Invertigo Dance Theatre to Present FORMULAE AND FAIRY TALES in October

Step into the world of mathematics, cryptography, and enchantingly queer fairy tales with Invertigo Dance Theatre's performance of Formulae & Fairy Tales on October 13 and 14, 2023, at 7:30 pm PT at the Broad Stage. Created by Laura Karlin and featuring seven dancers, it conveys the story through virtuosic movement, whimsical theatricality, sweeping video projections, and an original music score.

Formulae & Fairy Tales reimagines mathematical genius and World War II codebreaker Alan Turing's brilliant mind, queer identity and persecution, and ground-breaking scientific discoveries. Turing was a founder of computer science and artificial intelligence, and his work ranged from the cryptanalytical cracking of the Nazis' "unbreakable" Enigma Code, to how the golden spiral played out in plant structures, to whether we could give machines the power of rational thought. Despite his achievements, his life was marked by secrecy and state-sponsored violence targeting his homosexuality. He died by eating an apple laced with cyanide.

"This show is a love letter to a great mind," says Laura Karlin, Artistic Director of Invertigo Dance Theatre. "It is a playground and a memory and a machine. It is a rejection of tragedy in favor of hope, redemption, and an implacable desire that our world be better for the people living in it."

In 1950, Alan Turing remarked, "One day, ladies will take their computers for walks in the park and tell each other, 'My little computer said such a funny thing this morning.'" This dance-theatre work playfully deconstructs binary thinking and artificial intelligence, while exploring our timeless, tangled, and nuanced relationship with technology.

The choreography of Formulae & Fairy Tales interweaves the technicolor mythology of Turing's favorite film, Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and his death by eating a poisoned apple, evoking historical events, sexuality, gender identity, and our essential humanity. The dancers transform into a gender-bending Snow White tableau, ladies in the park with their little computers, terrified civilians in the London Blitz, the inner workings of the Enigma Machine, a fairy tale forest, and the tender duet of two men sharing an apple between their mouths.

Formulae & Fairy Tales premiered in 2019, and its themes have only grown in relevance - artificial intelligence is reaching new levels of integration into our lives, and the destructive forces of government-supported violence against queer bodies continue to grow. The show explores these subjects in meaningful and inventive ways, highlighting their significance in today's world and reclaiming power in these conversations.

About Invertigo Dance Theatre

Invertigo Dance Theatre creates dynamic performances and community-centered programs that celebrate intersectional, intergenerational identities through transformative, expansive storytelling and movement.

Founded in 2007 by Artistic Director Laura Karlin, Invertigo Dance Theatre has created and performed 40+ original choreographic works across Los Angeles and Southern California. Building community with people of all ages and abilities, Invertigo embodies and embeds its anti-racism, anti-oppression, cultural equity, and inclusion policies into all programming, for the company invites people to experience the art of dance and storytelling as a catalyst for deeper joy and human connection. Alongside its professionally staged productions, Invertigo's long-standing community engagement program - Dancing Through Parkinson's - utilizes dance as a means to inspire connection and well-being for people with Parkinson's Disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

About the journey of Formulae and Fairy Tales

From Laura Karlin, Artistic Director, Invertigo Dance Theatre: I started thinking about this show in 2007, and was finally brave enough to begin in 2017, with 6 dancers in a studio. In 2019, the show premiered at the Broad Stage to full houses, full-hearted audience responses, and positive reviews. In February 2020, we began our first national tour and in March 2020, our tour was cut short as we returned home and sheltered in place, not knowing how or when we would be able to return to the stage. It took 3 years, but we re-booked the tour in spring 2023, and now we return to our Los Angeles home, sharing a work that has only grown in thematic resonance. We have survived the pandemic and the myriad challenges that it presented to us as people, as artists, as staff and board keeping an arts organization together, and as weavers of community. Not only have we survived, we are stepping onto this beautiful stage once more.

