Emory Dance Company: Monocles and White Carnations

This is the first of five short blog posts describing the new work being created by choreographers for the Fall 2022 Emory Dance Company concert. Check back each week for a new post! And don't forget to purchase your concert tickets: 404-727-5050 or tickets.arts.emory.edu/

First up is Emory Dance instructor Mara Mandradjieff, who is diving into cultural history with her piece, "Monocles and White Carnations."

The interwar Weimer Republic of Germany, particularly during the 1920s, saw an increased visibility of queer identities and a vibrant gay and lesbian cultural scene. However, as Hitler took over in the 1930s, these individuals faced horrible persecution, arrests, or death in concentration camps. My contemporary ballet Monocles and White Carnations unearths this history through the lens of a Berlin lesbian cabaret, including queer songs and vocalists from the time period. As part of the choreographic process, the dancers have read and discussed contextualizing scholarship on the topic and have analyzed corresponding photos and paintings.   

Check out a clip from one of Mara's rehearsals!  

Mandradjieff EDC Rehearsal 2022 from Emory Dance Program on Vimeo.