til death do we art
Now, more than ever before, our audiences and communities are calling out for stories that reflect the nuance and complexities in the world around us. The cannon is being re-evaluated for biases, and as we re-examine our facts, we should re-explore our fiction.
Thistle engages traditionally overlooked lenses in our storytelling. Our work elevates characters over caricatures and explores the myriad of circumstances that lead to a moment of choice. We tell stories you know, but have never heard before.
THISTLE is turning a new page and we’d love you to join us.
Our Branches
Why?
History & Bias
Whether at the hands of history’s unreliable narrators or the exclusionary culture often associated with dance as a fine art, race, body shape, gender expression, and movement quality are often judged rather than explored. It is important for us to re-examining the kinds of stories we tell and the bodies with which we tell them.
Movement as a Language
Dance has the ability not just to captivate, but to communicate in ways that words simply don’t allow. That is not to say that traditional, spoken means of storytelling are not compelling, but rather, that they can be exclusionary even with the best of intentions. Physical storytelling relies on innate body language or suggests meaning for movement in a context that still allows for interpretation.
Grace from the Grotesque
Too often, darkness, dysmorphia, and difference are equated with evil. Through our unique movement vocabulary, Thistle hopes to dispel this conflation and inspire curiosity - not judgment - about the circumstances we don't understand. Thistle explores the beauty of the ooky spooky.
How?
Process
Thistle believes that the process by which we make the art is just as important as the product itself. Our creative process actively makes space for individuality & collaboration. Company members often inform the story, and our audiences are invited to indulge their curiosities with us.
Sustainibility
We aim to make the creation of art as sustainable as possible.
For our artists, that means physical, mental, and emotional safety are the most important principles of our practice. Thistle’s sustainability also extends to our worldwide community through our responsible, environmentally friendly efforts for costume and set designs and for our company policies.
Artistry for All
Artistry dwells within all of us, and unfortunately, theatre and dance are often presented in inaccessible formats that exclude people despite their interest. Our work creates space for people to engage from their individual perspectives as opposed to alienating those that don’t, or can’t, participate in a specific way.
Thistle elevates the relationship with the audience from one of strict observance to one of recognition and connection.