ARTIST FEATURE: NELL
ROLLINS
ARTIST FEATURE:
NELL
ROLLINS
ABOUT NELL ROLLINS
ABOUT
NELL ROLLINS
Nell Josephine Rollins is an Idaho native. She received a BFA in Ballet in May 2018 with a Studio Teaching Certificate from the University of Utah’s School of Dance. Her training began in Boise, Idaho with Balance Dance Company and Ballet Idaho. She later joined Ballet Idaho as a company member, under the direction of Garrett Anderson where she danced for two seasons. She has been an artist with LED, since it was founded in 2015, and has been featured in numerous works including: Jabberwock, Red Hare(ing), RUIN and Live, With Love. Rollins choreography has been recognized at the American Dance College Association (ACDA) and the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP). She most recently danced with Whim W'HIm, based in Seattle, WA and while there had the pleasure of working with renowned choreographers such as: Oliver Wevers, Ihsan Rustem, Joseph Hernandez, Alice Klock and Penny Saunders.
Nell Josephine Rollins is an Idaho native. She received a BFA in Ballet in May 2018 with a Studio Teaching Certificate from the University of Utah’s School of Dance. Her training began in Boise, Idaho with Balance Dance Company and Ballet Idaho. She later joined Ballet Idaho as a company member, under the direction of Garrett Anderson where she danced for two seasons. She has been an artist with LED, since it was founded in 2015, and has been featured in numerous works including: Jabberwock, Red Hare(ing), RUIN and Live, With Love. Rollins choreography has been recognized at the American Dance College Association (ACDA) and the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP). She most recently danced with Whim W'HIm, based in Seattle, WA and while there had the pleasure of working with renowned choreographers such as: Oliver Wevers, Ihsan Rustem, Joseph Hernandez, Alice Klock and Penny Saunders.
AN INTERVIEW WITH NELL
You're an original member of LED, how does it feel to return after some time away?
LED will always feel like home to me. So how it might feel to leave your hometown and
return to it with a new perspective, that's how it feels for me; a comforting
excitment.
What are some discoveries you're making in Kid Lightning?
I don't think I've stepped into a soloist role so quickly in the way I am for Kid
Lightning. It's pushing me mentally and physically, testing my brain capacity and of
course my physical tenacity. I'm making new discoveries in how to be patient and
open with myself.
What is one thing you're really excited about right now?
Right now?? I'm excited to put my phone down, relax, and unwind. I also can't wait to eat.
I've got salmon and couscous on the menu tonight!
What's a hidden talent of yours?
I think I'm really good at organizing. It brings me a lot of peace actually!
Anything else you'd like to add?
Only that I'm super honored to be an LED featured artist. Thank you for being such a
supportive community!
AN
INTERVIEW WITH NELL
You're an original member of LED, how does it feel to return after some time away?
LED will always feel like home to me. So how it might feel to leave your hometown and return to it with a new perspective, that's how it feels for me; a comforting excitement.
What are some discoveries you're making in Kid Lightning?
I don't think I've stepped into a soloist role so quickly in the way I am for Kid
Lightning. It's pushing me mentally and physically, testing my brain capacity and of course my physical tenacity. I'm making new discoveries in how to be patient and open with myself.
What is one thing you're really excited about right now?
Right now?? I'm excited to put my phone down, relax, and unwind. I also can't wait to eat.I've got salmon and couscous on the menu tonight!
What's a hidden talent of yours?
I think I'm really good at organizing. It brings me a lot of peace actually!
Anything else you'd like to add?
Only that I'm super honored to be a featured artist with LED. Thank you for such a supportive community!
AN INTERVIEW WITH NELL
You're an original member of LED, how does it feel to return after some time away?
LED will always feel like home to me. So how it might feel to leave your hometown and
return to it with a new perspective, that's how it feels for me; a comforting
excitment.
What are some discoveries you're making in Kid Lightning?
I don't think I've stepped into a soloist role so quickly in the way I am for Kid
Lightning. It's pushing me mentally and physically, testing my brain capacity and of
course my physical tenacity. I'm making new discoveries in how to be patient and
open with myself.
What is one thing you're really excited about right now?
Right now?? I'm excited to put my phone down, relax, and unwind. I also can't wait to eat.
I've got salmon and couscous on the menu tonight!
What's a hidden talent of yours?
I think I'm really good at organizing. It brings me a lot of peace actually!
