The Way of Water
by Forklift Dance Works

Oct. 18 - Nov. 08

The Way of Water—Colorado River: Oct 18 – Nov 8, Austin, TX

A three-part, site-specific performance series celebrating the river, its stewards, and the communities it sustains.

Part I: Source | Oct 18 from 11 am - 3 pm | Laguna Gloria 3809 W 35th St, Austin, TX 78703

Part ceremony, part meditation, part celebration – this kickoff event begins where the river enters Austin, immersing audiences in sound design by dadaLab and stories and movement from Austin Water utility personnel, river scientists, Butoh Artist Rosemary Candelario, and birders from the Travis Audubon Society. Free reservations via bit.ly/lagunagloria

 

Part II: Currents | Oct 18 through Nov 8 | A river-wide scavenger hunt

The river is more than water — it is a living ecosystem. This river-wide scavenger hunt, by designer Kate Murray, invites audiences to explore the Colorado River at their own pace, connect with fellow river stewards, and learn more about the communities that depend on it. Prizes await those who wish to dive deep into the experience! The hunt launches on October 18th at Laguna Gloria and online at unfine-arts.com/wow.

 

Part III: Confluence | Nov 6, 7 & 8 at 7 pm | Austin Water Center for Environmental Research at Hornsby Bend, 2210 South FM 973, Austin, TX 78725

The series culminates in a large-scale river-inspired performance, featuring stories and movement from Austin Water employees, scientists, youth river stewards, fly-fishing enthusiasts, birders, and activists. Directed by Allison Orr with live music by Graham Reynolds and immersive media design by dadaLab. Free reservations released the week of October 14th via forkliftdanceworks.org. The Friday, November 7th performance will be audio-described.

 

About The Way of Water — Colorado River

Forklift Danceworks is known for its signature approach of using a collaborative, ethnographic process that transforms the daily movement of communities into large-scale performances. With The Way of Water— Colorado River, Artistic Director Allison Orr and her team collaborate with local river experts and Austin community members who interact with the Colorado to create a dynamic performance series. These site-specific events invite audiences to engage with the river in creative ways and deepen their connection to both the water and its stewards.

 

“The river reminds us of our past, sustains us in the present, and offers us hope for the future if we conserve its most essential gift to us – water,” says science advisor Kevin Anderson of Austin Water Center for Environmental Research. “The Way of Water — Colorado River is an opportunity to reflect on how we depend upon the Colorado River for our water supply and how climate change means a new age of water scarcity for Austin.”

 

“Working with Forklift is an opportunity to raise awareness and appreciation of urban nature,” shares Dr. Stuart Reichler, a project advisor and collaborator from the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Natural Sciences. “In Austin, the Colorado River is the center point of the water we all need. Through this collaboration, I hope audiences learn to value the organisms that share our city with us, both as inherently worthy and as co-producers of our urban spaces.”

 

The artistic team includes Director Allison Orr, Choreographer Rachel Nayer, Composer Graham Reynolds, Butoh dance artists Rosemary Candelario, Theater Artist Zell Miller III, scavenger hunt designer Kate Murray, and Media and Production Design by dadaLab. Orr and her artistic collaborators are bringing together a diverse group of project partners and advisors, including Austin Water, Austin Youth River Watch, All Water Fishing Guides, Colorado River Alliance, The Travis Audubon Society, The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, and The Contemporary Austin.

 

Free ticket reservations are required to guarantee entry for Parts I and III of The Way of Water, Colorado River. Part II: Currents, the interactive scavenger hunt, follows an online guide. Visit www.forkliftdanceworks.org to learn more.

 

The Way of Water — Colorado River is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation, Lebermann Foundation in honor of Cindy Keever, City of Austin Economic Development Department, Planet Texas 2050, IBC Bank, The Honor Roll, Texas Commission on the Arts, Austin Parks Foundation, and the City of Austin’s Urban Forest Grant & Food and Climate Equity (FACE) Grant program.

 

More about Forklift Danceworks

Since 2001, Forklift has engaged thousands of participants—electric utility workers, sanitation employees, firefighters, urban foresters, and more—in performances that unfold in neighborhoods, city parks, public pools, and neighborhoods. By making art with and about the people whose work sustains our cities, Forklift builds connection, fosters civic dialogue, and sparks community-driven change. Forklift’s performances have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Dance Magazine, BBC Radio, PBS, and NPR, and the organization is recognized internationally for its groundbreaking model of community-based artmaking. With programs that span performance, education, and civic practice, Forklift is redefining who dances, where dance happens, and why it matters. https://www.forkliftdanceworks.org

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The Way of Water
by Forklift Danceworks
Forklift Dance Works

See above for descriptions and venues