33 Fainting Spells was co-founded by choreographers Dayna Hanson and Gaelen Hanson (who are not related) in 1994. Based in Seattle, the duo created six evening-length dance theater works and two short dance films between 1994 and 2006. Named for a 1935 play by Meyerhold—which in turn was an adaptation of short Chekhov pieces—33 Fainting Spells was known for combining polystylistic movement with source material drawn from literature, cinema, and culture. Inspiration for the work seen here was drawn from Chekhov’s play Ivanov as well as from words spoken by astronauts in space. The intention was to juxtapose the interior struggle of Chekhov’s protagonist against the vastness of the universe.
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