Lonely.
Resilient.
Nothing left to try, but still out of breath trying.
Sometimes in life we find ourself waiting for something we thought would have already arrived. But now we don’t know if it ever will. We try our hardest and move as far forward as we can on our own. It creates an exhaustion like swimming against crashing waves.
Then—sometimes—we realize all we can do is let go, fall into those waves and let them sweep us along, trusting that wherever they take us is where we’re meant to be.
Artistic & Production Team
Choreography & Direction | Greta Nelson
Film & Editing | Irenerose Castillo
Music & Lyrics | The Forest That Never Sleeps
Sound Editing | Lucy Peckham, Both Ears Live Sound
Performed by | Ariel Graham, Beth Daly, Bonnie Moring, Cara Rude, Courtney Meneses, Erinn Dirth, Greta Nelson, Jessie Embley, Maia Draper-Reich, Taylor Hicks, Therese Brennan
from the choreographer
When I first heard this song a little over a year ago, the lyrics and melody Kat Moore had written resonated so sincerely with what I was going through that I knew Fall was the piece I wanted to choreograph. Even though her reasons and my reasons for feeling this way were different, the longing that came form those feelings matched up perfectly. As we prepared for our spring show which was supposed to be performed in April of this year, I felt so excited and thankful to be part of this collaboration. So many beautiful dances were created to so many beautiful songs from Kat’s repertoire. We planned and practiced and learned all their meanings, only to have to let them go.
I feel so incredibly grateful that I got to bring this vision back to life in the form of a dance film.
Thank you to my dancers for sharing in my story and taking the time to film this piece. Thank you to Irene Castillo for all the time and energy you put into editing this with me.
Thank you to Becky Kendall and all of Momentum Dance Collective for making this project possible.
And finally thank you to Kat Moore for writing such a beautiful piece of music that I will remember for the rest of my life.
- Greta Nelson, Momentum Dance Collective
from the songwriter
“Fall” was inspired by feelings of unrequited love: the push and pull and the toll it takes on us.
Originally from the following poem, “Cliffs,” the story unfolded as the object of my affection fell into gentle repose for the night. The words came pouring out and, as not to wake him, I held onto the poem until morning.
The song, itself, is an incantation to free oneself from the irresistible spell of love.
Cliffs:
I felt you fall from the cliffs
Into the arms of sleep
Snoring and twitching- a symphony of slumber
The beat of your drum strong underhand
My fingers in yours
Words crashing like a spring river:
I gather sticks to capture every last drop
To dam this flood until the morning light
For any movement a bond broken
The heat of my love straight into you
If I could swaddle your heart, I would
And raise it to never fear
But as long as it's still beating and I can hear
Then that is a lullaby to sing me to rest
- Kat Moore, The Forest That Never Sleeps
Dancers film “Fall” in Anchorage, AK on 8/30/20.