At its core, COINCIDENCES engages with sensory stimulation and the deep emotional impact of trauma. The choreography, originally titled coincidences, when we meet up., explores the internal battle of navigating self-doubt, microaggressions, and the search for self-love within predominantly white spaces. The work seeks clarity through voice and autonomy, reflecting the journey of an individual overcoming impostor syndrome and self-deprecation.
What makes the COINCIDENCES Series unique is the collaborative process and the evolving nature of the work. The project began as a reflection of jo Blake's personal journey but expanded into a more collective exploration. The use of film and photography adds layers to the storytelling, providing a visual representation of how trauma affects the body and mind. This fusion of movement and imagery helps tell a story of both personal and shared experiences of healing, resilience, and self-discovery.
coincidences, when we meet up.
jo Blake premiered coincidences, when we meet up., as a commissioned work with internationally-renowned Salt Lake City-based dance company, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (Rī´-rē Woŏd´-bûr-ē), which premiered in January 2022 at the Eccles Regent Street Black Box.
Guest choreographer, and former Company dancer, jo Blake premiered a new piece on the Company inspired by the concepts of sensory stimulation and how this can benefit inter-/intrapersonal relationships. This reflective trio focuses on the personal connection of radical self-love and clarity of voice discovered by experiencing trauma. Plunging, swirling, and diving amongst the complications of today’s social issues, this dance invites the ever-changing, coordinated, and repeated murmurs of individual growth and change.
series I
Dance Artists: Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company
Rehearsal Director: Daniel Charon, Artistic Director
Composer: Trevor Price (Original Score)
Costume Design: jo Blake
Lighting Design: William Peterson
Theatre: Regent Street Black Box at the Eccles
series II
Dance Artists: Weber State University Dance Program
Composer: Trevor Price
Costume Design: jo Blake
Lighting Design: Christopher Philion
Theatre: Val A. Browning Center
series III
Choreographer: jo Blake
Creative Director: Cam McLeod
Cinematographer: Dylan Totaro
Curators: Lydia Gravis and Molly Painter
Dance Artists: Jessica Evans, Dominic Favela, Kennedy Johnston, Cydnee Medina, Genevieve Nolan, Madisyn Sorensen, Elli Thornley
Original Music Composition: Trevor Price
Live Vocal Performance: Trevor Price and Eileen Rojas
Technical Design: William Peterson and Samijo Kougioulis
Costume Design: jo Blake
Make-Up Design: Kennadie Thredgold
Additional Support: Kelly McLeod
The COINCIDENCES project is a compelling interdisciplinary and multimedia exploration that fuses contemporary movement, photography, and film to examine the intricate human experience. Initially conceived as a choreography commission for the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, COINCIDENCES evolved into an installation work that stretches across various artistic mediums. The project is driven by themes of trauma, isolation, and a profound longing to connect with the physical world.
The collaboration between choreographer jo Blake and photographer-filmmaker Cam McLeod brings these themes to life. Through Cam’s lens, the physicality and abstract form of the choreography are captured in a way that reflects the internal turmoil and eventual self-discovery. The film and photography explore the tension between chaos and healing, the breakdowns caused by trauma, and the space that emerges for growth.
The installation at the Dumke Arts Plaza, a significant public art space, marks the third iteration of this work, demonstrating its continued growth and its ability to resonate on both an individual and collective level.
series IV
Dance Artists: Nick Elizondo, Megan McCarthy, Luke Fausto Rivera, Sasha Rydlizky, Miche’ Smith, and Luke Dakota Zender
Restager: Dom Favela, Kennedy Johnston, Cydnee Medina, Genevive Nolan, Madisyn Sorensen, and Elli Thornley
Rehearsal Director: Daniel Charon, Artistic Director
Composer: Trevor Price
Costume Design: jo Blake
Lighting Design: Susannah Pilkington
Theatre: Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center
The coincidence series is an evolving interdisciplinary project that merges contemporary movement, multimedia, and soundscapes to explore the shared and isolating dimensions of the human experience. Rooted in the original choreography, coincidences, when we meet., this fourth iteration amplifies the work’s themes of sensory stimulation, trauma, and the transformative pursuit of radical self-love.
Through layered multimedia and a reflective movement experience, coincidences invite audiences to witness and consider: What happens when we reconnect with our fragmented selves? Can clarity emerge through chaos, and how might shared experiences of isolation draw us toward collective healing? With its ever-changing and repeated murmurs, this work celebrates the courage to find one's voice and the transformative power of love—of self and others.
For more information about the COINCIDENCES Series, feel free to contact me, jo Blake, or visit my Vimeo page to view additional performances.