in the beginning - choreography by dr. joy friedlander

Choreographer and dance educator Dr. Joy Friedlander was invited in 2019 to create a piece with her dance students at Philadelphia High School for Girls for Tacony Creek Park and the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed. She embraced the task with great enthusiasm especially after she and her students had a chance to visit the park during the winter. Then the pandemic hit and the project was put on pause. When it finally reinitiated in 2022, most of her original students had graduated, so Dr. Friedlander had to relearn, reteach and reset the choreography on a whole new group of dancers. And due to logistical challenges of presenting a “live” performance by a group of students who hailed from all over the city, we all agreed that a film would be the best format in which to share the work. 

 

So, here it is – In the Beginning – a meditation on the passage of time in the land that is now Tacony Creek Park in Philadelphia. 

We are grateful to Dr. Friedlander for hanging in there through the pandemic and wishing her a successful retirement. Congratulations for 22 great years of building a strong dance program at Girls’ High!


photos from performance & video shoot (May 22, 2022)

photos taken by Ambrose Liu

performance credits

Executive Producer – Olney Culture Lab of CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia

Videographer – Wesley Brown
 

Choreographer – Dr. Joy Lurie Friedlander

Music Featured: 

Mahk Jchi (Heartbeat Drum Song) (Remastered) – Robbie Robertson & The Red Road Ensemble 

Running Two – Operation Phoenix 

Time (2023 Remaster) – Pink Floyd 

Lake Arrowhead (Original Mix)  – Nora En Pure

Dancers

Milaan Allen, Amira Alston, Netia Boanes, Amillyona Forteau, Armiyah Gray-Davis, Maritza Lovera, Blondina Lucas, Nadia Scott, and Jynita Woods