Anything else you'd like to add?
Only that I'm super honored to be an LED featured artist. Thank you for being such a
supportive community!
ARTIST FEATURE: QUINN WHARTON
ARTIST
FEATURE : QUINN WHARTON
ARTIST FEATURE: QUINN WHARTON
ABOUT QUINN WHARTON
Quinn Wharton is a photographer and filmmaker, currently based in NY. He makes moving things about moving people. Born in Seattle and raised in a yurt in Hawaii, he has danced with the San Francisco Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Past clients have included: Airbnb, Square inc, Starwood hotels and resorts, Rolex, Zeel.com, Perkins+Will, American Ballet Theater, Dance Magazine, NBC Universal, The San Francisco Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Bolshoi Ballet.
Quinn Wharton is a photographer and filmmaker, currently based in NY. He makes moving things about moving people. Born in Seattle and raised in a yurt in Hawaii, he has danced with the San Francisco Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Past clients have included: Airbnb, Square inc, Starwood hotels and resorts, Rolex, Zeel.com, Perkins+Will, American Ballet Theater, Dance Magazine, NBC Universal, The San Francisco Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Bolshoi Ballet.
AN INTERVIEW WITH QUINN
What do you love most about making dance films?
The process of turning a dance work into a film is always an interesting exploration. You have to make a number of decisions around what to show and why, and from where. You get to make very intentional decisions about what the movement means in the context of the full work and where exactly you want the audience to look. In particular, this idea of focus and guided direction really allows you to craft an experience for the viewer. This sits very differently from a live performance, where the viewer has multiple options of where to look, you are crafting larger broader experience for them. I think of a film as a distillation or a boiling down of a work to the bare essential elements. This way you can provide a very specific and heightened viewing for an audience.
What was something particularly interesting about this collaboration on DAVID CASSIDY?
There was also the added interest and complication of showing off a unique space, meaning the new LED home, in this work. The conversations around what a space means to movement, how one moves within that space, and what that space can mean to a community is all very important. How do you show it off in an aesthetic way AND in a philosophical way? Having discussions with Lauren about this is endlessly fascinating and a really nice way in which to think about crafting. The more intentional you can be, the more thoughtful you can be about a process the better the end product is. Knowing all of the emotional details of the space and what they mean to Lauren and the company allows me to really dig into showing those parts off appropriately.
What do you love about working with LED?
My favorite thing about working with LED is the unique viewpoint and style preferences. The company has an aesthetic and energy that I resonate with deeply. Being able to express that visually and through the editing with the music is incredibly satisfying. I feel that I am also able to take risks and push the edges of artistic sentiment in the work because the company is very interested in pushing those boundaries. I don’t have to play it safe or do something that is “pretty“. In this way we can make something that feels both artistic and energetic, that’s really wonderful.
AN INTERVIEW WITH QUINN
What do you love most about making dance films?
The process of turning a dance work into a film is always an interesting exploration. You have to make a number of decisions around what to show and why, and from where. You get to make very intentional decisions about what the movement means in the context of the full work and where exactly you want the audience to look. In particular, this idea of focus and guided direction really allows you to craft an experience for the viewer. This sits very differently from a live performance, where the viewer has multiple options of where to look, you are crafting larger broader experience for them. I think of a film as a distillation or a boiling down of a work to the bare essential elements. This way you can provide a very specific and heightened viewing for an audience.
What was something particularly interesting about this collaboration?
There was also the added interest and complication of showing off a unique space, meaning the new LED home in this work. The conversations around what a space means to movement, how one moves within that space, and what that space can mean to a community is all very important. How do you show it off in an aesthetic way AND in a philosophical way? Having discussions with Lauren about this is endlessly fascinating and a really nice way in which to think about crafting. The more intentional you can be, the more thoughtful you can be about a process the better the end product is. Knowing all of the emotional details of the space and what they mean to Lauren and the company allows me to really dig into showing those parts off appropriately.
What do you love about working with LED?
My favorite thing about working with LED is the unique viewpoint and style preferences. The company has an aesthetic and energy that I resonate with deeply. Being able to express that visually and through the editing with the music is incredibly satisfying. I feel that I am also able to take risks and push the edges of artistic sentiment in the work because the company is very interested in pushing those boundaries. I don’t have to play it safe or do something that is “pretty“. In this way we can make something that feels both artistic and energetic, that’s really wonderful.
