Choreography

Resurge: death decay dirt was commissioned and made with/for Senior undergraduates at Kenyon College. This work is an homage to the cyclical evolution of nature: transitions from dirt to sky, winter to summer, dormancy to growth. 

“Come with me into the woods where spring is advancing, as it does, no matter what, not being singular or particular, but one of the forever gifts, and certainly visible.” –Mary Oliver

Murmurations tasked a cast of eighteen undergraduates with what it means to be part of an ensemble. Inspired by the large flocking of starlings that occur before they roost, this piece challenged students to stay in sync with one another as they surged in unison and split off into seemingly random patterns, pathways, and sequencing.

NO/ISE (128 bits per second) interrogates what lies on the other side of noise. In an age where we are exposed to daily advertisements, deafening media coverage, fervent publicized opinions, increasing noise pollution, crippling politics and social expectations, the way to peace feels arduous. Noise clutters our senses and skews our perception on what holds importance. It affects our capacity to slow down. To lead with intention. What needs to shift so we can focus on being rather than doing? This work is a love letter to the quiet, the delicate and the sensitive.

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Tao Tzu

ode to flora highlights the sacred in the mundane with lingering shots of dormant grounds and promising sprouts of green. Set among a backdrop of rural Western Mass and accompanied by a soundscore that features field recordings of environmental sound, the dancer tethers to the natural world with embodied movement, displaying reverence for the land.

Con petire, follows a group of seven dancers as they explore play aesthetics and imagination on an individual and collective level. With the proscenium stage as their playground, the dancers incorporate tape as a tool, examining how it can alter one’s engagement with the present moment. “Con petire means “to search together” and it stems from the latin root of the word compete,” explains Baron. “The aim of this work is not to define play but rather highlight the inner landscape of what play can be.” Recognizing that the body can inhabit many states of being, Baron’s work pushes the boundaries of kinetic movement. –Shelley Latham

This improvisational solo was performed at the opening reception for Going Dutch Festival located at Side Street Studio Arts. The Going Dutch Festival is a celebration of female and nonbinary voices in the arts. Ex/temporaneous is an improvisational solo initiated by the artwork displayed in the three dimensional space. Taking note of size, texture, color, and spatiality, Baron navigates the playground, oscillating between seeing and being seen.

Schema // “a mental codification of experience that includes a particular organized way of perceiving cognitively and responding to a complex situation or set of stimuli” – merriam webster definition

This project was conceived during the Covid-19 pandemic with support from Chicago dance company Still Inspired. This interdisciplinary solo work in conversation with artist Sergio Gomez utilizes charcoal as a means to archive where the physical body has been. As the dance progresses, the once white paper beneath the dancer transforms into an abstract art installation which leaves a narrative of the body’s journey through time and space.

COVID-19 dramatically impacted the dance scene. With in-person classes, rehearsals, and shows being put on halt, we looked at other avenues to stay in the work. Reverence 6 was an attempt to stay connected with the community during lock down, keeping the creative action alive. This dance for camera initiated collaboration with fellow dance artists living throughout the USA. Equipped with a google doc of directions, Baron tasked dancers with learning choreography as well as following a score where she then compiled footage into a dance for camera that was screened at the live virtual gathering “Dance Chance” hosted by Danceworks Chicago.