Legacy
Choreography: Jessie Jeanne Stinnett
Costume design & realization: Zane Kealey, Sophia Barmidze
Dramaturgy: Sarah Anne Stinnett
Music: Grant Stinnett
Duration: 15:49 minutes, 6 dancers
Commissioned by Boston Dance Theater August 2022
My piece is an exploration of the ways in which Carol's musical legacy has touched me growing up in a family of bass players, and how the bass lives on through my dancing with the artists of Boston Dance Theater. The work is made in collaboration with my brother, Grant Stinnett, who is a producer, composer, and virtuoso solo bassist. Together, our work honors the memory of our father, Jim Stinnett, who was a distinguished bassist, author of 96+ music education books, and mentor to thousands of players around the world. Like Carol, Dad knew that the rhythm section’s groove is powerful. The drums and bass bring buoyancy and joy--as they have done for millenia--into a world that is heavy and, at times, filled with grief. The bass has the magic to inspire us, to make us want to bop our heads, or just get up and dance. That spirit is the bedrock of this piece.