Deborah Jinza Thayer

Deborah Jinza Thayer is an American award-winning choreographer, dancer, and artistic director of Movement Architecture, located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States.

Thayer has created more than fifty original works.^[1][2] Her conceptual pieces take over entire spaces,^[3] transforming her performances into vividly illustrated “other worlds” to create dance theater that is both smart and architecturally sound.^[4][5][6]

In recognition of her dance creativity and outstanding design, Thayer received a 2010 Sage Award.^[7]

Early life

Deborah Jinza Thayer spent her first six years in Japan, relocated to New York City, and was raised in Brooklyn, New York.^[8] She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University (1984),^[1][8][9] trained in dance in New York City,^[9] and received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from George Mason University (1997).^[4][8] After receiving her master's degree, Thayer relocated to Minneapolis, where she manages a one on one movement training practice that incorporates the Global Somatics and Gyrotonic Expansion System.^[2][8]

Honors

Thayer has received numerous awards and honors, including a Sage Award for Outstanding Design, “Ode to Dolly” (2010),^[7][10] a Minnesota State Arts Board, Artist Initiative Grant “to create a full-length work in a modular format that can be presented in its entirety or in parts to initiate a national touring experience (2009),^[11] a Music in Motion Award (2006),^[2] and a McKnight Artist Fellowship for Choreographers (2004).^[12] She has twice been a semi-finalist for France's Recontres Choregraphiques Internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis (Bagnolet),^[4][9] and was an invited Guest Choreographer for the 15th Annual Minnesota Dance Festival (2003).^[13]

Choreography

Thayer has presented her choreography and original works around the United States, most notably in Minneapolis, New York City, and the Washington, D.C. metro area.^[9] Her work is frequently featured in the Minnesota Fringe Festival, sponsored by the Minnesota Dance Alliance,^[4] and is strongly influenced by Laban Barientief Funadamentals (Karen Studd at GMW); Butoh (Maureen Fleming in NY); Vocal Dance (Patricia Bardi in Amsterdam); Global Somatics and Body-Mind Centering Approach (Suzanne River in Minneapolis); the International School of Theater Anthropology (Eugenio Barba in Copenhagen); and various movement theater techniques.^[8]

Select original works

• "Meet the Nation" translates the political machine into a hive-like hoop structure and culminates in debate gibberish.^[5]
• "All That Glitters" tackles our instinctual attraction to shiny objects of desire.^[5] Score by Tom Scott.^[14]
• Best Feet Forward Concert, “a blend of modern dance, visual art, theater and interactive sound sculpture.” ^[4]
• A Horse of A Different Color, Walker Art Center ^[15]
• "Bizarre Mating Ritual," a species-bending work that plays out in a forest of toy baby limbs.^[5]
• “Dougieland 60: Seven Dances” ^[16]
• “Ode to Dolly,” Inspired by the physiological processes of fascia, the connective tissue that organizes our musculoskeletal system, elastics and artificial baby parts are stretched to create geometric grids, tangled canopies, and sculpturesque forms, this award-winning piece tackles “instinctual reproductive behaviors and artificial ideas of creation.” Choreography/Installation by Deborah Jinza Thayer with music composed by Matthew Smith. Costumes by Lisa Axell, set design by Bryan Axell/3 Ring Scenic, puppetry by Deirdre Murnane and lighting design by Jeff Bartlett. Dancers include Rachel Barnes, Sarah Jacobs, Penelope Freeh, Christine Maginnis, Kimberly Richardson, and Sharon Picasso.^[3]

Quotable

• “I believe that freedom and expression of the body is ultimately important because how you live in your body influences how you are in your environment and in all aspects of your life." Deborah Jinza Thayer ^[8]

References

1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
3. Name (required) (2009-12-01). "Deborah Jinza Thayer: Ode to Dolly « 3-Minute Egg". 3minuteegg.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 10, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
5. Shapiro, Linda (2007-10-03). "Deborah Jinza Thayer: Movement Architecture". City Pages. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 17, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
9. "Instructors". Zenondance.org. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
10. Peck, Claude (2010-09-15). "Sage Awards to Patrick Scully, Zenon, Penelope Freeh, Uri Sands, more.". StarTribune.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
11. "Minnesota State Arts Board". Arts.state.mn.us. 2010-03-19. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 5, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
14. Palmer, Caroline (2007-09-12). "Deborah Jinza Thayer Movement Architecture". City Pages. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
15. "WAC | Visual Arts | Exhibition | Franz Marc and The Blue Rider". Walkerart.org. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2010.