Realm of Shades - Veļu Valsts (2014) Chr: Joséphine A. Garibaldi w/Hannah Matsen
In loving memory of Jean Arlene McCormick Zmolek

We are to die, we are to rot,
Our name is to stay here,
Our name is to stay here,
In the corner of this room.
- Latvian Daina (Traditional folksong)


Performers: Bridget Close, Danielle Essma,
                  Scott Lindenberg, Julie Leir-Vansickle
Masquerade (2013) Chr: Joséphine A. Garibaldi
Set to a score compiled from classic Warner Brothers cartoons, the impetus for "Masquerade" was the choreographic exploration of facial movements in the Laban A & B spatial scales. The score for "Masquerade" was compiled from the classic cartoons "What's Opera Doc", "The Rabbit of Seville" and "A Corny Concerto" and the music of Carl W. Stalling and Hilt Franklin (based upon the works of Donizetti, Rossini, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Von Suppe, and Wagner). Following the lead of the Warner Brothers cartoons, what developed from these initial explorations was a whimsical parody of the canon of classical music and ballet.  In fluffy evening gowns of purples, pinks, satins, taffeta, sequins and bows, Garibaldi designed and constructed the costumes to evoke the balletomanes at the ballet. Additionally, the performers of Masquerade were in full face and body white makeup, allowing the facial expressions and gestures to be the centerpiece of the work.
Suits (2012) Chr: Joséphine A. Garibaldi
Suits explores our human capitulation to fuel the unrelenting and fiercely competitive global economy. With a sound mix driven by Tokyo artists, the "punk-style choir" Adachi Tomomi Royal Chorus and the a capella trio Zubi Zuva, Suits rapidly scans through witty physical metaphors of gendered power suits that scurry with precisioned intensity, run on the razor's edge between chaos and collision, and sprint in perpetuity.
Forbidden Fruit (2011) Chr: Joséphine A. Garibaldi
Evoking the atmosphere of film noir and inspired by the femme fatale chanteuses of the 50’s such as Eartha Kitt, a nuanced strength of woman through glamour and high heel shoes emerged.
“It is important to mention the unique sound score that Garibaldi has selected for this piece, as it becomes a driving force in the work. Usually a choreographic work set to many different pieces of music can seem fragmented or more like a suite of dances instead of one long piece; however, in Forbidden Fruit, the music continues to propel the piece forward as the songs bring the audience back to a time when women were seen as sexy and beautiful without being overly vulgar. …There is a moment in the piece  during which a barefooted soloist exquisitely performs a sensual movement phrase involving many long, deep, lunges, beautifully articulate back undulations and extreme arches, and numerous high leg extensions: moves often associated with a gorgeous dancer. While this woman is practically killing herself to perform this fierce choreography, the other dancers are crisscrossing the stage wearing their high heels, completely ignoring the soloist that constantly intersects their pathway and unaware of this rare beauty right in front of them. This audience member was enthralled by the performance of the soloist and envious of her abilities.”
                                                                                                    - Caine Keenan, Ririe-Woodbury
Performed by Bridget Close
Push (2010) Choreographer, Costumer, Sound Mix: Joséphine A. Garibaldi
(2nd Alternate, NW Region, 2010 ACDFA National Gala, Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.)
“The way she thrust her weight into space was tremendous. The risks she took in standing on this one leg after twirling with so much force off balance forever; this woman was taking risks. I heard every single word, I saw every single movement. I understood the momentum of it; I love how she thrust into the space. Did I understand her meaning? Not completely, but I was so intrigued. So intrigued. Is she going to throw herself in front of the train? Or was she pushing on towards Life? It was like the intersection of Life and Death. That sometimes there are particular times in your life where you have to make huge decisions, it feels like that.”                                                                     - Ze’eva Cohen, Professor, Princeton University
At the Threshold  (2009) Choreography, Sound Mix: Joséphine A. Garibaldi 
Humbled by the beauty of light falling through an open door as the sun was setting, this work inquires into ruminations about shadow, light and metaphors of door. The performers were asked to write; from their writings movement was created. These movement phrases became the choreography; their spoken text illuminated the sound score.- JG
“At the Threshold features a provocative, thought out, powerful and nicely constructed audio score. The tension created by the prison sounding doors and the frenzied whispering not only created a textural impression but a qualitative experience for the viewer sitting in the dark […]. The opening sequence uses the stage space as if it were a black lake between the audience and the dancer balanced in the threshold. The opening solo drew me into this in-between world, a threshold net of trapped dreams and thoughts unable to move forward or backward just stuck in a vertical world, balanced and wedged into the situation, trying to function, trying to step forward […] I was moved by this work. Philosophically I was left thinking about opportunity knocking. Braving the fear and the choice of walking though a door into the unknown. What is beyond? What gets left behind? What happens next? And as the score says ‘When a door closes, what do you do?’”
                                   – Elizabeth Miklavcic, Artistic Director, Another Language Performance Company
Something's Fishy (2006) Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA, SiteWorks festival. Choreography Garibaldi/Zmolek, costume: Garibaldi
Choreography was inspired by the site overlooking the Thea Foss Waterway.  Performers brainstormed words associated with water which were then paired with Elements of Movement terms to create source movement material then manipulated by choreographic craft. Processional in background going down handicapped ramp are local artists who responded to our call to create Fish on a Stick sculptures to be included within the work and later displayed in an exhibition at Barefoot Studios.
Anticipatory Illumination (2004) Choreography, Costumes: Joséphine A. Garibaldi
Anticipatory Illumination was structured choreographically to emulate the perambulatory journey a pilgrim makes as s/he walks the 5 levels of the Javanese Buddhist temple Borobodur. The hand gestures, postures and movements of the dancers were inspired by the bas relief carvings one contemplates as they walk the 5 levels of Borobodur. The music of Anticipatory Illumination, composed by Robert Fruehwald, following the pentatonic scale of the Javanese and Balinese gamelan orchestra where five pitches are roughly equally spaced within an octave.
“This beautiful dance work was created as a spiritual journey reaching higher planes of spiritual awakening with each section. Conceived with the idea of the devotional practice of the journey through the Borobodur stupa, a Buddhist Temple on the island of Java. The stage was set with long is hangings from the ceiling to the tops of the dancers heads. They transformed the stage into a sacred space. The costumes also created by Ms. Garibaldi were of an eastern flavor with a flowing bodice and pant matching the colors of the silk hangings in earthy blue, green, red, yellow, and brown. The flowing bodices were dyed by a Japanese dying practice using bamboo poles. The original music score by Robert Fruehwald caught perfectly the nuance and flavor of each section. The collaboration of artistic pursuits was successful in bringing the work into a harmonious whole.”   
                                            – E.E. Balcos, Professor, University of North Carolina, Charlotte