The Pilot Dance Project Premieres The Saints’ Offering

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Pilot Dance Project Premieres The Saints’ Offering,
A New Work Conceived and Directed by Adam Castan͂eda and Ashley Horn

Houston-based choreographers Adam Castan͂eda and Ashley Horn continue their search for mindfulness, peace, and a more hopeful worldview in The Saints’ Offering, premiering December 8 – 10, 2023 in Studio A of Claire’s School of Dance, 1245 Heights Boulevard, 77008. Joined by guest choreographers Dorianne Castillo, Kristina Prats, and Julia Rubio, The Saints’ Offering is a fantastical, ethereal call for calm waters in a world full of tempestuous fury. 

Audience members are invited to an imaginary convening of Five Patron Saints that are culled from multiple mythologies, traditions, and universes. Concerned with the unrelenting violence and trauma of their world, The Saint of Wisdom summons four of her brethren: The Saint of Craftsmen, The Saint of Flying Things, The Saint of Salt Water, and The Saint of Ancestors. At this convening, each saint offers up a gift that attones for their own transgressions in the hopes of restoring a semblance of paradise to their worshippers. The Saints’ Offering is the public unveiling of these gifts.

In The Saints’ Offering, the Five Patron Saints build a second, alternate Eden, one that is filled with glaring imperfections. This broken, beautiful garden is home to anyone seeking refuge, respite, or relief. As the Five Patron Saints begin their crafting ceremony, a scarred woman makes her entrance and begs to be this Eden’s first inhabitant. As the evening progresses, she encounters a man searching for truth and justice and the story of his own forgotten past. Together, they become stewards of this new world order, an Adam and Eve who will never be shunned or forsaken. 

The Saints’ Offering is performed by Allyssa Abacan, Ashley Boykin, Adam Castan͂eda, Dorianne Castillo, Hannah Dunning, Carlos Guzman, Ashley Horn, Kristina Prats, and Julie Rubio. 

ABOUT Adam Castan͂eda

Adam Castan͂eda is a dancer, choreographer, and arts administrator living in Houston, Texas. He is the Executive and Artistic Director of the Pilot Dance Project, a non-profit arts organization that produces the annual Houston Fringe Festival, the Texas Latino/a/x Contemporary Dance Festival, Queer Fringe Houston, as well as a full season of professional Modern dance works. As a company member of the Pilot Dance Project, he has performed in repertory and evening-length work by Ashley Horn, jhon r. stronks, Jennifer Mabus, Lori Yuill, Orlando Hunter (Brooklyn, New York), Erica Gionfriddo (Austin), and Corian Elisor (Atlanta), among others.

ABOUT Dorianne Castillo

Dorianne A Castillo is a native from Puerto Rico, where she received her formal dance training at the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Ponce, PR and Andanza School of Dance in San Juan, PR. Once moved to Houston, Dorianne had the opportunity to join dance companies that include Freneticore, Mnemosyne Dance Company, Rice Dance Theater and Suchu Dance. She is currently dancing for Adam Castañeda and The Pilot Dance Project. Some of her early choreography was showcased as a previous member of Rice Dance Theater (2010-2014). Her dance work has been presented in Houston Fringe Festival “Anything Goes” (2012, 2014, 2016). She collaborated with Pin Lim on “Daydream”, a dance on film. Her work also shown in Mind the Gap and the Latino/a/x Contemporary Dance Festival, Houston TX (2021-2023).

ABOUT Ashley Horn

Ashley Horn is a dancer, choreographer, filmmaker, costume designer, and artist from the Houston area.  She has shown choreography and films at ACFD, The University of Houston, Big Range Dance Festival, The Texas Weekend of Contemporary Dance, Third Coast Dance on Film Festival, The Houston Fringe Festival, and Dance Month at the ERJCC among other venues and events.  She has created costumes for FrenetiCore, Frame Dance Productions, Sol Y Luna Dance, and her own works.  Ashley is the co-founder and curator of Motion Captured: An Evening of Dance on Film at the ERJCC as a part of Dance Month.  In 2012, Ashley was a recipient of an individual artist grant from the Houston Arts Alliance to create an evening-length dance film, Wanderland.  Ashley was named one of the 100 Creatives of 2013 by the Houston Press.

ABOUT Kristina Prats

Kristina Prats began dancing at a young age. The love and passion that grew sent her on to study dance at the University of Houston under the most prestigious and influential direction. She has since gone on to work with some of Houston’s finest choreographers and dance companies; The Pilot Dance Project, Ashley Horn, Suchu, Haven Arts Theatre and Psophonia Dance Company to name a few. Kristina is also a part of the performance company at the Texas Renaissance Festival and also performed with Haven ArtsTheatre at the TRF After Dark theater shows. Throughout her performance career, she has had the opportunity to perform in national events such as the pregame show at SuperBowl 38, allowing her to work with artists Aerosmith and Willie Nelson, and various Fringe Festivals across the country. After a long run of performing, Kristina is ready to embark on a new journey and dive into the choreographic side of life!

ABOUT Julia Rubio

Born and Raised in Houston, TX Julia Rubio (Julie) began her dance training in Ballet, Jazz, and Hip Hop at the age of 10. Ms. Rubio earned her A.A. from Houston Community College where she received a Dance scholarship and was invited to attend the American College Dance Festival. She has performed in works by Jhon R. Stronks, Heather Samuelson, Paul Appleman, Jose Zamora, Catalina Alexandra, Jennifer Hart Salter, Jared Doster, Novuyo Masakhane, Ghislain Afouba, Leslie Scates and Jean- Claude Lessou. She graduated cum laude from the University of Houston, earning her B.A in Dance with a Minor in Interdisciplinary Arts. Her original choreography “Grasp” and “Meraki” was performed in “Best of Fringe” as well as in “UH goes to the Match”. She continues her work as a freelance artist, choreographs for Quinceañeras, and performs alongside Spacetribe. She is currently working alongside Adam Castaneda as rehearsal director of the Pilot Dance Project and continues to practice her art in dance in many unique styles.

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