Where fierce femininity and intergenerational dance meet: ‘O my soul’ at Arts on Site, NYC

O My Soul is a vigorous dance project weaving together an intergenerational cast of feminine bodies with a lifetime of raw and real sensations, grounded in the company’s signature aesthetic of strong and fiercely feminine dance. The 1-hour dance work interconnects compelling solos, duets, and dynamic group performances with intriguing interactive props and memorable sound scores. Step into a captivating journey through life's real and profound emotions with O my soul, a one-of-a-kind dance project featuring a diverse cast of women aged 16-70’s.

The title of the project, O my soul, echoes a biblical phrase often sought in times of trial. Featuring a dance film by Artistic Director Erin Carlisle Norton, screened internationally including at Dance for Camera at Lincoln Center, the performance unfolds through bold and intimate dancing, live music, and interactive props to elevate sensation. “Fight/Flight” is emphasized with use of an elastic bungee cord, and “Exhaustion” is felt through the interactions with needle-felted multi-colored “quilts” by collaborator and visual artist gwen charles. The soul manifests itself through the live violin soundscapes, accompanied by collaborator Grace Liu Anderson, and synchronizes with pulsating digital electronic rhythms. Through the skillful manipulation of tension and release, the juxtaposition of speed and stillness, and the intergenerational dancers' compelling interactions of being alone and together, O my soul is a visually captivating and emotionally cathartic journey for viewers. 

O my soul continues Norton’s vigilance in exploring and promoting the female voice and form, and as a female-centric dance company known for creating collaborative, highly visual, architectural, physically dynamic, and innovative dance works with a “fresh and daring aesthetic” (Kathryn Boland, Dance Informa). TMA has toured across the USA, throughout Central Asia with the US Department of State, and across Morocco and Guatemala. Throughout the last year TMA has had projects in NJ, NYC, KY, NC, MN, PA, and WA that includes touring with the multi-year collaborative transdisciplinary project “Shapes of Movement”. Norton has received choreographic accolades and awards including 2 Choreographic Fellowships from NJ State Council on the Arts and Mid Atlantic Arts. 

After two years of artistic culmination, O my soul premiered in December 2023 in Montclair, NJ made possible by funds from the Essex County Division of Cultural Affairs, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Performances presented by Arts On Site in May 2024 mark the project’s NYC premiere.

O my soul artists
Artistic Director: Erin Carlisle Norton
Visual Artist: gwen charles 
Violinist: Grace Liu Anderson
Company Dancers: Mariah Anton-Arters, Emily Cicio, Kelly Guerrero 
Guest Dancers: Hannah Liu Anderson, Barbara Whitehill
Dance Film: Created/Edited/Performed: Erin Carlisle Norton