Midnight Variety Half Hour

The Midnight Variety Hour (MVH) is a collaborative project consisting of six multi-disciplinary dancers, performers, musicians, and filmmakers (Maura Campbell-Balkits, Eileen Chavez, Sean Christiansen, Kelly Rauer, Fern Wiley, and Leah Wilmoth). MVH deconstructs the world of live television and the essence of the variety hour creating a dream-like memory of tv shows. Through the build up of layers and patterns of imagery and sound, MVH creates a landscape of distorted time and space. Some of the elements used are pre-recorded and live video, foley sounds, tap shoes, microphones, saxophone, drums, synthesizers, and dance. Distinct sections of improvisation emerge through the tension and release of accumulated instrumentation, dance, and video.