In 2006, a Boston producer brought together Lisa Bufano and New York choreographer Heidi Latsky. The resulting work, Five Open Mouths, is the product of an extensive and life-changing artistic relationship between these two creative spirits. The title refers to Lisa’s experience of unwrapping her bandages and seeing her hands after surgery — a dif∫cult, yet cathartic experience. In their first week working together, Latsky asked Bufano to write a personal story and to embody movement to tell that story. From this exercise, Bufano created an ‘unraveling’ gesture by varying the momentum of small circling with her hand at the wrist while creating a
larger revolution around the axis of her elbow. Latsky refined and incorporated this gesture into the final section of the piece.
Themes of unraveling and revealing and sleep and sleeplessness resonate throughout Bufano’s performance. Set in five tableaux, Five Open Mouths is defined by Bufano’s physical transformations through the character of her movement, the use or lack of leg prosthetics, and silence juxtaposed with music. The opening section of Five Open Mouths, in which Lisa uses carbon Fiber running legs, will not be performed at this performance.
choreographed by: Heidi Latsky
performed by: Lisa Bufano
music arranged by: Frank Ponzio
production: Alliger Arts
Created in part with support from Next Step Orthotics & Prosthetics, Harkness Foundation for Dance, Franklin Furnace Fund for Performance Art, supported by the Jerome Foundation, a Baryshnikov Arts Center Residency, and sponsorship from the Bikram Yoga Studios NYC.
special thanks to: Peter Couture (Next Step Orthotics and Prosthetics)
Lisa Bufano (US)
Lisa Bufano is an interdisciplinary artist from Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Her initiation into performance led to an international collaboration and support with the University of Linz in
2005. In September 2006, she was awarded the Franklin Furnace Fund for Performance Art for
her work wearing table-leg stilts. When Boston presenter Jeremy Alliger introduced her to NY choreographer Heidi Latsky, she began a new phase as a contemporary dancer. In 2006-2007, Lisa performed at The Kennedy Theater in Washington D.C., The Baryshnikov Arts Center,
Judson Memorial Church and Long Island University in New York, The Balancing Acts Disability Arts Festival in Calgary, and for audiences in Boston and Vienna, Austria. In May 2007, Lisa
began to work with AXIS Dance Co.
Lisa was a competitive gymnast as a kid. After a bacteria infection led to the amputation of both her feet and fingers when she was 21, Lisa pursued animation and sculpture at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. After a 15-year career as primarily a visual artist, Lisa is finding dancing to be challenging and engaging work. Lisa would like to thank Peter Couture, prosthetist at Next Step O & P, for 13 years of encouragement and friendship. Next Step fits Lisa’s prosthetics and cheetah (running) legs.
Heidi Latsky (US)
Heidi Latsky is an acclaimed choreographer, performer and educator. As the Founder/Artistic
Director of the New York-based modern dance company, Heidi Latsky Dance, Latsky is dedicated
to creating provocative, highly technical and physically adventurous dance. Latsky initially received recognition as a celebrated principal dancer for Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance (1987-1993). Latsky’s distinct philosophy, educational approach and personal experience working with people
with an illness or a disability has resulted in innovative movement productions. Latsky and Bufano’s collaboration was featured on NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
