+ devising
+ improvising
+ performing
+ making space
amanda maraist is a movement deviser + improviser from the texas gulf coast, and co-directs bim bom studios. she works collaboratively with movers, musicians and artists; most recently with Helen Lee, Irene Hsiao, Gina Hoch-Stall, Chrissy Martin, Freedom From and Freedom To, Khecari, Ayako Kato / Art Union Humanscape and independently.
her movement work exists as both dance-making and physical space-making. using authentic movement practices and meticulously rendered improvisational scores, her work is process-forward with a do-it-together demeanor.
she is currently in development on a new movement work with the support of a Co-MISSIONS Residency at Links Hall and a 2025 residency at the Ragdale Foundation. bim bom studios is a 2024 recipient of the City of Chicago’s Small Business Improvement Fund grant for capital improvements, and has also received programming support from the Cook County Small Business Bureau’s Source Fund in 2024.
WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO, NOW:
We know that states exert unjust control over our bodies, in life and in death. This control is a tool of capitalism, used to dehumanize and devalue life. The capitalist military industrial complex has a financial incentive to value death over life. Death is profitable. Dance, in presenting the living human body as a medium, has the unique ability to humanize in direct protest of this dehumanization.
Dance relies on bodies in motion, mobilizing to create value.
Making dance is inherently anti-capitalist because it is ever unfixed.
It refuses to settle and will never be finished.
It is anti-product, and pro-process.
It is our job to make the possibilities that dance presents legible beyond the here and now.
+ devising
+ improvising
FOLK | 2024-2025
September - December 2024 / Links Hall, as part of the Co-MISSIONS Residency, CHICAGO
July 2025 / Links Hall, Festival of New Works, CHICAGO
unnamed collaboration with Sharon Udoh on distance, longing | 2024
April / Steppenwolf 1700, MERGE : part of Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series, CHICAGO
Glacial Bust | 2023
January / The Martin, Different Names (for the same thing), CHICAGO
Freedom From and Freedom To | 2022 - PRESENT
September 2024 / Compound Yellow, OAK PARK
September 2024 / Comfort Station, CHICAGO
August 2024 / Elastic Arts, CHICAGO
April 2024 / Elastic Arts, CHICAGO
October 2023 / Alma Art and Interiors, CHICAGO
August 2023 / Elastic Arts, CHICAGO
May 2023/ Museum of Contemporary Art, CHICAGO
September 2022/ Links Hall, as part of the Instigation Festival, CHICAGO
How to Play the Piano / with Chris Reeves and Camille Casemier | 2022
September / Comfort Station, CHICAGO
sounds from another room | 2021 - 2022
June / Roman Susan, CHICAGO
Burrow, tousle | 2018 - 2021
December, January / Mana Contemporary, In Good Company, CHICAGO
August, September / Roman Susan, CHICAGO
October, February / Links Hall, CHICAGO
March / an.open.space, CHICAGO
March / Jam Handy, DETROIT
April / Smush Gallery, NEW JERSEY
March / Cedar Cultural Center, MINNEAPOLIS
Aabccekkmr (for modular synthesizer and two dancers) | 2018
October / High Concept Labs, CHICAGO
Tones of Belonging | 2016
July / UnLock Hause, CHICAGO
September / Ebenezer Lutheran Church, CHICAGO
November / Lilllstreet Art Center, CHICAGO
November / Citlalin Gallery, CHICAGO
May / National Veterans Art Museum, CHICAGO
sprawl / stack | 2014
May / University of North Texas, DENTON
Seven Sided Figure in Singularity | 2013
May / University of North Texas, DENTON
+ performing
The Great Churning | 2024 | Chrissy Martin
Guardians of the Earth and Sky | 2024 | Irene Hsiao
Curiosities of Wellness in Bodies of Grief and Joy | 2023-2024 | Helen Lee
IN PLACE: DRAWING YOU OUTSIDE | 2022 | Irene Hsiao
as though your body were right | 2022-2023 | Khecari
ETHOS II: Inception | 2021 | Ayako Kato
Exquisite Corpse | 2021 | Chrissy Martin, Catherine Hepler
Merely a Mistake : A Score for your Door | 2020 | Irene Hsiao
Marginalia | 2019 - 2023 | Khecari
Ethos | 2019 - 2020 | Ayako Kato
Sound Moves I and II | 2018 - 2019 | Chrissy Martin
Okami | 2019 | Chrissy Martin
Trisha and Homer | 2019 | Cherrie Yu
The Retreat : One Week | 2018 | Khecari
Body Puzzles | 2018 | Chrissy Martin
Backyard Love | 2018 | Caroline Wright
The Retreat : One Night | 2016 | Khecari
Row and Quarry | 2016 | Sarah Gottlieb
Yolk | 2014 - 2016 | BodyCompass Dance Project
The Cronus Land | 2015 | Khecari
Heard | 2013 | Nick Cave
Salty Lark Dance | 2015-2016
Gaspard and Dancers | 2014
DGDG dance group | 2013-2014
Contemporary Ballet Dallas | 2013
+ making space
building /
bim bom studios | co-director
january 2022 - present, CHICAGO
Management, finances, coordinating, scheduling, maintaining and ideating for the recording studio and movement space.
presenting /
TIN CAN : works in progress by artists at bim bom studios
2024
Presenting works in progress by Kellyn Jackson, Chrissy Martin, Fever Dream Dance Collective, Tara Aisha Willis, Sophie Minouche Allen, Robin Davis, Peyton Jones, Ginger Krebs, and Chih-Jou Cheng.
work around : part of Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series
2023
Curated in collaboration with Kara Brody; presenting work by Cat Mahari, Tuli Bera and Drew Lewis.
facilitating /
for FOLK : workshop series, CHICAGO | 2024
Duetting Alone Workshop series, CHICAGO | 2021
Duet Workshop, CHICAGO | 2020
Khecari’s MOTOR series, CHICAGO | 2019-2022
supporting /
The Next Cup of Tea by Anjal Chande, stage manager + props assistant | 2023-2024
Khecari, Operations Assistant | 2017-2023
Mana Contemporary, Customer Service | 2019-2021
