The View From Here is a live performance event that draws the audience into the world of Marc Chagall’s work, focusing on specific paintings for their exploration of themes of circus, love, life in the shtetl, revolution, color, and multidimensionality. In keeping with her interest in Chagall’s intersecting frames of reference, Choreographer and Director Joanna Haigood uses layered imagery and aerial dance to evoke dreamlike effects compatible with both Chagall’s technique and sense of fantasy. Performance elements ranged from fractured images reminiscent of Cubism, to particular characters that recur in the paintings, to the altered state that Chagall’s images can convey, a state outside time and space.

First presented in 2002, The View From Here’s remounting in 2017 was developed with several key collaborators: Associate Director Jeff Raz, a renowned Circus Clown and Director, brings his expertise for the use of circus arts in the piece; set designer Wayne Campbell has created the stunning scenic design allowing dancers to work in three dimensions; Allen Willner has created the colorful and evocative lighting design; and Callie Floor has designed the costumes that help bring Chagall’s characters to life.

Marc Chagall, a Russian-born painter and designer, created a genre virtually his own in the early and mid-Twentieth Century. His lively, highly imaginative renderings of life experiences display a rich, poetic dreamlike sense of fantasy and color. He approaches his subjects with a warm and generous sense of humor, while expressing a profound connection to the spiritual.

Collaborators
Choreography and Direction: Joanna Haigood
Scenic and Rigging Design: Wayne Campbell
Associate Direction: Jeff Raz
Lighting: Alexander Nichols and Allen Willner
Music: Zachary Carrettin
Costumes: Callie Floor (2017)

Performing Artists in 2002
Featuring Ramon Ramos Alayo, Paul Benney, Ann Berman, Suzanne Gallo, Jo Kreiter, Sheila Lopez, José Navarrete, Wendy Parkman, and Shakiri; with Nicholas Collins, Sophia Marzocchi, Trishna Horvath, Miles Toth, Ryan Buschell, Shannon Hovis, Liza Sternik, Miles Tune, Julie Larose, Chanti Shonherz, José Maria Francos, Carmen Rosestraten

Performing Artists in 2017
Featuring Alex Allan, Tristan Cunningham, Calvin Kai Ku, Adonis Martin, Danielle Sandia Sexton, Sonya Smith, and Helen Wicks; with Michaela Pynor-Haas, Ellie Rossi, Lillian Ferreira, Eli van der Rijn, Caroline Clendenin, Jessica Wright, Julie Rogers, Azraa Muhammad, Aryssa Muhammad, Pablo Lopez, Linda Muhammad, Kyziah Shavers, Malia Hillyard-Chow, Simone Edwards

Funders / Commissioners
In 2002 The View From Here was made possible with generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts, San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, California Arts Council, Anncox Foundation, The Opportunity Foundation, Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation

In 2017 The View From Here was made possible with generous support from San Francisco Grants for the Arts, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Doris Duke Foundation, and Zellerbach Family Foundation

Premiere Date
2002

Premiere Location
Theater Artaud (currently Z Space), San Francisco, CA

Subsequent Tour Dates & Locations
2017: Zaccho Studio, San Francisco, CA

Photo / Video Credits
Photography, postcard and program 2017: Charlie Formenty

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Please contact Zaccho Dance Theatre at office@zaccho.org for permission to use and/or access additional materials not currently made available on this website.