033: Dance, play, and dream in 54 STRANGE WORDS with Stacy Wolfson and Curtis Eller of the Bipeds

One of the rare ASBX episodes that features two artists at once! In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking with the artistic directors of the Bipeds, a dance-theater company. Choreographer and dancer Stacy Wolfson and banjo-player and songwriter Curtis Eller have devised a unique compositional approach combining movement, music and lyrics to create a compelling hybrid of dance and song.

We discuss why the Bipeds collaboration makes such good sense and how it inspires participants to blur the lines, break out of ruts and have deeper conversations. We also dive into the Bipeds upcoming performance of 54 STRANGE WORDS playing June 21-24 at The Fruit in Durham. 54 STRANGE WORDS closes out Season 4 for the amazing Durham Independent Dance Artists (DIDA)Get your tickets!

Bipeds Videos!!

Curtis Eller is a banjo player, songwriter and rock & roll singer. A twenty-year show business veteran, Eller and his band The American Circus have developed a devoted international following based on dynamic live performances and an extensive catalog of idiosyncratic recordings. The iconoclastic musician has spent a decade relentlessly touring the club, theatre and festival stages of a dozen countries in North America and Europe. Eller’s collaboration with The Bipeds marks an exciting new direction for a performer has long embraced movement as a vital expressive tool.

Stacy Wolfson is a dancer, choreographer, singer, Pilates teacher, and mother of two little girls.  Originally from Virginia, she spent a decade in Chicago creating and dancing with The Space Movement Project, a company she co-founded in 2005. Wolfson and her family relocated to Durham, NC in 2013, where she began working as an independent choreographer.

Wolfson began working closely with banjo-player Curtis Eller in 2015 and subsequently formed The Bipeds.  As a duo, Wolfson and Eller have performed in Charlotte, Tobacco Road Dance Productions, the Greensboro Fringe Festival, Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn, NY, and just returned from their first mini tour across VA that included The Shenandoah Fringe Festival. Wolfson occasionally sings harmony with Eller’s rock n roll band, The American Circus. Aside from creating and performing, you can find her at Bull City Pilates and Massage, a studio she co-owns with her husband.

This episode is brought to you by the Soapboxers, the official patrons of the Artist Soapbox. If you like these episodes and want more, get on the Soapbox! Podcast recorded at Shadowbox Studio in Durham, NC.

Time break-down:

[0:00] Episode intro and info about the Bipeds, Curtis Eller, and Stacy Wolfson

[3:00] What is the origin story of the Bipeds? How did Curtis and Stacy meet?

[5:53] How did those first rehearsals go? How did they start the creation process?

[10:31] Why does this pairing of music and dance work? How does it make sense?

[17:57] Curtis and Stacy give us examples of the flashes of inspiration that occur from the intersection of techniques

[21:41] What are the Bipeds “going after”?

[23:00] Collaboration: The collaborative process in making the companion videos and working with others within the group

[28:15] 54 STRANGE WORDS: What will audiences be experiencing when they attend?

[32:45] Who will be performing in 54 STRANGE WORDS? Everyone dances and everyone sings? What is the basic construct of the piece?

[35:55] Sepiadelic and the story of the mouse

[37:57] What are Stacy and Curtis most looking forward to with 54 STRANGE WORDS?

[43:14] What’s happening after 54 STRANGE WORDS?

[46:24] Why do we make art anyway? 🙂

[48:00] Thank you and sign-off

Artist Soapbox podcast is a listener supported podcast. If you listen, please support the podcast by sharing episodes with friends and contributing via our Patreon campaign.

If you have feedback, questions, suggestions, please email artistsoapbox@gmail.com. FEEDBACK IS EVERYTHING TO ASBX.

Artist Soapbox

Artist Soapbox is a platform for original scripted audio fiction and an opportunity for artists to discuss their creative work in their own voices. We do this through our interview podcast, our blog, live events, and original audio dramas.

Artist Soapbox is an anti-racist organization. We believe Black Lives Matter. In addition, as a podcast production company, ASBX has signed the Equality in Audio Pact on Broccoli Content.

Artist Soapbox is more than just a podcast.

We lead writers groups, accountability support, workshops, and events. We produce and create audio dramas too! Listen to the Master BuilderThe New Colossus Audio Drama, Jesus Pancake, Declaration of Love, Food for Thought, and ASBX Shorts. Stay tuned to hear about more projects written by the Soapbox Audio Collective Writers’ Group.

Audio Dramas

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Jesus Pancake

Jesus Pancake is the newest scripted audio fiction series from Artist Soapbox. Nine episodes of zany dark comedy.

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The New Colossus

The New Colossus Audio Drama is a totally unhinged dark comedy reboot of Anton Chekhov’s classic play, THE SEAGULL.

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Master Builder

This audio drama was adapted from Tamara’s 2018 stage play produced by Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern and inspired by Henrick Ibsen’s classic, The Master Builder published in 1892.

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Declaration of Love

Co-producers Aurelia Belfield and Tamara Kissane of Artist Soapbox commissioned eleven NC playwrights to craft short audio scenes based on the prompt “Declaration of Love.”

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Food for Thought

Three pilot episodes of new scripted audio fiction series inspired by the prompt Food for Thought.

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ASBX Shorts

ASBX Shorts are six short audio fiction pieces created and produced by North Carolina artists. Artist Soapbox Shorts were specifically contributed by the artists to aid in fundraising and to get everyone excited about Jesus Pancake, our new audio fiction series in development.

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