George Stamos, whose show Sister Nightlight premieres at The Citadel on March 6, 2025, speaks of his vulnerability behind the work, as well as his plans for the future.
Vulnerability and personal connection often go hand-in-hand in dance. What aspects of these themes resonate most deeply with you as the choreographer, and how did you convey them through movement?
For me, vulnerability in dance is about remaining present and available in the body/mind and showing up for the audience despite what’s happening in my body/mind; in transcending my discomforts, trusting the work and staying focused on letting the moments come and go as they unfold.
In referencing my experience, it’s been important to also not make it too personal, to leave space for the viewer’s imagination and reality and not get into my own interests too much, to remain tuned into the viewer and continually offer the audience the areas that stimulate them.
Maintaining the intended body states, tones of voice, depth of breath, and body tonus is essential in this work. The choreography also utilizes the senses of touch, sight, and listening to remain present and on track. This requires me to let people into my inner experience, to make my experience of the world visible, and to be vulnerable.
How does Sister Nightlight reflect or respond to the current cultural moment? Are there societal or personal shifts you feel are embedded within the performance?
This piece is very much a reflection of current personal and collective experiences. I see an increasing need for spaces where we can cultivate joy and a sense of awe. There is so much suffering, polarization, overstimulation, desensitization and adversity in the world right now.
The themes of Sister Nightlight—finding light in the dark, connecting with others, feeling part of the universe in a positive way- resonate at this time when so many of us are questioning how to reconnect with ourselves and others and how to keep on keeping on. The piece speaks to the need for introspection, rest and celebration of the idea that we are all connected.
How does Sister Nightlight compare to your previous works in terms of theme or movement style? What new directions or challenges does this piece represent for you?
I’ve made a lot of shorter solos that stand on their own or exist in the context of group work, but this is the first more extended solo I’ve made for quite some time. There is also more speaking to the audience than I’ve ever had in a show.
This process has come with the challenge of maintaining my perspective on the material in my job as the director/choreographer while staying deeply tuned into the experience of delivering the piece as a performer. There is the challenge of the choreographer and performer sides of me each getting what they need to make the work shine.
Otherwise, this piece aligns with the threads through my body of work of resilience, resistance, play, and transformation. I remain interested in those areas as an artist, and I don’t see that changing.
Looking forward, do you see Sister Nightlight influencing future works? How might it inform your artistic journey or exploration of intimacy and personal narrative in dance?
Looking forward at 55 means looking from where I now have 32 years of professional experience and in the context of what seems to be a collapsing industry in many ways in a world full of seemingly collapsing systems and cuts to arts funding.
And yet, YES, we keep dancing, because it is needed! So, in the future, there must be and will be more dancing, somehow for me too. How that will happen is a bit mysterious, though.
In the future, I also see the potential of setting this solo on another dancer and how that could be very practical, fun and a way of passing the torch to a younger artist.
Additionally, Sister Nightlight has opened up new ways for me to work with the intersection of text, image and movement. I’m excited by this evolution of my work. It’s a step toward hybrid forms of storytelling—where dance, film, and spoken word intersect. This transdisciplinary approach is something I will continue to practice, most likely in expanded film projects.
Sister Nightlight
Choreographed and Performed by George Stamos
With film screenings of:
Syzygy – Featuring performers Louise Lecavalier, Rémy Saminadin, George Stamos
One Kind Favor – Featuring performers Karla Etienne, George Stamos
Potrero Hill (Walking with Sara) – Featuring performers Sara Shelton Mann, George Stamos
March 6 – 8, 2025
8PM @ The Citadel