commissioned
Commissioned by the University of Utah School of Dance and selected as a top-ten work at the ACDA Regional Conference, a single strand in a spider’s web is a poignant exploration of the human condition inspired by Kurt Vonnegut’s reflections on repetition and entrapment. The piece delves into the cyclical nature of lives trapped in mundanity, as characters traverse the same patterns year after year. Through intricate choreography, it examines how societal structures—symbolized by the spider’s web—bind individuals to predetermined paths, stifling agency and identity.
The work interweaves themes of social justice, illustrating the courage required to break free from the "line-following" existence imposed by systemic norms. Movements unfold with tension and release, portraying the transformative journey from acquiescence to rebellion, and ultimately, to self-determination. By amplifying these narratives, the piece challenges the audience to question their own roles within societal constructs, urging a deeper understanding of the power of collective resistance and individual courage.
a single strand in a spider’s web transcends dance as an art form, becoming a rallying cry for liberation, self-awareness, and the pursuit of a life untethered by the constraints of repetition.
Dance Artists: University of Utah School of Dance
Rehearsal Director: Rebekah JoAnn Guerra
Composer: Ezio Bosso
Costume Design: Christopher Larson
Lighting Design: William Peterson
Theatre: Marriott Center for Dance
For more commissioned works, feel free to contact me, jo Blake, or visit my Vimeo page to view additional performances.
site specific
Closing the concert was a sense of quiet, choreographed by jo Blake and performed (in mask) by Kristen Houskeeper. This understated work juxtaposes a profound sadness with the hope of healing light. Blake’s choreography suited the challenge precisely—to provide the appropriate hue of a grand sense of optimism without it seeming trite or cliché or overpowering. Houskeeper’s performance cemented the right effect. For music, Blake turned to former Sigur Rós band member Kjartan Sveinsson, who had collaborated with Ragnar Kjartansson on a visually impressionistic opera with a German title, which translates roughly to The Explosive Sonics of Divinity. The selection for Blake’s work is the second tableau (Teil II) from the original work. Blake’s choreography teases out the panoply of complexities in the music, which opens with a somber hymn and then ever so gradually expands into a vista that offers a slim, delicate yet obvious note of hope, welcoming us gently to emerge from the darkness of this extraordinarily difficult year.
Blake’s composition put the elucidating note on OuterSpace: live performance is returning slowly but steadily as we sort out the limitations and find new opportunities to create and express ourselves. The road in the short-term is complicated by public health, economic and harsh political realities but we also have the capacity to heal ourselves and our communities. As in recent years, members of Salt Lake City’s deep bench of gifted dance artists rose in OuterSpace to the sociocultural challenges of making their art fit precisely what the moment commands. - Les Roka, The Utah Review
Dance Artist: Kristen Houskeeper
Composer: Kjartan Sveinsson
Theatre: Salt Lake City Underpass
For more site-specific works, feel free to contact me, jo Blake, or visit my Vimeo page to view additional performances.
higher education
Take Us As We Are is a multidisciplinary community outreach project directed by jo Blake that integrated Weber State University students enrolled in the CCEL-designated course Moving Company, campus organizations, and community partners. The guiding theme of this year-long project was recognizing the strength of the female-identified individual, as well as some of the barriers that women have had to overcome. 2020 marks the 100th year anniversary of women’s suffrage in America in which the female voice challenged societal norms and broke down barriers; through mediums of dance, digital video, music, and engineering and design this project initiated conversation of strength, courage, persistence, and fortitude.
Dance Artists: Weber State University Dance Program’s Moving Company
Composer: Various Artists
Costume Design: WSU Costume Manager
Lighting Design: Christopher Philion
Theatre: Marriott Center for Dance
For more works created at institutions of Higher Education, feel free to contact me, jo Blake, or visit my Vimeo page to view additional performances.
social justice
In No Voice Is Too Soft: Vocal Repertoire for Social Justice at Westminster University, Jo Blake's choreography celebrated the resilience, pride, and rich cultural heritage of Black history through two powerful solos created for Katlyn Addison, the first Black Principal Ballerina at Ballet West. These solos were crafted to honor the profound significance of Black History Month, spotlighting the strength and beauty of Black identity through the lens of classical and contemporary ballet.
Through these works, Jo Blake not only celebrated Katlyn's exceptional artistry but also created a profound space for social justice dialogue, using dance as a vehicle for both personal and cultural empowerment. The solos were a bold statement on the importance of representation and the need to amplify marginalized voices in classical spaces.
Dance Artist: Katlyn Addison
Videographer: Joshua Whitehead
Theatre: Millennium Dance Studio (SLC)
Performance: Westminster University
For more works exploring themes of social justice and identity, feel free to contact me, jo Blake, or visit my Vimeo page to view additional performances.
evening length
(dis)connect explores the complexities of human connection and disconnection in the digital age. Through visceral movement, this work delves into the tension between intimacy and isolation, examining how technology shapes our relationships with others and ourselves. The choreography weaves moments of raw vulnerability with bursts of fragmented energy, reflecting the push-and-pull dynamics of virtual and physical interactions.
Utilizing an evocative soundscape and visual elements that oscillate between chaos and clarity, (dis)connect invites the audience to question how they navigate the balance between presence and detachment in a world increasingly mediated by screens. It is a poignant reminder of the beauty, fragility, and resilience of human connection in the face of an ever-evolving digital landscape.
Dance Artists: Sean O’Bryan and Alicia Pugh
Composer: Trevor Price (Original Score)
Videographer: Devon Marie Muñoz
Photographer: JIm Coleman and Sam Wagner
Theatre: YAW Theater
For more evening length works, feel free to contact me, jo Blake, or visit my Vimeo page to view additional performances.
graduate research
jo Blake’s lying/laying is a powerful exploration of social justice, created during their graduate studies choreographic research at the University of Washington. This work delves into the intricate dynamics of identity, challenging the societal boxes we place ourselves in—or are placed into by others. Through movement, jo invites audiences to confront these constraints, questioning how bias and perception shape our understanding of self and others.
In lying/laying, jo juxtaposes the off-centered groundedness of ballet with the extended regalness of modern dance, using these contrasting aesthetics to highlight the tension between societal ideals and personal authenticity. Ballet, with its emphasis on symmetry and conformity, is placed alongside modern dance, which celebrates individuality and rootedness, creating a visual and conceptual interplay that mirrors the complexities of navigating identity within rigid societal frameworks.
By embracing this intentional off-centeredness, jo disrupts expectations, offering a poignant metaphor for the imbalance and struggle inherent in striving to reconcile external pressures with internal truth. This work challenges audiences to reflect on their own biases and aesthetic preferences, while celebrating the beauty of breaking free from imposed narratives.
lying/laying stands as a testament to jo’s commitment to using dance as a medium for critical inquiry and social reflection, bridging the worlds of performance, research, and activism.
Dance Artists: University of Wshington Dance Program
Composer: Tim Summers
Costume Design: jo Blake
Lighting Design: Peter Brociano
Theatre: Meany Hall Black Box
For additional works created at the University of Washington, feel free to contact me, jo Blake, or visit my Vimeo page to view additional performances.