Amanda Morgan on AfterTime

PNB Company dancers Christopher D’Ariano and Amanda Morgan recently premiered their new work, AfterTime, as part of PNB’s IN THE UPPER ROOM program. In this exclusive interview for PNB subscribers, Amanda shares insights into the creative process for this exciting work. Keep reading to learn more!

What themes and concepts are driving your new work for PNB?

Amanda: The story of AfterTime is about choice. What consequences result from the choices that we make? This question is analyzed in our two protagonists. Through decision-making, or indecision, they have found their way into AfterTime, an old electronic system that immortalizes humans into robots. This work incorporates electronic music with acoustic and orchestral music, live performance, film projection, and even contemporary movement in bare feet with balletic movement in pointe shoes. Themes of evolution, sci-fi, and human connection were major starting points for us.

Why is collaboration important to you and this work?

Amanda: This work wouldn’t be what it is without collaboration. This is PNB’s first work ever created by two choreographers who are currently dancing in the company. I met Christopher when he was fifteen at the Boston Ballet Summer Course. We met creating steps for one of our mutual friends. Sixteen at the time, I had no idea that what we were doing was choreographing. It feels full circle to make work on our peers, in my home, all these years later.

Collaboration is present in every aspect of this piece, and every member of the creative team is a long-term artistic partner. Christopher has worked with our composers, Fiona Stock-Lyon and Thomas Nickell, for years. I collaborated with Janelle Abbott, our costume designer, for The Seattle Project’s show Chapters at Northwest Film Forum and Arrivals at King St. Station. I started The Seattle Project with film and projection designer Henry Wurtz when I was just 22. Reed Nakayama, our lighting designer, worked with both Christopher and me at the very beginning of our choreographic journeys through PNB’s Next Step Program.

Collaboration is the opportunity to build relationships, whether personal or artistic. These relationships establish trust, respect, and understanding of each other’s strengths to accomplish an artistic vision. Chris and I have established these working relationships with our collaborators. These relationships have blossomed into amazing ideas interwoven in AfterTime.

What should people know about AfterTime before they see it onstage?

AfterTime is unlike any ballet PNB has ever done. The diverse artists and choreographic voices contribute to this uniqueness. As a choreographer, I am interested in bringing ballet as an art form forward and envisioning relatable, relevant storytelling. Sometimes, like in AfterTime, this manifests as taking a simple theme or story about choice and putting a whimsical, sci-fi spin on it. Still, at its core, I hope audiences can identify with our protagonists’ journeys.

What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?

Prior to making this work, I was reading the Dune books by Frank Herbert (Tacoma Native!), Parable of the Sower/ Talents by Octavia Butler (one of my top three books!), and watching a show called Pantheon on Netflix. Usually, I am more of a period piece/ history lover, so the sci-fi route is a new love I’m finding out about myself. You’ll definitely be able to see some inspiration from these within AfterTime.