“Shoals” from DANCE FOR THE RIVER by Christine Rucker
DANCE FOR THE RIVER
DANCE FOR THE RIVER, presented by Yadkin Riverkeeper, is a traveling multimedia exhibit and educational experience that connects audiences with the Yadkin River, the region’s primary water source, through dance, photography, and video.
Photographer Christine Rucker who lives on the Yadkin River, photographed dancers as they improvised to the river’s diverse landscapes. Rucker and dancers traveled to some of the most pristine stretches of water and to some of the most environmentally sensitive sites throughout the watershed, creating a one-of-a-kind series of images that interpret the river in new ways.
“Few people have awareness of the river’s beauty and its importance when it comes to providing clean water. I wanted to show an uncommon perspective about the river; and offer an unusual way for people to learn about its benefits to our region,” Rucker said.
DANCE FOR THE RIVER is a collaborative effort between Christine Rucker Photography, Yadkin Riverkeeper, Phoebe Zerwick, Helen Simoneau Danse, UNC School of the Arts’ School of Dance, Yadkin Arts Council, Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), and the Wake Forest University Humanities Institute. Sponsors for the program include Yadkin Riverkeeper, Yadkin Arts Council, John Willingham, the John W. and Anna H. Hanes Foundation, Ralph Womble, Wells Fargo, National Endowment for the Humanities and Wake Forest University Humanities Institute.
The photographs have appeared at the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center and the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) along with small galleries and locations in central North Carolina. Selected educational performances have taken place for schools in each area. The performance, choreographed by students at UNC School of the Arts School of Dance School brings the images in the exhibit to life. Phoebe Zerwick, the director of journalism at Wake Forest University, co-produced the video and the exhibit.
April 18 - May 18, 2019 - DANCE FOR THE RIVER will be featured at the Foothills Arts Council, 129 Church St, Elkin, North Carolina 28621 . Opening reception is Friday, April 19 from 6-7PM. CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION
In the Fall 2019, DANCE FOR THE RIVER will be featured at Waterworks Visual Arts Center in Salisbury, NC.
ABOUT CHRISTINE RUCKER PHOTOGRAPHY
Christine Rucker has been making photographs for over 20 years. She learned the craft of storytelling while working as a newspaper photographer out of college. She learned the fragility of life while volunteering for Operation Smile and other non-profit missions in third world countries. Her camera has taken her places that she would never have gone without it; and she has been fortunate to meet some amazing people along the way. Her current clients include: Winston-Salem Foundation, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, The Duke Endowment, WFU, UNCSA, OUR State Magazine, BIKE magazine, Kenan Institute, Z Smith Reynolds Foundation, Yadkin Riverkeeper and more. Contact: Christine Rucker, photofisher2@gmail.com.
