutions, as she has been awarded numerous grants, prizes, and commissions. Her pieces have been performed in Spain, Turkey, the USA, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Her research focuses on creating interdisciplinary collaborative performance and installation work, the use of sensors to control electronics with movement, and extended vocal techniques based on her study of West Asian music and culture. Curbelo is an Assistant Professor of Electroacoustic Composition and Music Theory at the University of Utah. She also serves as head of Composition and director of the University of Utah Electroacoustic Ensemble.

Antoine Hunter & Urban Jazz Dance Company

A BAY AREA NATIVE, PURPLE FIRE CROW ALSO KNOWN AS MR. ANTOINE HUNTER IS AN AWARD-WINNING AFRICAN, INDIGENOUS, DEAF, DISABLE, TWO SPIRIT PRODUCER, CHOREOGRAPHER, FILM/THEATER ACTOR, DANCER, DANCE INSTRUCTOR, MODEL, POET, SPEAKER, MENTOR AND DEAF ADVOCATE. MR HUNTER RECEIVED HIS TRAINING IN DANCE AND ACTING TRAINING AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL OAKLAND, CA, CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS(CALARTS), AND PAUL TAYLOR DANCE SCHOOL IN NYC. THE FOUNDER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF URBAN JAZZ DANCE, HUNTER HAS PERFORMED WITH SAVAGE JAZZ DANCE COMPANY, NUBA DANCE THEATER, ALAYO DANCE COMPANY, ROBERT MOSES’ KIN, MAN DANCE, SINS INVALID, AMARA TABOR-SMITH, KIM EPIFANO, PUSH DANCE COMPANY, FLY AWAY PRODUCTIONS, JOANNA HAIGOOD, OET THEATER, AND THE LORRAINE HANSBERRY THEATER. HE HAS PERFORMED THROUGHOUT THE BAY AREA AND THE WORLD INCLUDING CUBA, ROME, HAWAII, PERU AND LONDON.
**URBAN JAZZ DANCE COMPANY**:
FOUNDED IN 2007 BY PIONEERING DEAF DANCER/CHOREOGRAPHER ANTOINE HUNTER, URBAN JAZZ DANCE COMPANY (DEAF LEAD BUSINESS) CONSISTS OF A MIX OF PROFESSIONAL DEAF AND HEARING DANCERS. UJDC'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEAF AND OTHER-ABLED ARTISTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ARTS AND LARGER SOCIETY, INCREASING AWARENESS AROUND DEAF ISSUES VIA THE PERFORMING ARTS. FEATURING THE SYNCOPATION OF URBAN JAZZ RHYTHMS, THE COMPANY VALUES THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY AND PERFORMANCE TO CONNECT CULTURES OF ALL RACES, AGES, ABILITIES, AND BACKGROUNDS. UJD PERFORMS ALL OVER THE BAY AREA AND BEYOND, INCLUDING AT FESTIVALS, SUCH AS AT THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, BLACK CHOREOGRAPHERS FESTIVAL, CUBACARIBE FESTIVAL, ART AND SOUL FESTIVAL, DEAFNATION, DISNEYLAND DISNEY'S SIGNIN' IN THE STREET, OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL"S GREEN SHOW, AND THE ETHNIC DANCE FESTIVAL. ITS PROGRAMS THRILL DEAF AND HEARING AUDIENCES ALIKE. UJD IS ALSO THE PRODUCER OF THE ANNUAL BAY AREA INTERNATIONAL DEAF DANCE FESTIVAL AND VIEWS DEAFNESS AS A HUMAN EXPERIENCE WITH ITS OWN VALUES, PRINCIPLES, AND CULTURAL NORMS – NOT A DISABILITY.

Mike Williams as The Silent Boy (percussion & ensemble director)
Zahna Simon as The Guiding Light (lead deaf dancer/actor)
Yoko Hagino as The Shadow (piano)
Angela Yam as The Queen of Crickets (soprano)
** Future plans include 3-5 more dancers.
Originating Ensemble & Design Team from 2018: Christopher Clarino (percussion), Kyle Adam Blair (piano), Kirsten Ashley Wiest (soprano), Angelo C. I. Ricasata (dancer, American and Spanish Sign Language), Varonica Santiago Moniello (dancer and choreography), Emily Aust (dance), Anne Gehman (dancer), Manuel Gonzalez Esquivel (dancer), Justin Beets (lighting design), Colin Zyskowski (sound and software assistant), and John Burnett and Maya VanderSchuit (video design).
Elisabet Curbelo, composer
Antoine Hunter, Lead Deaf Choreographer
Elbert “EJ” Joseph, Director of Artistic Sign Language
Daniel B Chapman, Projections Designer, Co-Lighting Designer, Motion Sensor Technology
Keithlyn B Parkman, Production Manager/Co-Lighting Design
Aliana de la Guardia, Artistic Director
** Future plans include ascenic and costume designer.
Original team: Jess Meyer, Julia Barnes, JO Welch, Kellie Hickey, and Krystal Chung.
**This project requires min 3 ASL interpreters at each rehearsal as well as for front of house accessibility and audience experience.