I would like to be a Shaker, please 🪜

Ellen Chenoweth

— 3 min read
a beautiful shoemaker's bench made of pine, walnut, and leather, with a space for sitting and a space for tools
look at this shoemaker's bench! made in 1845 by Shaker Brother Richard B. Woodrow

Just a quick dip in your inbox to say that if you are in Philadelphia, you should hop over to the ICA Philly for a half hour or 45 minutes, any time between now and August 9, to check out A World in the Making: The Shakers, which is just astonishingly wonderful and refreshing.

Part of the initial draw for me was to see a film version of choreographer Reggie Wilson's POWER, which draws from Wilson's research into a Black Shaker community in Philadelphia led by Mother Rebecca Cox Jackson. And the film is great, a nice, big enveloping size and does justice to the performance version of the work. But the rest of the exhibit is also compelling. In addition to Wilson, there are other contemporary artists responding to Shaker ideas and values, and a whole gorgeous raft of Shaker designed and crafted tools and workspaces. I couldn't figure out which curator or institution was responsible for the wall text, but they were remarkably clear and crisp, perfectly in keeping with the objects they were accompanying. There was also a beautiful sense of calmness and lack of frenzy throughout the exhibit, no competing soundscores from multiple videos or inescapable flashing lights. Lovely! Fascinating!

an image from "Power-Every Movement Is Sacred," a film by Aitor Menilibar and Reggie Wilson

I think what moved me so deeply was the idea that Shakers were on "a quest to create 'heaven on earth,'" and at a time when there are so many hellish things happening around us every day, the rejection of mainstream life and a commitment to building a completely holistic alternative seems particularly attractive. Reading about communities devoted to communal care, with that care enacted in concrete, daily actions felt restorative. As one text put it, "through their publications, brooms, benches, and stoves, the Shakers created a world in which social equality, pacifism, and communal living were not only practiced but built, lived, and continually renewed." To visit that world for a piece of an afternoon helped remind me that other ways of living are possible, and that we are capable of collectively shaping alternatives.

a beautiful wooden rocking chair has been transformed into a wheelchair for mobility purposes
Rocking chair modified into a wheelchair by Shakers in the 1830s

Heckle/quote of the week

Kudos to playwright Jeremy O. Harris for confronting Sam Altman of OpenAI for his collusion with Trump's "Department of War" at an Oscars after-party, allegedly calling him the Goebbels of the Trump administration.

playwright Jeremy O. Harris looking dapper in a black tux and peace signs on both hands
Jeremy O. Harris flashing peace signs before his chat with Altman

Harris later clarified to Page Six: “It was late, and I had a few too many martinis, so I misspoke when I said, Goebbels… I should’ve said, Friedrich Flick.” (German industrialist, war criminal, Nazi profiteer)

As Lauren Halvorsen of Nothing for the Group puts it: "I do love an unapologetic doubling-down—and I also think we should be constantly shaming AI slop-peddling tech fascists. These amoral losers deserve no peace: you can’t cozy up to authoritarian power, build your platform on stolen creative work, and then seek cultural clout through proximity to artists." Absolutely co-sign.

Akron - Philadelphia exchange

I wrote a short profile of choreographer Dominic Moore-Dunson for the Broad Street Review to go with the opening of The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington at the Wilma Theater, directed by Brett Ashley Robinson and written by James Ijames. Dominic is based in Akron, Ohio, but visiting Philly many times this year to work with the Wilma thanks to a national fellowship awarded each year to only one choreographer or director. It was great to hear his thoughts about the differences between working in the dance world and the regional theater world, his hot take on Philly, and some upcoming projects.

Sisterly Affection (a bit of Philadelphia appreciation)

Just a classic South Philly window cat for you today. I am crossing all my fingers that spring / Window Cat Season is actually coming soon.

a slightly shy-looking spotted cat looks out from his window perch

If you are new here, welcome! You can find a bit more context on the 'about' page and feel free to forward along to anyone who might be interested. There is usually a loose focus on Philadelphia and dance/performance-related news bits. Each email ends with a moment of Sisterly Affection, as seen and appreciated while out and about in Philly.

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