Send Sean Greene's The Searchers to Festivals!
As artists, we are constantly challenging ourselves to grow and connect with various audiences. Traveling and performing would help us do just that, and hopefully present us with more opportunities to present our work.
Sean Greene (choreographer), Junji Dezaki (dancer) and Norma Phillips (dancer) started the creation of a dance piece titled, The Searchers, in May of 2018, and continue to rehearse and develop it today.
We were graciously invited to perform at two very selective dance festivals: Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival (Chicago, IL) in September 2019 and DUMBO Dance Festival (Brooklyn, NY) in October 2019.
Being that we are based in Studio City, we are hoping to raise $4000 by mid-September for our airplane tickets, hotel bookings, metro/taxi services, food, and other misc. travel expenses, so that the three of us (Sean, Junji, Norma) are able to focus solely on the performance of this special art piece we have created!
We would like to invite you to become a part of our exciting creative journey. Our dream is to share this piece with the world - and we would be forever grateful for your support in us getting there! Whether it's $1 or $100, every penny is greatly appreciated.
Please feel free to email us at [email redacted] if you have any questions/comments/concerns!
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU.
What is the piece about?
"Mostly relationships are handled in a very simple manner. Boy finds girl, girl finds boy - they live happily ever after. In reality, people rarely come to each other without baggage. Until new couples find out what is really packed deep inside the other person, there is really no chance for a complete relationship." - Sean Greene
"This piece is for dancers and non-dancers alike. It is our relationship, and it is every relationship. It is simply human." - Junji & Norma
When are the festivals?
1) Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival , September 27-28, Ruth Page Center for the Arts (Chicago, IL).
2) 19th Annual DUMBO Dance Festival , October 10-13, Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center (Brooklyn, NY).
Who is the choreographer?
At 19, Sean Greene began dancing at Pierce Junior College. Three years later, he joined the Bella Lewitzky Dance Company, where, as Principal Dancer and “Master Teacher” he danced and taught all over the world for 19 years. In 1978, he appeared on the cover of Dance magazine. Beginning in 1988, Sean directed Transitions Dance Company and the Advanced Performance Course at the Laban Centre, London for 5 years. He served as Rehearsal Director for the Phoenix Dance Company in Leeds, before returning to the United States. In 2003, Sean was nominated for a Lester Horton Lifetime Teaching Award. In 2004, his duet from “La Famiglia del Inferno” was reconstructed and nominated for a Lester Horton Award. Sean also directed, choreographed, and danced for Gallimaufry and Greene, which completed 30 performances in 31 days at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland during Summer 2008. In 2014, Sean launched into a new phase of his professional career in creating Sean Greene’s Shield Wall, a small ensemble dance company, which had its premiere concert in March 2016. He has taught at Chapman University since 1995.
Who are the dancers?
JuNo is an independent artistic team based in Los Angeles, CA.
Junji Dezaki is from Wakayama, Japan where he trained in karate and shaolin-kenpo. As a teenager he won the all Japan karate contest, and in his early 20s began dancing hip-hop. In order to pursue his passion for hip hop, he decided to move to the United States where he became the first Japanese male dancer in the Monsters of Hip Hop show. In his mid 20s, he discovered the art of ballet and began his training. He has since worked for several ballet and contemporary dance companies such as Kin Dance Company, Kybele, No)one. Art House, City Ballet of Los Angeles, and Ken Dance Company. He has also worked for LA Opera, LA Philharmonic, fashion brands such as KENZO, and the pop artist P!nk. In 2018, he began his modern dance training under Sean Greene with his dance partner, Norma Phillips.
Norma Ann Taitano Phillips is from the island of Guam. At the age of 3, she began dancing ballet at the BodyArts School of Dance, and later began to train in jazz and tap. She moved to Los Angeles to attend University of Southern California, where she joined several contemporary, hip hop, and salsa dance teams. At a performance, she was discovered by Vincent Paterson, who suggested she pursue a career in the industry. Since then, she has worked for music artist Lindsey Stirling, award shows such as Latin American Music Awards, films, and Las Vegas events. She has also worked for Ken Dance Company and Sean Greene's Shieldwall Dance Company. She continues to study modern dance under Sean Greene, with her dance partner Junji Dezaki.
