FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Fairfield University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts is proud to present untitled sad piece by elephant JANE dance, a poignant post-modern dance work led by acclaimed choreographer and Connecticut College Professor Heidi Henderson. The performance will take place on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m.
Set to songs by the 1970s duo The Carpenters, untitled sad piece delves into the sensation of a sinking heart. Through quiet, reiterative solos, touching duets, and one electrifying burst of “galumphing,” five dancers respond to the profound sadness in Karen Carpenter’s voice. The choreography initiates from the dancers’ hearts, embodying tenderness and human connection.
Henderson’s work is celebrated for its minimalist, intimate style, focusing on movement as the primary storytelling medium. “I make dances that are quiet, intimate, and unadorned, but the people in them—and the people watching—are human,” Henderson explains. “The dance isn’t ‘about’ anything; instead, it’s about the act of moving and the emotions that naturally emerge.” Her creative process is meticulous, with each minute of performance requiring hours of refinement to craft a movement language that resonates on a deeply emotional level.
Audiences can expect to be drawn into an experience that is both deeply personal and universal. Henderson’s emphasis on nearness ensures that the performers’ connections—with each other and the audience—are palpable. “We see each other, we care, we are human,” she says. This powerful piece offers a unique opportunity to explore themes of vulnerability, resilience, and tenderness.
Fairfield University is a modern, Jesuit Catholic University, rooted in one of the world’s oldest intellectual and spiritual traditions. More than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 44 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and 43 countries, are enrolled in the University’s five schools. In the spirit of rigorous and sympathetic inquiry into all dimensions of human experience, Fairfield welcomes students from diverse backgrounds to share ideas and engage in open conversations. The University is located in the heart of a region where the future takes shape, on a stunning campus on the Connecticut coast just an hour from New York City.