The Legible Bod(ies) is a collective of artists making dance for stage, film, screen, or anywhere people will sit still long enough to watch them.
Dancer/Choreographer Noel St. Jean-Chevalier, and Photographer/Videographer Jeffrey Byrnes collaborate to create multimedia performances exploring relatable, human themes and pushing the boundaries of theater, dance, photography and film. Harnessing the unique styles of the ensemble, they produce a narrative performance rich in emotion and raw movement. The dancers’ backgrounds in ballet, modern dance, and physical theater allow for myriad combinations of style and technique, creating complexity and artistry.
The Legible Bod(ies) aim to challenge their audiences both visually and referentially.
Residencies:
Art Walk East Hampton (2016), 3-month performance engagement
Mill Arts Project (2016), gallery exhibition, performances, workshops
Mill Arts Project (2020), gallery exhibition, performances, workshops
Productions:
un/drowning (2016)- a collection of works featuring contemporary dance, physical comedy, short films and 16 gallons of water
The Balled of Philip Andre (2018)- dance, film, and narrative telling the abstract story of the life of boxer/actor Mickey Rourke. This collection features special effect makeup and fistfights in a condemned theater.
3MOTIFS (2019, 2020)- dance and poetry exploring 3 distinct themes. An audience-generated electronic word cloud displays impressions of the motifs and a photographic exhibit reveals the concepts directly.
Graceland (2023)- a dance and video re-imagination of Paul Simon’s iconic album. Contemporary, tap, and jazz dance are set in front of a backdrop of brick walls, family photos, and the fields of Sierra Leone.
Additional Performances:
Southern Vermont Dance Festival(2014-2017), Boston Contemporary Dance Festival(2014, 2017, 2018), Elms College(2015-2019), HATCH Presenting Series(2016-2019), Moxie Dance Center(2016, 2019), Stonehill College(2017), Eastworks (2017), Gateway City Arts (2017), The Shea Theater (2017), 5×5 Dance Festival (2017-2018), Glendale Ridge Winery (2018), Dance for World Community (2018-2019), The Dance Complex (2019), First Night Northampton (2019, 2020, 2022, 2023), Mosesian Arts Center (2019), Smith College (2019), Arts in the Armory-Somerville (2020), Easthampton’s Cultural Chaos (2022)