Picturestill from video by Erica Lessner

Catherine Gallant/DANCE
Escape from the House of Mercy
Choreography developed by Catherine Gallant 
in collaboration with the performers.
Kelli Chapman, Abra Cohen, Halley Gerstel
Charlotte Hendrickson, Jessie King
Erica Lessner, Megan Minturn, Cecly Placenti
Costumes: Ivana Drazic                            
​Video design: Erica Lessner
​                                                                                                                 
Escape from the House of Mercy full length runs approx. 50 minutes and is performed without an intermission.    

www.catherinegallantdance.com 

Music, audio and text referenced for the full production:
Trio: II. March (John Cage), Synopsis #5 He Figures Out What Clouds Mean (Lisa Bielawa), Cape Clear-Irish Airs for solo cello (Ilse de Ziah), Bodhran Solo (Rolf Wagels), Reis Glorios-Erutan-The Court of Leaves, Just a Closer Walk with Thee (Treme Brass Band), Concerto Fantasy for 2 Timpanists and Orchestra-excerpt (Philip Glass),  Footprints-African Welcome Piece (excerpt)- Frank Epstein, The Proust Screenplay-Harold Pinter (excerpts), Ash (from Wade in the Water, Graywolf Press) by Tracy K. Smith, Untitled for voice and electronics, did u tell, and Interview (Alina Jacobs) MiLaLu -traditional Turkish, Siuil a Run-traditional Irish, audio excerpts from the Magdalene Laundry survivor testimonies as part of the Justice for Magdalene's Research.

Background resources included:  Lost Inwood by Cole Thompson, Damnation Island by Stacy Horn, Ten days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly, Justice for Magdalenes Oral History Project, Ireland and the Magdalene Laundries A Campaign for Justice by McGettrick, O’Donnell, O’Rourke, Smith and Steed. Alison Lowry: (A)Dressing Our Hidden Truths-Exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin, 2019

Supporters 
The Harkness Foundation for Dance, Jody and John Arnhold, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, and Partnerships for Parks/City Parks Foundation. Catherine Gallant/DANCE is supported in part with funds from LMCC Creative Engagement, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. 

Dances by Isadora is a 501c3 non-profit company and serves as the fiscal sponsor for Catherine Gallant/DANCE.  Tax-deductible donations are the life-blood of our organization and are greatly appreciated. Visit for full information. www.dancesbyisadora.com               photo: Melanie Futorian
Catherine Gallant, (performer/choreographer/educator) has been creating work in NYC over the past 40 years. Catherine Gallant/DANCE brings dance to new audiences through direct interaction with the public. Ms. Gallant's work has been performed in Times Square, a pedestrian block of E. 91st Street in Manhattan, Green-Wood Cemetery, and Inwood Hill Park. She has also presented work at the 92Y Harkness Dance Center, City Center Studios, WestFest, Danspace St. Mark’s (Dance Access), American Dance Guild and Jacob's Pillow's Inside/Out Series. Ms. Gallant’s work has been supported by Jody and John Arnhold, LMCC, Chashama, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, Foundation for Contemporary Arts and Partnerships for Parks/City Parks Foundation. Catherine is also the director of Dances by Isadora which, since 1989, performs, teaches and collaborates with dancers throughout the world.  Catherine is the US performer of Jerome Bel’s recent work, Isadora Duncan. She began her study of the technique of Isadora Duncan in 1982 with Julia Levien and is a founding member of  the Duncan Archive  duncanarchive.org. Catherine was the full-time NYCDOE dance educator at PS 89 in Manhattan from 1998-2023. She and her students were featured in the Emmy-nominated PBS documentary, PS DANCE! Catherine is on the faculty of the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL).and Hunter College. Ms. Gallant is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory and holds an MFA in Dance from Temple University. www.dancesbyisadora.com    www.catherinegallantdance.com 

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