The Realm Company Founded By Chasen Greenwood Performs In Costa Mesa This Weekend

Santa Monica (September 20, 2022) - The Realm Company founded by bicoastal dancer, choreographer, singer and actor Chasen Greenwood will be performing in the So Cal Ballet Scene this upcoming Saturday, September 24, at the Robert Moore Theater on Arlington Drive in COSTA MESA. Tickets are $25-35.

"This festival is a collaboration with Southern California's Ballet organizations in a manner that has never before been seen." Five Professional regional ballet companies and other local artists present on one shared stage. The Realm Company will be featured with accomplished dancers from Bolshoi Ballet, San Diego Ballet, and New York CIty Ballet in a newly choreographed work by Greenwood put to original compositions by Taylor Briggs (Berklee School of Music and son of the renowned Tim Briggs).

This new piece, Greenwood says, "Is inspired by love. The journey driven by love for two people to find their one heart. It takes time. Sometimes it's a surprise when you get there - out of nothing - a silence - it comes. Fourteen minutes long, I call it, When Leaving Isn't an Option."

Additionally, on October 22, the company will share a special performance and workshops for a youth based LGBTQ+ community. Produced by the LGBTQ+ Center of Los Angeles, the company will present at the MODELS OF PRIDE YOUTH CONFERENCE, 30th ANNIVERSARY for ages 24 and younger. The event will be held at L. A. City College, and is a FREE event sponsored by Toyota, Cmcast, NBC Universal, U. S. Bank and Warner Bros.

This is part of the mission of The Realm Company. Greenwood is committed to do outreach performances and services to "spread the good news of Dance to as many varied communities as possible." There is another story here too. When Chasen first arrived in Los Angeles, as for many, life wasn't easy. "For 6 months, I lived out of my car. For a few nights at the LGBTQ Center - they gave me a cot and were so supportive and helpful to me. So you can imagine, I'm glad to give back."

Greenwood describes his collaboration with Briggs as one that inspires him to create more: "I give Taylor a seed idea of what I want to create dance-wise which he grows with his musical responses (fifty percent of them are perfect) and with the incredible dancers I create movement and find more musical direction and shape of the work, and then Taylor feeds me back the sounds for it. We keep honing until it's done and I feel we have solid growth. It's fun actually; We all feed off of each other, and I get to put it all together!"

Greenwood wants to share more than dance. After the company's successful launch in July, where a blackbox preview performance at Westside School of Ballet was sold out to 100 friends and supporters, Greenwood is feeling optimistic. He easily sees sold out performances and loves the Los Angeles love for experimental and blackbox performances. Greenwood shares he was thrilled with the standing ovation his dancers received and the very large turnout of future patrons of dance attending the launch.

Greenwood wants the impact of his company to be a lasting legacy that affects how people see the world and each other. The company's mission is to "spread light, inspiration, and love" through its performances. It does this by creating abstract works with original and re-imagined stores inspired by movies, television, and theater.

Greenwood's dancers are some of the best of local regional talent, hailing from the San Diego City Ballet, Santa Fe Ballet, and Mariinsky, along with strong commercial experience. The Realm Company dancers are picked primarily through his advanced dance classes at Westside School of Ballet. He said he looks at how a dancer moves with his choreography, whether they spin their creativity into it rather than a resume. "Once I see you and you catch my eye that you're picking up my movement, that you look beautiful doing it, and that you're your own artist and putting your own twist on it as well," he explains. "That is usually what inspires me to go up and offer you a contract."

He explains there isn't a dance hierarchy, because Greenwood wanted everyone to work hard as a collaborative. "Balanchine was the same way. He always said Corps dancers danced just as hard as soloists. And, as of right now we are all one. This is one cast," Greenwood said.

Their future projects (TBA) Greenwood will be excited to announce: "when the time is right, an upcoming project concerning Mental Health. But this time for DANCERS!" Greenwood says this concept is sweeping across the US - a movement that he wants to be a part of and so is working with new Wellness Company, founded by a Broadway Star. The whole project is still under wraps but will be revealed soon! Greenwood said he can say that "REALM has been asked to do an Instagram REEL, to be followed by a dance event to support this cause."