The Formulae & Fairy Tales Ensemble:

LAURA KARLIN

Laura Karlin is the Founder and Artistic Director of Invertigo Dance Theatre, a teacher, choreographer, and movement activist. Since establishing Invertigo in 2007, Laura has created over 40 pieces for the company, including eight full evening-length works. Her work for Invertigo has been presented at venues including the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ford Amphitheatre, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Broad Stage, and LACMA. Her work is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the California Arts Council, LA County Arts Commission, and the New England Foundation for the Arts. Laura graduated from Cornell University with a dual degree in Choreography/Production and Pre-Law/LGBTQ Civil Rights. In

London, she choreographed for and performed with Synergy Dance Theatre, Snapdragon Dance and the prestigious Resolution! Festival. Laura has also been commissioned by LA Contemporary Dance Company, Celebrate Dance, and the Southern California Dance Invitational. She has been a guest artist and teacher at Loyola Marymount University, Santa Monica College, Pierce College, La Companyia in Barcelona, and University California, Santa Barbara. Additionally, she has established ongoing partnerships with other non-profit arts organizations in LA, including choreographing for and performing alongside the Independent Shakespeare Company for ten summers. When she isn't in the Invertigo office or rehearsal room, Laura can be found teaching Invert/ED and Dancing Through Parkinson's classes, practicing sustainable gardening in her home, or in the world camping and traveling.

CODY BRUNELLE-POTTER

Cody is a non-binary dance artist currently performing and creating in Los Angeles. They began their dance and performance career in NYC, where they were a dancer and Assistant Director for In-Sight Dance Company, a nonprofit service organization based in Queens. Since moving to Los Angeles, they have had the pleasure of working with many local companies and choreographers in the concert dance world which include Invertigo Dance Theater, WHYTEBERG, Mollie Wolf, Luke Zender, Heidi Duckler, Iris Company, Acts of Matter, FABE, and Rosanna Gamson World Wide. They have also worked in the commercial dance world with Teresa (Toogie) Barcelo, William Ylvisaker, Ashley (ROBI)

Robicheaux, Matty Peacock and Amy O'Neal. They have performed in work for artists like Reggie Watts, Billie Eilish, FYOHNA, Ben De La Creme, Jinx Monsoon and more. Cody's own creative work explores the boundaries of being wild and delicate, while balancing the honesty of the emotional impetus for each movement. Additionally, Cody is interested in fiber sculpture and is working to incorporate moving fibers sculptures into their work. They have partnered with Fiber Artist Mimi Haddon on many occasions and lead workshops in using fiber sculpture partnered with movement to explore how we can understand ourselves better as emotional beings through the putting on and use of costume.

William Clayton

William Clayton is originally from Moreno Valley California. He grew up performing with color guard teams which led him to pursue a career as a performer. This passion took him to Los Angeles where he received his BFA in Dance Theatre from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in 2016. Upon graduation he worked as a freelance dancer in LA, working between commercial gigs, musical theater shows, and contemporary company work. Some highlights include performing with Ezralow Dance, Brockus RED, and as an original member of Invertigo Dance Theater's Formulae and Fairytale. In 2018 he moved to Denver, to work with the dance company Wonderbound,

where he performed for three years. He is currently on track to receive his MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Wilson College in May 2023. He is grateful to be returning to Invertigo and this iteration of F&F, since last performing in 5 years ago. Special thanks to his family for supporting his journey and to all those who have believed in him over the years.

Hyosun Choi

At the age of 4, Hyosun mimicked her parents during their ballroom dance classes. An observing instructor offered to teach her. Around that time, she followed her cousin to a Korean cultural dance school and afterwards, declared that she was going to learn. Upon quickly mastering the Korean drums, fans, and swords, she performed regularly. At 7, she was winning National and Regional Ballroom Dance Competitions, including the Grand Prix. When her parents stopped ballroom dancing, Hyosun had to quit. A few years later, she stopped Korean cultural dance to focus on her schooling. This began a decade-long separation from dance. After graduating as high school valedictorian, Hyosun

attended USC on a scholarship with acceptance to their accelerated pre-pharmacy program. To her parents' disappointment, Hyosun announced that she did not want to follow her father's footsteps as a pharmacist after graduating in 3 years with a B.A in Biology and a minor in Cinema. During her last year, having enrolled in a jazz class on a whim, Hyosun was asked to join USC's Jazz II Dance Company, and to perform for both faculty and student choreographers. One of the graduating choreographers she was paired up with was Kate Hutter, co-founder of Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company (LACDC), who would hire her years later. Hyosun began dancing recreationally at EDGE Performing Arts Center as she secretly pursued professional acting while studying at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Encouraged by her family, she went to New York Law School. In New York, she took open classes at Atlantic Acting School, Alvin Ailey, Broadway Dance Center (BDC) and STEPS. BDC's faculty teacher, Ginger Cox, invited her to join LiNK Dance Company. This launched her professional dance career. Within a few weeks of moving back to Los Angeles, she auditioned for LACDC and was hired. Hyosun currently dances with LACDC, Invertigo Dance Theatre, Iris Company, and La Dansa Dansa. She is a certified trainer in the Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis Methods, works as a Corporate Trainer at Bank of Hope, is admitted to the State Bar in CA and NY, plays cello, piano, and guitar, composes music, and reads books.

