Left and Right (2021-present)
Left and Right is a collaboration between composer/performer Molly Joyce, choreographer/dancer Jerron Herman, writer/audio describer Max Greyson, and director Austin Regan to examine historical myths of the left versus right side.
The work explores the traditionally cursed and dark left side of the body and its relationship to the right hand side, which was considered healing and beneficent. The film unites and confronts universal, contemporary and personal perspectives on dualism and asymmetry through the disparate yet synergic disciplines of dance, music, and poetic description. Produced as part of the Toulmin Fellowship with National Sawdust and NYU Center for Ballet and the Arts.
Artistic Elements:
Incorporation of audio description (accessible to blind and low-vision audiences)
ASL interpretation (accessible to Deaf/hard-of-hearing audiences)
Open captions (accessible to Deaf/hard-of-hearing audiences)
Community engagement: asking questions: “What is left/right for you?” and more
Presentation Formats:
1) Live Performance + Talkback and Community Engagement options (in-person)
2) Video Installation + Talkback option (in-person)
3) Video Screening + Talkback and Community Engagement options (in-person or virtual)
“The show was dedicated to inviting viewers to think introspectively about the opposing sides and our unbalanced reality. Just like the final slide of text suggested, the features of the left and right will never match. That is what makes it beautiful.” — Steven Vargas, LA Dance Chronicle
Trailer:
Full Work:
photos by Chris Holtmeier, taken at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
Events:
May 3, 2024
UCLA Center for the Art of Performance
Live performance of Left and Right, featuring composer/performer Molly Joyce, choreographer/dancer Jerron Herman, and further contributions from director Austin Regan, ASL interpreters Desiree and Jasmine Monroy, and sound/video engineer Michael Hammond.
July - Septenber, 2023
Theatre for All Festival (Japan)
Video streaming of collaborative work Left and Right (created with Jerron Herman, Max Greyson, Austin Regan) via Theatre for All Festival in Japan.
December 10, 2022
deSingel (Antwerp, Belgium)
European performance premiere of Left and Right, featuring composer/performer Molly Joyce, choreographer/dancer Jerron Herman, writer/audio describer Max Greyson, and director Austin Regan.
June 9, 2022
National Sawdust
Live performance premiere of Left and Right, featuring composer/performer Molly Joyce, choreographer/dancer Jerron Herman, writer/audio describer Max Greyson, ASL interpreter Brandon Kazen-Maddox, and further contributions from director Austin Regan, sound/video engineer Michael Hammond, and director of ASL Shelly Guy.
April 15, 2021
National Sawdust
Premiere of video version via National Sawdust, including talkback event with composer/performer Molly Joyce, choreographer/dancer Jerron Herman, writer/audio describer Max Greyson, director Austin Regan, and editor Hannah Rifkin.
Part of Toulmin Fellowship with National Sawdust and NYU Center for Ballet and the Arts.
April 13, 2021
National Sawdust
Disability and accessibility discussion with Gregg Mozgala and Copenhagen-based research organization Enactlab (David Oxenhandler, Jacob Yoon Egeskov Nossell, Kristian Moltke Martiny), including preview of Left and Right.
