Sapphire
Camellia Hartman & Mykel Nairne
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
7:00pm
signs and symbols presents Sapphire, a collaborative composition featuring original movement and melodic interpretation by Camellia Hartman and Mykel Nairne as part of artists & allies II.
Sapphire is a synesthetic exploration of color, comfort and camaraderie. Long-time friends and collaborators Mykel Nairne (dance artist) and Camellia Hartman (violinist) will present this work-in-progress as a fusion of meditative composition and choreography with elements of live improvisation, working together to create a unique immersive experience.
camellia hartman is a Brooklyn-based violinist, singer and songwriter. Raised by two eclectic filmmakers on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Camellia was immersed in the rich cultural landscape of New York City at an early age, which has inspired an adventurous and open-minded approach to current musical pursuits. Camellia’s formal music training began at age five via the Suzuki Method at Third Street Music School. It was there that she developed a deep love of ensemble playing, from Baroque string quartets to new classical compositions commissioned for the Philharmonia youth orchestra. Her education continued at McGill’s Schulich School of Music, where she studied classical violin performance for one year before transferring to NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study to round out her academic interests in cinema studies and music journalism. As a musician in New York, this diverse background of interests has opened up opportunities to play and sing in bands of all genres, perform with several orchestras, theatre and opera companies, record in studios for film soundtracks and artists signed to major labels, release singles under her own name via Dala Records, appear on late night TV and even contribute to several conceptual performance art pieces. Camellia lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and is always eager to collaborate with other passionate creators across any and all mediums.
mykel nairne, born and raised in New York City, is a Brooklyn-based dance artist and performer. She received most of her formal dance training at The Ailey School, where she was a fellowship student. Mykel earned her B.A. from Dartmouth College in June 2016. During her time at Dartmouth, and in the absence of a formal dance curriculum, Mykel delved into other passions, among them film, comparative literature and sociology. As a member of the college’s dance ensemble, Mykel performed solo and ensemble works by choreographers John Heginbotham, Rebecca Stenn and Mina Lawton. Ultimately, Mykel pursued a Film and Media Studies major with a concentration in documentary video production. Her undergraduate career culminated in a 20-minute honors thesis film which explored the persistent racial inequalities in the film and television industries. Mykel reignited her movement study upon graduating from Dartmouth through intensives with Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, American Dance Festival and Movement Invention Project under the direction of Francesca Harper. She has had the privilege of performing works by Bill T. Jones, Merce Cunningham, Robert Battle, John Heginbotham, Earl Mosley and Pedro Ruiz, among others. Mykel currently dances with Dance Heginbotham and MeenMoves. In the fall of 2018, Mykel made her Off-Broadway debut in the critically-acclaimed production of OKLAHOMA! at St. Ann’s Warehouse, directed by Daniel Fish. She performed in the show’s sold-out run as a chorus dancer in the dream ballet.
