[From an image by Melissa Blackall]
The production features a multigenerational cast of seven female dancers who tap into moments of reflection, absurdity, and delight to evoke the breadth of daily life.
Their performances explore everything from dating and diet culture to the need for both patience and a healthy sense of rebellion—themes that resonate across demographic boundaries.
The company, under the direction of dancer, choreographer, and director Lynn Modell, will offer up to Pasadena audiences a chance to experience what East Coast viewers have already embraced—an interdisciplinary evening that invites attendees to challenge the status quo and find humor in the mundane.
“I chose dances for this show with characters I find interesting when viewed through an amplified lens,” Modell explains in the press materials. “Naturally, my perspective as a woman has shaped these characters and stories. However, I hope audience members—no matter gender, age, or specific identity—can relate to situations we all face at some point. When have you walked past a bakery where the pastries were beckoning to you or felt anxious getting your haircut by a new hairdresser? Have you ever been told you were too loud? Or do you want to tell your boss, ‘I’m tired of doing it your way’? These moments of restraint, awareness, and adaptation help build our characters and our stories. And if we can laugh about them along the way, all the better.”
Over decades of dancemaking, Modell has developed a reputation for using humor as a tool to understand the world better, creating works that share stories of struggle and strength that encourage others to process their experiences more fully. Her company, Lynn Modell/Making Dances, was founded in 2015 with the specific mission of creating accessible works for everyone, including people who say they “can’t understand” modern dance.
What distinguishes Modell’s approach is her knack for bringing dance to unexpected spaces where people already gather—from barns to synagogues to public parks—sparking surprise and moments of thoughtful reflection among viewers. Her pieces often portray satirical snapshots of recognizable life experiences that might even change the audience’s perspective, whether challenging the status quo, navigating the frustrations of dating, or “trying to look cool in a disco even when that’s a lost cause,” as the company’s promotional materials note.
For the Pasadena performances, Modell will perform in the Lineage Performing Arts Center. The collaborative team includes Modell as director and choreographer, with contributions from guest choreographer Janis Brenner.
Performances will take place at the Lineage Performing Arts Center at 920 E. Mountain St. in Pasadena on Saturday, April 26, at 8 p.m ., and Sunday, April 27, at 3 p.m. The show is appropriate for ages 10 and older. Tickets are available through interestingwomen.
For more information about the company and upcoming performances, visit makingdances.com.
Lynn Modell/Making Dances presents “INTERESTING WOMEN: a satirical snapshot of everyday life through dance, film, and music” at Lineage Performing Arts Center (920 E. Mountain St., Pasadena) on April 26 & 27, 2025.
