Two special performances presented as part of The KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival

Saturday, September 18 at 8pm
Saturday, September 25 at 8pm
Free

As Pablo Picasso once said, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

For these two special performances a group of dancers will plant themselves two-by-two in the East Ave and Scio Street area. When you come across the artists, follow them! They will gather in unison at their final destination adjacent to Ong Siraphisut’s public art piece Breathe located on the outside wall of Rochester Contemporary Art Center.

This piece was created to demonstrate our continuous need for connection. We will express the vulnerability and beauty of being human in a time when community care and partnership are more important than ever for our collective healing and growth. Together we can choose to rise up and dance out of the dust.

Creative Team: Erika Ruegemer, Elyssia Primus, and Amanda Turk
Image by Claire Salmon

About the Choreographer

Erika Ruegemer is a trained dancer and choreographer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her specialty is creating temporary worlds within empty spaces or already existing environments with no clear division between the audience and the artists. Erika often collaborates with local musicians and artists to awaken and inspire art venues, outdoor locations, and abandoned areas. She thrives on the spirit of innovation, community, and natural progression. With each new project, Erika has seen the community reconnect with everyday places.

As a child, Erika trained with former Rockette and ballet dancer, Dyan Ferrell, and her son Michael Matthew Ferrell, former Twin Cities choreographer. Erika received her BA in dance from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point where she studied several theories and styles of dance. After graduating she pursued her passion for professional dance with ARENADances (Minneapolis, Minnesota) and gloATL (Atlanta, Georgia). In the past decade, Erika has trained and performed with multiple Rochester, New York-based companies including PUSH Physical Theatre, FuturPointe Dance, Flower City Ballet, and Frazee Feet Dance. For several years she served as a proud member of THE YARDS collaborative art space and WALL/THERAPY. Erika is the founder and former owner of One Dance Company New York and Rochester Dance Theatre. Follow Erika on Instagram and Facebook @erikaruegemer.