MOMIX, a dance company based in
Washington, Connecticut
Washington is a rural town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the North Eastern region of the United States. The population was 3,646 at the 2020 census. Washington is known for its picturesque countryside, historic architecture, and active ...
, was founded in 1981 by Choreographer
Moses Pendleton. MOMIX was conceptualised 'out of work' Pendleton did for the celebration of
Erik Satie
Eric Alfred Leslie Satie (born 17 May 18661 July 1925), better known as Erik Satie, was a French composer and pianist. The son of a French father and a British mother, he studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, Paris Conservatoire but was an undi ...
at the
Paris Opera
The Paris Opera ( ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be kn ...
in 1978.
The company is named after a solo, "Momix," that Pendleton created for the
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially the XIII Olympic Winter Games and also known as Lake Placid 1980, were an international multi-sport event held from February 13 to 24, 1980, in Lake Placid, New York, United States.
Lake Placid was elected ...
in Lake Placid. An offshoot of the dance company
Pilobolus
''Pilobolus'' is a genus of fungi that commonly grows on herbivore dung.
Life cycle
The life cycle of ''Pilobolus'' begins with a black sporangium that has been discharged onto a plant substrate such as grass. A herbivorous animal such as a h ...
, which Pendleton co-founded in 1971, MOMIX presents works that combine acrobatics, dance, gymnastics, mime, props, and film in a theatrical setting. The company has toured internationally, performing in five continents. MOMIX is a for-profit
contemporary dance
Contemporary dance is a genre of Concert dance, dance performance that developed during the mid-twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world, with particularly stron ...
company.
Theatre, film and television
MOMIX has made five Italian RAI television features broadcast to 55 countries (including the USSR and China) and has performed on Antenne II in France. MOMIX was also featured in PBS's “Dance in America” series and on Canadian television with Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony in the
Rhombus Media
Rhombus Media is a film and television production company formed in 1978 at the York University Film Department by Barbara Willis Sweete and Niv Fichman, and based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Larry Weinstein joined soon after. Rhombus Media dev ...
film of Mussorgsky's “Pictures at an Exhibition,” winner of an International Emmy for Best Performing Arts Special.
In 1992, Pendleton created "Bat Habits," developed with the support of the Scottsdale (Arizona) Cultural Council/Scottsdale Center for the Arts and the University of Washington to celebrate the opening of the San Francisco Giants' new spring training park in Scottsdale, Arizona. This work was the forerunner of “Baseball,” which was created by Pendleton in 1994.
MOMIX is featured in one of the first IMAX films in 3-D, “IMAGINE,” which premiered at the Taejon Expo 93 and was subsequently released at IMAX theatres worldwide. In the film “FX II,” under the direction of Moses Pendleton, MOMIX dancers Cynthia Quinn and Karl Baumann star in the role of “Bluey.” In 2004, “White Widow,” co-choreographed by Pendleton and Cynthia Quinn, was featured in Robert Altman's movie, “The Company.” The company has also participated in the "Homage a Picasso" in Paris and was selected to represent the United States at the European Cultural Center at Delphi.
Corporate work
MOMIX has created special shows for product launches, as well as national television commercials for major corporations. Clients have included Mercedes Benz, Fiat, BMW, Kohler, Hanes, Target Stores, Walmart, and MAC Cosmetics.
Productions
* PASSION (1990)
* BASEBALL (1994)
* OPUS CACTUS (2001)
* LUNAR SEA (2004)
* BOTANICA (2009)
* ALCHEMY (2013)
* VIVA MOMIX (2015)
* ALICE (2019)
Artistic staff
* Artistic Director,
Moses Pendleton
* Associate Director, Cynthia Quinn
Dancers
* Jennifer Chicheportiche
* Rebecca Rasmussen (Dance Captain)
* Catherine Jaeger
* Sarah Nachbauer
* Simona Di Tucci
* Beau Campbell
* Lauren Jaeger
* Steven Ezra (Dance Captain)
* Greg Dearmond
* Anthony Bocconi
* Jason Williams
* Morgan Hulen
* Jade Primicias
* Heather Conn
* Sean Langford
* Seah Hagan
* Colton Wall
* Elise Pacicco
* Aurelie Garcia
* Nathaniel Davis
* Adam Ross
* Derek Elliott Jr
References
External links
Momix websiteSelby/Artists MGMT – Artist RepresentationFacebookYoutubeInstagramArchival footage of Momix performing Moses Pendleton's ''Passion'' in 2002 at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.
* http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alexandra-villarreal/momixs-alchemia-defies-re_b_7884724.html
* https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/a-cornucopia-from-momix/2015/04/23/acbc98ba-e76b-11e4-aae1-d642717d8afa_story.html
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Dance companies in the United States
Washington, Connecticut
Dance in Connecticut
Arts organizations established in 1981
1981 establishments in Connecticut