Regional Oral History Office University of California The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California Judith Smith Artistic Director, AXIS Dance Company Interviews conducted by Esther Ehrlich in 2005 Copyright © 2006 by The Regents of the University of California Since 1954 the Regional Oral History Office has been interviewing leading participants in or well-placed witnesses to major events in the development of Northern California, the West, and the nation. Oral History is a method of collecting historical information through tape-recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. The tape recording is transcribed, lightly edited for continuity and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewee. The corrected manuscript is bound with photographs and illustrative materials and placed in The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, and in other research collections for scholarly use. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account, offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is reflective, partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ********************************* All uses of this manuscript are covered by a legal agreement between The Regents of the University of California and Judith Smith, dated January 14, 2005. The manuscript is thereby made available for research purposes. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the Director of The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to the Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, Mail Code 6000, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-6000, and should include identification of the specific passages to be quoted, anticipated use of the passages, and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Judith Smith, “Artistic Director, AXIS Dance Company” conducted by Esther Ehrlich in 2005, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 2006. Copy no. ___ Photo courtesy of Margaret Hartford Acknowledgments This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts which believes that a great nation deserves great art. vii Table of Contents—Judith Smith Series History xxi Interview History xxiii Interview 1: 1/14/05 Audiofile 1 1 Birth in Denver, Colorado in 1960—Siblings—Paternal grandparents and the importance of their home—Heritage—Moving to the suburbs—Importance of horses—Catholic upbringing and disillusionment with Catholic Church—Earliest memories: grandparents, wanting horses— Relationship with horses as a young girl, competing and winning state championship, formative influence of working with horses, the physical experience of riding, emotional bond with horses—Parallels between riding horses and dancing in a wheelchair—Learning to read, unspoken familial expectations of high achievement, favorite books—Arts and crafts—High energy level as child—Music, exposure to "culture"—Parents' work, relationship—Mother— Temperament as child—Schooling—Hating dance—Feelings about body and performing as teenager—Car accident and breaking neck, rehab, fear of disability growing up—Moving to Boulder, Colorado, after mother's cancer diagnosis—"Hellish" experience after the accident, family's disintegration, more on rehab—Transitioning from using manual wheelchair to power wheelchair—Learning how to inhabit body again—Independent living center in Boulder— Giving up on God Audiofile 2 21 More on rehab and lack of preparation for the "real world"—More on living in Boulder, exposure to liberals, people of color—Coming to Berkeley, California, in 1983 and first impressions—Improvisational movement and rediscovering body—Visibility of people with disabilities in Berkeley—Involvement with leaders of the disability rights movement—Power of attending camp with other disabled women—Trajectory of life due to disability—Early romantic life—Falling in love with a woman, coming out as a lesbian, father's response—Wry Crips, disabled women's readers theater—Training in martial arts, Zen meditation—Importance of service dog, Miracle—Meeting Thais Mazur and dancing—Being drawn to what's unusual—In this Body, a revolutionary performance and the beginning of more dance opportunities—Mazur and her contributions to AXIS Dance Troupe, Mazur's friendship Audiofile 3 38 AXIS Dance Troupe's early days: collaboration, intimacy, exploration—Knowledge of performing arts industry—Constraints on nondisabled dancers within troupe, dance training of nondisabled dancers—More on collaborative nature of troupe—Political and social implication of work in early years—Lack of early role models, other integrated dance companies and feelings of competition—Performing at Aerial Dance Festival in 1992—Realizing potential after exposure to other dance companies/choreographers—Difficulties of collaboration, growing dissatisfaction with direction of company—Role of "creative eye"—Dance as vehicle for viii learning to re-inhabit body after becoming disabled—Challenging trip to Siberia and growing tensions with Thais Mazur due to different artistic visions—Desire for outside critique of work— Need for more expertise in choreography— International Festival of Wheelchair Dance, 1997, as catalyst for change in vision for AXIS—Dissatisfaction with content and style of dance— Continued friction with Mazur and the effect on the company—Central issue of commissioning work—The board, becoming a nonprofit organization—Naming the company—Mediation with Mazur and the resulting decisions regarding commissioning work—Power of Sonya Delwaide's choreography, interest in her working with AXIS and the ensuing upheaval Interview 2: 1/20/05 Audiofile 4 59 Response to George W. Bush's inauguration and the current lack of support for the arts— Difficulties of being an artist, genius of artist colleagues—Business venture with horses, partnership with family friends—Learning to create personal boundaries with colleagues—Trip with AXIS to Novosibirsk, Russia in 1995 and its impact—More on conflict with Thais Mazur— More on importance of International Festival of Wheelchair Dance—Skill level of nondisabled/disabled dancers in company, more on issues related to quality of work—Politics of ability/disability within company—Dancers with a range of abilities learning to move together— Decision-making regarding membership in company Audiofile 5 77 Introducing new dancers into company, more on dancers with a range of abilities learning to move together—Division of labor within company—Salaries—Organizational difficulties of having a nondisabled person at the helm—Incorporating as a nonprofit organization in 1990— Board of directors—Involvement of board of directors in dispute with Mazur—Effect of dispute on other members of dance company—Mazur's resignation in 1997 and moving forward with new vision for AXIS—First impression of Bill Shannon, challenges and benefits of collaborating with him Interview 3: 1/27/05 Audiofile 6 95 Company members remaining in 1997—Process for bringing new members into company— Important contributions of Nicole Richter—Decision that company should be codirected by dancer with a disability and dancer without a disability—Failure of partnership with Nicole Richter—Holding first formal auditions—Lack of administrative structure—More on failed partnership with Richter—Establishing a clear administrative structure, personnel policy— Current strong staff situation at AXIS—Tracing trajectory of company members from 1997 until present—Meeting Sonya Delwaide and commissioning work from her—Delwaide's uncanny ability to choreograph, the joy of working with her on first piece, Chuchotements, and subsequent work—Conviction that working with outside choreographers was best for AXIS— Funding the commissioned works—Costumes, lighting, professionalizing the company— Working with Joe Goode on Jane Eyre, and the challenges of creative process—Description of ix Jane Eyre, its disability themes, and reactions to it—Desire to work with Joe Goode in the future—Impact on choreographers of working with AXIS—Premiering Jane Eyre in 2000—First "official" home season—Working with Joanna Haigood and creating aerial piece, Descending Cords Audiofile 7 113 Remaining repertory after 1997—Drive to keep the company afloat, fears—Working with Bill T. Jones in 1999, decision to take financial risk, technical challenge of piece, Fantasy in C Major, premiering it in Boston and the grueling process, receiving acclaim—"Victim art" controversy and its impact on Jones—More on process of working with Jones—Impact on Jones of working with AXIS—More on "victim art" and the issue of professionalism—Choice to have less disability content in work and reactions to that choice—Arts presenters and their relationship to disability—Disabled artists and lack of training, accessibility issues—Working with Sonya Delwaide in 2000 and creating Suite Sans Suite—Working with Stephen Petronio, the concepts he was interested in exploring, creating Secret Ponies, description of piece Interview 4: 2/03/05