JESSICA DUNN

Jessica Dunn, originally from Tehachapi, CA, began her dance journey in her hometown. She joined the local ballet company, while studying at Antelope Valley College. Motivated to excel in dance, Jessica transferred to California State University Long Beach (CSULB) to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. At CSULB, she explored various aspects of dance, including anatomy, choreography, improvisation, modern dance, and ballet. Jessica received a scholarship from the Dramatic Allied Arts Guild (DAAG), which further ignited her passion. With their support, she pushed her limits and graduated with distinction from CSULB. In Los Angeles, Jessica embraced the vibrant dance scene, working

with companies like Anaheim Ballet, Invertigo Dance Theatre, and Transversal Theatre. Through her work, she strives to enhance her artistry, technical skills, and emotional depth.

CORINA KINNEAR

Corina Kinnear started her training at her mother's studio Parker Dance Academy, and then at International Ballet School. She continued in San Francisco, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts with Alonzo King's Lines Ballet and Dominican University, as well as her certification as a Gyrotonic instructor. Since, she has danced and toured as a performing artist and choreographer with companies in Los Angeles, New York, Montreal, Colorado, San Francisco, and throughout Europe including Invertigo Dance Theatre, the Deutche Oper Ballet, LA Opera, MiMoDa, Gibson Muriva Dance Company, Deutche Fernsehballet, The Movement Movement, Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre, Arrogant Elbow, and creating work in residencies

at PARTS in Brussels, the CND in Paris, TanzFabrik in Berlin, and for the Oydessy Theatre Dance Festival.

DERION LOMAN

Derion Loman was born in Fairfield, California. His interest in dance came from his involvement in color guard, where he toured with the World Championship Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. Derion graduated in 2012 with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.F.A. in Dance from the University of California Santa Barbara. He was a pioneer member of BHdos, Ballet Hispanico's Second Company, where he performed at a variety of events and venues including Symphony Space Theatre, The FBI, and The Presidential Inauguration. He started with Pilobolus as the company's first-ever Dancer Apprentice and was cast as a full-time company member in 2014. He joined the touring cast of Diavolo Architecture in

Motion where he was a finalist for America's Got Talent, and a leading role in their newest creation "Voyage". Most recently Derion is known for being a Divisional Finalist on NBC's World of Dance where his choreography is being considered for an Emmy.

LUKE DAKOTA ZENDER

Luke Dakota Zender started dancing here in Los Angeles at the age of seventeen. Since then Luke has self curated an eclectic dance education giving them a versatile understanding of what it means to be a mover, performer and an overall aware human being. Zender has studied with Debbie Allen, Peridance Capezio Center, Bill T. Jones, David Dorfman, Northwest Dance Project, BODYTRAFFIC, Hubbard Street, and Anouk Van Dijk. After spending 4 years in the mountains and solitude of their hometown in Wyoming in an effort to find a deeper understanding of themselves and the world in which they choose to live, Luke has relocated back to the city of angels where it all started. Back in

Wyoming, Luke Danced for Contemporary Dance Wyoming under direction of Babs Case for four years. While with CDW, Luke had the opportunity to perform in works by Babs Case, Francesca Romo, Gina Patterson, David Dorfman, Troy Ogilvie, Dan Walczak, Alysa Pires and Alice Klock. Since their return to Los Angeles, Luke has worked with Heidi Duckler Dance, Brockus RED, and presented their own choreographic work. Zender is beyond grateful for the opportunity to share and bring Laura's vision for Formulae and Fairy Tales to fruition.

VIDEO PRODUCTION DESIGN BY: NightLight Labs LIGHTING DESIGN BY: RS Buck
ORIGINAL MUSIC BY: Toby Karlin, Julia Kent, Eric Mason COSTUMES BY: Rosalida Medina and Laura Karlin

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