"Swap and Shop" is a new dance created collaboratively by Kacico Dance and CD/FW. Kacico director Michelle Diane Brown originally suggested a regional exchange with the CD/FW company, and part of her idea was that the companies work together to create a new dance. After discussions over time, it was decided that the dance would involve chance elements, and that it would celebrate the concepts of "exchange" -- the exchange of ideas, trade, collaboration -- the underlying dialogues of most human activity from commerce to conversation to the arts. Later, when searching for a title,Michelle suggested "Swap and Shop," among others, and it stuck out as something really different... So the choreographic brainstorming moved forward from there...

Michelle and Kerry both share an interest in the use of chance and/or improvisation within choreographic structures. There are large bodies of work in the traditions of modern dance which incorporate such ideas in a variety of ways. Chance might be an element during the creative phase, or it might be involved in what is taking place on stage during the performance, so that each performance is unique. Merce Cunningham is probably the most renowned modern dance choreographer who utilizes such concepts in the development of his work.

After googling "swap and shop," Kerry found some interesting references, including a radio call in show with rules for what could and couldn't be sold, and she suggested taking some of those ideas and finding a way to call out phrases for the dancers to do. So...

Each company made a series of movement phrases. These phrases were all loosely based on the ideas of exchange, trade, barter, give and take, etc. These phrases were videotaped and mailed to the other company, and then each company made new phrases based on the ideas of the other companies phrases... thus generating a whole new set of movement phrases. Each dancer knows all of the original phrases created by their home company, and all the variation phrases created in response to the other company's phrases.

Then, within the context of the performance, Michelle and Kerry call out items for sale (loosely inspired by a radio call in show) and dancers enter the performance space to do specific phrases, based on what is for sale. For example, if 3 cows are for sale, then any 3 dancers (they have to decide on the spot who goes out to do the phrase) enter the performance space and do the phrase which has been decided to be the "cow" phrase. The dancers make choices about where they start the phrase on stage, and even what direction they are facing. So, even if it was "called" the same way every time, it would always be different, because it would be a different mix of dancers, spatial arrangements, facings, and even timings. Since Michelle and Kerry are calling the dance "live" it is a playful experiment every time.

Because the dance was so much fun in Kansas City, we've decided to add another element for the Fort Worth premiere. The dance will be performed a second time with members of the audience having an opportunity to call out what is being sold.

And in the realm of chance and synergy, the members of CD/FW who traveled to Kansas City, who had never before been to a "swap and shop" ran across one by chance one afternoon. While trying to avoid a huge traffic backup on I-70 in order to get back to their hotel, they decided to see a bit of Kansas City by driving a long way heading east on 31st street... through neighborhoods of all types and eras, past schools, past churches, rehab centers, resale shops, libraries, newly renovated old buildings, a crazy-looking Wild Woody's and more... until suddenly Crystal was screaming in the back seat of the ban, "A SWAP AND SHOP! IT'S A SWAP AND SHOP! HEY! TURN AROUND!" So, we decided we needed to do "research" at a real swap and shop to get new inspiration for our new dance which was about to premiere...