Conversations: Above and Beneath, An Ode to Women Artists

Detritus dance activates the landscape of Mount Auburn Cemetery through a site-responsive, roaming contemporary dance installation entitled “Conversations: Above and Beneath.”  Inspired by Margaret Fuller Ossoli’s “Conversations”, a series of assemblies between 1839-1844 of Bostonian women who sought alternate means of education when it was formally denied to them, our “movement salon” pays homage to the radical 19th-century Bostonian women artists of significance in Mount Auburn’s burial grounds. Our performance interweaves the connected narratives of writer Margaret Fuller Ossoli; poet Maria White Lowell; actor Charlotte Cushman; sculptor Edmonia Lewis; and historian Hannah Adams. We seek to bring these women’s stories into dialogue with our own across place and time, and in doing so help to reshape the ways we publicly memorialize women’s stories.

This performance will make stops at: Maria White Lowell’s gravesite, the Hygeia Statue, Hannah Adam’s gravesite; Margaret Fuller Ossoli’s cenotaph, and Hazel Dell.

Attendees are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water. Accessible accommodations will be provided.

About the Artists-in-Residence:

Detritus dance is a company focused on embodied storytelling through dance and multidisciplinary performance. Founded in 2021 by Caroline Bradbury and Claire Lane, we are a queer and women-led organization who strive to amplify intersectional feminist and queer narratives through our work. Detritus is defined as “a product of disintegration, destruction, or wearing away.” Our name alludes to how we activate our performance by incorporating elements of visual collage and writing in our research process. As dance is inherently ephemeral, our performances grapple with the ways in which we demand permanence for queer and feminist histories. We strive to create work that provides social commentaries advocating for the rights of women and gender expansive people.

Detritus dance has presented original work throughout venues in Medford, Somerville, Cambridge, Salem, and Jamaica Plain. We have taught all-levels community workshops in partnership with José Mateo Ballet Theater and Connexions United Methodist Church, and professional classes with Urbanity Dance Company and Midday Movement Series. Our work has been supported by the Somerville Arts Council, the Mass Cultural Council, the New England Foundation for the Arts, and most recently, Mount Auburn Cemetery.

Accessibility:
The grounds, public restrooms, office and Visitors Center are handicap / wheelchair accessible. If you have specific questions about accessibility please contact friends@mountauburn.org. Service animals are always welcome at Mount Auburn Cemetery.

Experience a deeper connection to Mount Auburn Cemetery with free or discounted access to all our public programs and discounts on special events by joining the Friends of Mount Auburn. Our robust roster of programs each year is made possible by the generous support of our donors and in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or if you have any questions about your membership, please contact friends@mountauburn.org.

Photography Credits:

Cover Image: Photo by Caroline Bradbury

Caroline Bradbury Headshot: Photo by Heather Bradbury

Claire Lane Headshot: Photo by Heather Bradbury

Gabriela M. Amy-Moreno Headshot: Photo by Olivia Moon Photography

Aliza Franz Headshot: Photo by Olivia Moon Photography