The Principles of Uncertainty is a new evening-length dance theater work created by collaborators John Heginbotham (Choreographer) and Maira Kalman (Visual Artist/Designer). The work draws inspiration from the highly detailed, intimate worlds created in Maira’s paintings and illustrations, particularly from her book, The Principles of Uncertainty (2009). The piece is based on John and Maira’s shared interest in the passage of time and its relation to the seemingly mundane objects and experiences that make up our daily lives. A central theme of the work is a human’s experience as a temporary participant in an ever-changing world. These ideas and themes are explored through a series of vignettes that are woven through with John’s rich choreography and Maira’s design elements. An array of eclectic vocabularies - dance, text, music, and projected images - work in concert to tell the story. The intention is that The Principles of Uncertainty behaves as a welcoming, non-linear, occasionally absurd travelogue.
Composer and musician Colin Jacobsen composed, arranged, and curated music for the work and the cast features six members of Dance Heginbotham, the actor Daniel Pettrow, a quartet of musicians, and Maira herself.
World Premiere: Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival August 23 - 27, 2017
New York Premiere: BAM Next Wave Festival September 27 - 30, 2017
Asheville, NC: Diana Wortham Theater, presented by Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, March 16-17, 2018
Durham, NC: Reynolds Industries Theater, presented by Duke Performances, March 23-24, 2018
Plovdiv, Bulgaria: SPOTLIGHT:USA - A Platform of American Dance in Bulgaria, March 28, 2018