The dance company MOMIX will take audiences down Alice’s rabbit hole during its latest show in Tucson.
Loosely based on Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,” “Alice” shows the character’s body as it grows and shrinks, with dancers extending themselves through other dancers, ropes and props.
“An inspiration taken from ‘Alice in Wonderland’ seemed like the right performance for our company,” said Moses Pendleton, MOMIX artistic director and choreographer.
“People love these characters and the story for a reason. I want to create something loosely based on this grand tale and take our audiences and dancers somewhere surreal and magical through dance, lighting, costumes and music. We aren’t just retelling what we know as ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ I wanted to use the characters for the project to emphasize the odd elements of surrealism.”
The Washington, Connecticut-based company tells the “Alice” story full of absurd logic and imagery, following the theory that Alice existed before surrealism. Alice invites guests to create and let their imaginations run wild.
“People love this story for all the lore surrounding it – the nonsense, the whimsy, the wildness, the humor — all of these elements combined can also describe MOMIX,” Pendleton said.
“There’s a kindred spirit that lives within Lewis Carroll and myself, along with our shared passion for photography.”
MOMIX’s “Alice” performance features characters from Carroll’s tome, such as the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, the Queen, the Mock Turtles, and Carroll. The dance company has remixed the story with even more surrealist flair and produced a performance that showcases “MOMIX in Wonderland.”
Pendleton described MOMIX shows as unpredictable. Guests are taken on a journey of their own through the eccentric, magical and mystifying production. The audiences fall with. Alice down the rabbit hole and her transformation, for example.
“When people think of ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ there’s already this preconceived image living in their minds,” Pendleton added.
“I wanted to use that notorious imagery and mess with it. I’m excited to see how the audience will feel when experiencing our production. It’s a great show filled with visual and physical activity and imagination. Typical of MOMIX, it’s fast-paced and theatrical. I hope our audience is looking forward to us taking them down the rabbit hole with us.”
