Revolve Dance Project to Present ‘Revolutions: Five Years of Collaboration’ at The Strand
The performing arts company draws artists from within Rhode Island and beyond.
Founders of Revolve Dance Project, Cameron MacIntosh and Kirsten Evans. (Photo by Jon Doucette)
Revolve Dance Project will celebrate its fifth anniversary this weekend with a performance of “Revolutions: Five Years of Collaboration” in Rhode Island’s Creative Capital.
This season, the nonprofit performing arts company — which has a mission of restoring the intrinsic connection between music and dance — will focus on pairing composers with choreographers to create dynamic compositions in just three weeks. At The Strand in Providence, Revolve will welcome featured artists from within the state and beyond, creating a transformative performance for Rhode Island audiences.
Revolve Dance Project was founded in 2020 by wife and husband team Kirsten Evans and Cameron MacIntosh. Calling upon the creative process that develops between artists, the company has worked with more than fifty artists nationally. Calling upon its mission, Revolve blends live music and dance, giving its audience two shows at once as the artists bring their talents to life. Revolve showcases unity on stage, making musical cues and movement a product of spontaneity. If there is any one word for Revolve, Evans and MacIntosh hope audiences can agree that “collaboration” would be the right fit.
Evans, co-founder and artistic director of Revolve, performed professionally with Festival Ballet (now Ballet RI) for thirteen years, becoming an expert in both classical and contemporary works. MacIntosh, co-founder and musical director, began his journey as a jazz drummer at the age of nine, growing his talents to perform across New England.
When asked how their experiences have shaped their abilities as both artists and teachers, Evans says she’s been tapping along with music since before she even started dancing. With the blend of art that Revolve provides, she says, she hopes that collaboration can propel the company’s success even further.
“A lot of times today, the choreographers that I would work with were using recorded tracks from artists,” she says. “I remember a few times being in rehearsal and the choreographer saying, ‘I just wish we could slow this part down a little bit so these steps would fit differently, or I wish I had a little bit more of this music at the end here.’ Little comments that made me think, ‘Wouldn’t it be so nice if we could make that happen for choreographers today?’”
For its anniversary year, Revolve is featuring a piece of historic ballet choreography, a classical pas de deux from the iconic ballet, “Sleeping Beauty.”
“This is the type of thing that we hope, that the art that we’re making today stands the test of time the way that something like ‘Sleeping Beauty’ has lasted,” says Evans. “The only way to create things like that is to give artists the resources they need so that they can collaborate and work together. That we can keep making art that’s at the highest level with today’s voices…art forms exist not to be in a vacuum, but to have the audience there to witness them.”
And yet, through all the musical notes and rehearsals, what matters most to Revolve is the future of dance in Rhode Island. With programs focused on giving students direct access to professionals, Revolve offers not just a performance, but an interactive, behind-the-scenes view of human connection and support.
“The more dance and art we have in the state, the better. Providence is the Creative Capital, and as a Rhode Islander, I’m extremely proud of that,” says Evans. “We’re helping build the future of artists and art supporters. It’s not just the people who go on to become professionals; it’s also the people who will be in the audience one day. The more you have experience with artists, the more you are a lover of art. I just believe that that’s true.”
Guests this year include dancers Charlotte Nash and John-Paul Simoens from Oregon Ballet Theater as well as Dance Theater of Harlem’s Alexandra Rene Jones and Ballet RI’s Audrey Lukacz. Composers Katie Jenkins, Luther S. Allison and Jim Oblon will take control of the music, while choreographers Kurt Douglas, Danielle Diniz and Emily Adams arranged the dance productions.
Revolve Dance Company will perform at The Strand in Providence on June 28 with shows at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Ticket information can be found online at revolvedanceproject.com.
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