From scout bees and bee bread to elephant matriarchs, the Urban Wildlife Working Group was inspired by the collective animal behavior of bees and elephants. In a co-creative process, groups of trained and untrained dancers researched the complex social organization and division of roles within a honeybee colony and elephant herd, as well as the unique physical and energetic qualities these animals possess. We worked to transpose this information onto our human bodies moving together in the urban landscape of an empty lot in Phoenix, Arizona. The two pieces that emerged from this process are celebrations of the mystery, wisdom, and humor of the herd and the hive, and seek to remind audiences of the many other creatures with whom we share the planet.

Premiered in Perspectives: A Night of Shifting Space at Nanogram Studios in Phoenix on October 21 and November 4, 2016.

Project Director: Allyson Yoder

Assistant Director: Raji Ganesan

Musician: Mike Pfister