About Tessa & Her Solo Show
Beginning in the womb, movement and expression tell the story of a joyous character confronted with regrets, depression, and dying dreams. In this movement autobiography, the dancer asks herself, "What do you love most," as she moves through her narrative of closure and renewal.
Inner Reformation: An Autobiography Danced began in 2016 after an intense health crisis. The dancer sought to share her life story with her children and determined to do so through movement. Believing she was near death, she wanted to pass on her narrative to those who mattered most to her. But when one begins such a journey, one never knows how it will end—if it will even go at all. Step by step, movement by movement, the dancer found the project to be healing and life-giving—a method for making sense of her life, bringing joy once again. See this production that reveals the life of another human as she shares with you her happiness, heartache, and healing. Click here to see the Program for Inner Reformation & to see Videos, Photos & Quotes from the show. |
About the Dancer
Tessa Priem began dancing at a young age, thanks to her mother. She studied dance performance in undergrad and went on to get her M.A. in Systematic Theology. She's married to a wonderful husband who's a Lutheran pastor, and they have three lovely, energetic children. Regarding art, Tessa shares, "I'm not necessarily the best, most-talented mover. Yet, I tap into what I do possess: a dangerously exhausting work ethic that often needs a great deal of balance, a curious kind of love for stories and story-telling, a genuine desire for beauty in life, and an intense eagerness to communicate and connect with people on what I find most important and fulfilling." While striving to technically and artistically grow, Tessa likes to call her style of dance, "story dance." Believing art to be healing and life-giving because it's fun and creative, she seeks to share that joy as she expresses where mind and emotion meet and where theology becomes felt. She currently specializes in movement autobiography and portrays herself as "Asset" in her life story, which happens to be her first name backward! Full Bio |
Photos by Samantha Smith