Robert Abrams: What is your role in the show?

Diane Sharp-Nachsin: I am the Artistic Director and Choreographer of the performance.

RA: Please describe the performance you will present at PIFA.

DSN: SHARP Dance Company invites you to take a step back in time to 1900's France with a full night of new SHARP material in "Une Soirée au Cabaret". Our own Master of Ceremonies will be guiding the audience through an evening of collaboration in dance and live vocals, drinks and art. This performance will be an enticing event of live entertainment that encompasses parody and wit.

RA: Have you collaborated with anyone to create your PIFA presentation?

DSN: Yes

RA: Who have you collaborated with to create your PIFA presentation?

DSN: I have collaborated with Digital Artist Lauren Mandilian and Photographer Kylene Cleaver. Lauren will be using Kylene's photos to make some digital projections that will be presented in the beginning of the SHARP performance.

RA: What has this collaboration allowed you to achieve that would not have been possible without it?

DSN: This collaboration has allowed me to add yet another dimension to the performance.

RA: In your art that you are presenting at PIFA, what is unexpected?

DSN: The fact that this performance is a true to form "cabaret" of France 1910's in style, language and costume.

RA: What is "new" about the art you are presenting at PIFA?

DSN: All the choreography and projection is original and created just for this performance.

RA: What is the connection between your show at PIFA and Paris between 1910 and 1920?

DSN: Our performance will be shown in a warehouse space with small table "cabaret style" seating, music from the era with live singers singing in French and English and true cabaret costumes from satin to fishnet!

RA: If audience members were seeing your PIFA show for the second time, what should they pay special attention to in order to enhance their appreciation of your art?

DSN: That SHARP is incorporating some of its modern choreography into the realm of French music of the 20's.

RA: Does your art have an activist message?

DSN: We normally do work that is very socially conscience, however this performance is all about letting your hair down and having fun.

RA: Is there anything else you would like the audience to know?

DSN: This company's theory of "meaning behind movement" is shown prominently throughout the work. We feel that dance should be more than a performance, it should be an experience.

To purchase a ticket to this show, go to www.pifa.org/events/980191069.
To purchase tickets to all PIFA dance events, go to www.pifa.org/events?bucket_id=1.
For more information about The SHARP Dance Company, go to www.sharpdance.org.
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Photo © & courtesy of Kylene Cleaver