Bell 8 was originally designed to inspire the sense of expansion and bliss one can have afloat. This immersive experience now involves 4 dance films evoking water, fire, earth, or air to release your impulse for control, and embrace change. Designers Armando Menicacci, Mara Aceves and Grethe Wittrock are working with Deirdre Towers on an interactive installation that sculpts space with films, textiles and lighting to offer a sanctuary.

Participants: choreographers/dancers Elizabeth Streb, Kyle Marshall, Zaki A’Jani Marshall, Andre Alabastro,  Sonia Franco  with Raul Beatmac, Frankie Lee Peterson, Dale Andree working with Miana Jun, and TK Circus; composers Joseph Schwantner, Aaron Jay Kernis, Paul Jared Newman; cinematographers Nan Melville and the man with a movie camera.

Possible 2021 sites for the 2021 installation include a Fire Tower,  barn, and a Chashama space in NYC. Launching a fire tower tour across the United States offers the double-sided opportunity to bring attention to the fire tower preservation project, putting art into an unexpected setting,  possibly drawing more people into the parks, bring a positive spin to an “inflammatory” subject (climate change, forest fires, vigilance).

Having an installation in the calm of a rural barn affords the chance to work on the interactive potential of this project using Isadora software to make the viewer the conductor of the experience.

NWD Projects as part of National Water Dance hosted Deirdre Towers in a residency August 23-29, 2020 in South Thomaston, Maine.

Bell 8 Global Water Dance Day 2017

The original installation was presented by:

Lilac Preservation Project  7/22-9/22/2017

Waterfront Museum  in Red Hook, Brooklyn, the month of 6/2017

Long Island City Arts Open 2016 – “Landscapes From Below” at W3

Multi-media versions were produced by
Dixon Place
Hudson Valley Flamenco Festival