kirakiraidolincarnate
Choreographer: Sean Thomas Boyt
Costume and Lighting Designer: Sean Thomas Boyt
Dancer: Sean Thomas Boyt
As snapshot of my practice, this video provides documentation of aspects of my process for my qualifying project this semester. In kirakiraidolincarnate, I attempt to transpose Japanese pop idol choreographies onto and into my queer white body. This dance score continues my studies in two major areas of my research: (1) the dances of music stars, and (2) working with durational improvisation as a structuring mechanism. Both of these forms utilize narrative-conjuring attributes such as effort, endurance, and stamina in their practice. In my self-directed study, I worked to expand upon these principles with the added layers of grace, grit, and adorability. This video dance illustrates the exercises of my research with the added production element of holiday lights for your viewing pleasure.
Sean Laughead (Sean Thomas Boyt) is a dancemaker, dancer, and dance advocate based out of Iowa City, Iowa. Currently, they are working toward a Master of Fine Arts in Dance with an emphasis on choreography at the University of Iowa. Having recently lived in Philadelphia, they danced for The Naked Stark, Nora Gibson Contemporary Ballet, Vervet Dance, and Anne-Marie Mulgrew & Dancers Company; collaborated with percussionist Dr. Andy Thierauf as stb x at (awarded artist in residence at Soundspace 1525); and worked on projects with Dana Powers-Klooster, Lauren Linder, Lyons and Tigers, Esther Baker-Tarpaga, Ballet 180, Antonia & Artists, SKI BALL, Meredith Stapleton, and Kat J. Sullivan.
Sean's work has been presented by Omaha Under the Radar Festival, Triskelion Arts CollabFest, Comedy in Dance Festival, Summer Shake-Up (NYC), Philadelphia Fringe Festival, The Barnes Foundation, Spoke The Hub's Solo Fancy and Winter Follies (NYC), Orchestra 2001, Links Hall's THAW (CHI), Dixon Place (NYC), Sh*t Gold (SEA), Petworth First Friday (DC), Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Get Pegged Cabaret (PHL), Third Life Series (BOS), Collage Festival, LOUi (IA), Ten Tiny Performances, 60x60 Dance (NYC), dadamobile (BOS), SCI New Music Symposium, WAXWorks (NYC), The Wilma Theater, The Brick (NYC), The Creators Collective (NYC), Dissolving Doors Festival, Ready or Not (NYC), Old City Fest (PHL), Cross Rhythms (PHL), SoLow Fest (PHL), Future Interstates (MN), Leah Stein Studio Works (PHL), IC Open City, The Ethical Society, Koresh Artist Showcase (PHL), thINKingDANCE, 24+24 (IA), NACHMO, Dance Exchange (DC), H-O-T Series, new music|OLD CITY, Philadelphia Free Form Festival, the Icebox Project Space (PHL), Four Tuesdays, Movement Research (NYC), iHearIC, Jennifer Muller's Hatch Presenting Series, IUCC Experimental Microcinema (IC), Artblog, ETC. Series (PHL), Border Conjure Dazzle at Vox Populi, A Series of Informal Events, IDA Black Box Showcase, Green Space's Fertile Ground (NYC), InHale Performance Series (PHL), FringeArts Scratch Night (PHL), Social Distancing Festival, Base Art Space (SEA), The Painted Bride Arts Center, You Can't Fail, August Dance Festival (DSM), and OCGOPF, as well as at various colleges and universities in concerts and tours.
Their work consists of a shifting combination of classical composition structures, nontraditional material generation, and theatrically-inclined performances. Sean enjoys collaboration with other artists and working with video, improvisation, and text. By using performance as a vehicle for art-making, Sean is interested in finding new ways to ask questions and upcycling old methods to create different perspectives within dance as a medium. As a choreographer, they operate under the phrase, "Dance like no one likes you." See more moves on STBDancing.com.