Hope Stone Dance presents coolest news on planet earth, chapter 2, conceived and choreographed by HSD's Artistic Director Jane Weiner. The work is inspired in part by the Moody’s newest site-specific installation Crêpe Paper Carpet, a standing installation of 65,000 folded sheets of crêpe paper created on site over a three-week period by the Dutch collective We Make Carpets, comprised of artists Marcia Nolte, Stijn Van der Vleuten, and Bob Waardenburg.

This summer’s second chapter is a continuation of HSD’s presentation of chapter 1 of coolest news on planet earth that was performed last fall at the Moody. The first iteration immersed dancers in Mickalene Thomas’ Waiting on a Prime-Time Star exhibition. Chapter two emphasizes the same thoughtful relationship between art and dance that is a feature of the Moody’s Central Gallery given its dual role as both a visual arts gallery and a dance venue with its wooden sprung floor. Weiner has been moved to explore how the mind and body respond to We Make Carpets’ vibrant carpet wall of color. Its placement, dividing the gallery but open on all sides, gives unrestricted space for the dancers to fully inhabit the area while simultaneously creating a barrier.

Weiner will rehearse for two weeks prior to the performances directly in the space, giving her and the dancers further freedom to kinesthetically relate to the artwork: Is it an obstruction? Is it piñata-inspired joy? Or is it the coolest news on planet earth that cultures are bonded through art?

Through six, hourlong evening performances running Thursdays through Saturdays, August 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 at 7:00pm, an intimate audience will have the chance to contemplate those questions and more.

Hope Stone Dance company artists are Jacquelyne Boe, Joshua DeAlba, LaRodney Freeman, Kelsey Gibbs, Rachael Hutto, Travis Prokop, Donald Sayre, Candace Tompkins, and Brit Wallis, with sound design by Firat Ozsoy and lighting design by Mother Nature.

About Hope Stone, Inc.
Hope Stone, Inc. is a non-profit arts organization consisting of the choreographic endeavors of Artistic Director Jane Weiner through Hope Stone Dance, a professional modern dance company, and The Hope Project, an arts education outreach program that reaches underserved populations in Houston.  Founded in 1997, Hope Stone strives to unlock the innate creativity of children and adults through the performing arts. hopestoneinc.org