Dandelions explores holding on, and letting go - to ourselves, to each other, to things we hold dear - and the uncertainty that accompanies a moment of release. The dance spans various contemporary movement modalities including butoh and dance theater, inspired by the abstract poem-prose of Gertrude Stein’s Tender Buttons and the poignant heartbreak of James Baldwin's novel, Giovanni's Room. Through the metaphor of a dandelion’s bloom and decay, Dandelions describes a recurring dream about love, routine, and change. The piece’s music is reflective of the fragility of its themes. Quivering voices are counterposed with deep silences and fragile consonances that seem ready to dissipate as soon as they appear. As the piece progresses, the intimate horror of time’s passing is reflected in a looping structure that finally snaps viscerally forward.

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The Snug Harbor presentation was supported by a 2025 DCLA Premier Grant from Staten Island Arts with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and through a PASS Residency at Snug Harbor with support from the Howard Gilman Foundation. 

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Performed by Erica Lee Schwartz and Madelyn Sher

Music performed by Priya Carlberg, Judette Elliston, Carrie Furniss, and Leo Hardman-Hill 

Original music composed by Leo Hardman-Hill

coming soon: Dandelions at Snug Harbor!