Lastly, Realm is collaborating with Greenwood's professional dancer friend, Meredith Harper, who has been instrumental in the "ANGEL PROJECT FOR KIDS," which works with kids formerly incarcerated who have been victims of sex trafficking. The two are finishing touches on forming a dance workshop for these children - possibly also in October. (TBA.) "This is truly an inspired contribution for spreading healing light and love through dance. Bravo Greenwood!"

Recognized by The Argonaut's 'Westsiders to Watch' in March 2022, Greenwood found himself collaborating with performing arts peers in several inventive projects throughout the pandemic, which included weekly performances on Marley Floor on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade. Plus a short film made by Neutrogena, which he choreographed, and was given short commercial film acclaim and props. To keep himself in shape and engaged with other contemporary ballet pros, Greenwood worked with adult dance students at Westside Ballet. Beginning as a sub, he now teaches five packed classes a week. Several advanced adult ballet dancers approached him in Fall of 2019, explaining the collaborative projects created hope in the third covid wave. Greenwood responded by spearheading a collaborative fundraising Gala in October 2021 to raise funds for his next project. And then some funding angels stepped forward with the intent to help birth 'Realm.'

Greenwood was previously also featured in Dancer Magazine as "one to watch" after completing a nationwide tour as soloist with State Street Ballet, Greenwood's choreography won "Best Young Choreographer" at Regional America Southwest. He worked with artists such as Lady Gaga's choreographer Richy Jackson and Director Neal Brennan for an Xbox Super Bowl commercial.

Training on full scholarship with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Ballet Austin, Greenwood began his career performing with LeAnn Rimes, performed in the West Coast premiere of "Newsies," and in the musical Casper (national tour). Recent work was choreographer for "En Avant" produced by Neutrogena studios and director Sarah Jean Williams-as well as a project National Geographic with director Roger Fishman.

Realm company dancer Elise Filo, a principal dance with the American Contemporary Ballet where she danced for five seasons, said the environment that Greenwood creates for the rehearsals and performances is extraordinary. "Chasen's charismatic energy is contagious & his artistic vision is inspiring. It is really special to be a part of this new vision for dance and art," Filo said. "There are so many unique perspectives being brought to this company and it feels like a fresh direction that is filling a void in the industry. As a choreographer & director Chasen is amazing to work with-he creates an incredible environment that makes dancers feel free & empowered while also striving to grow and improve."

According to the Executive Summary, the "Realm experience" is about the exploration of the combination of contemporary ballet, theatrical themes, stories and elements such as theater, singing, acting and fashion. "TRC" will carry out its mission through TV/Film, festivals and events to further the spirit of collaboration with other performing art companies. TRC aims to work with artists locally, nationwide, and internationally to reach as many people as possible.

"You arrive. You step onto the red carpet, greeted by flashing lights from photographers as you enter into the space. You feel something bigger is about to happen. Something bigger than you and something bigger than us," shares Greenwood's new company's vision. "You take your seat, the lights fade, and you close your eyes taking in that moment of pure silence. You feel the power in the stillness. Then, the sounds of pointe shoes walk around you, and the audience, as dancers take their places. You open your eyes, see the dancers dancing telling us a story. The theatrics, drama, romance, laughter and hope. This is theater... this IS the something bigger than us. This is a young man's dream and he is sharing his art and welcomes you to THE REALM BY CHASEN GREENWOOD. Take my hand on a journey you can dream and be anything you want to be."

During the balance of the year, the company is doing community outreach performances to bring people together and celebrate community. TRC plans to engage in commercial opportunities, in various entertainment festivals, that showcase up and coming choreographers, other various talented artists, and even established companies.

Five years from now, they project six sold out show weekends, expanding their main performance months, and growing to 20 professional dancers.

There will be two main performance months in May 2023. For years one and two, they project four sold out show weekends featuring 10 professional dancers.

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