At Invertigo Dance Theatre, art is synonymous with community and healing. Its newest performance, “Interior Design,” will premiere at the Kirk Douglas Theatre on Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21. With nearly two decades of merging dance and theater, Artistic Director Laura Karlin showcases her choreographic storytelling in this 70-minute duet.
“Interior Design” is a profound exploration of human emotions and relationships. The show centers on a couple, Anna and Carlos, played by Hyosun Choi and Marco Palomino, navigating through the complexities of moving into a new space, pregnancy loss and finding a sense of home with each other. Amidst a sea of boxes and waves of grief, they confront neighborhood dramas and the ultimate relationship test: assembling Ikea furniture. This narrative weaves their journey into a broader communal experience, inviting the audience to participate in a shared emotional landscape. In one breath, the title refers to decorating a space, but in the next, it’s a nod to the idea of the interior world.
“(The show) is such a rich blend of experiences,” Karlin said. You will see dancers moving virtuosically with gorgeous lifts and partnering. You will ugly cry, laugh, and experience delight. And if you want to, you can dance with us and experience coming home together.”
The first iteration of “Interior Design” was conceptualized in 2007 as Karlin’s inaugural work while founding Invertigo Dance Theatre.
“I wanted to create a work that represented how we define our spaces, our physical rooms and also our own internal worlds,” she said. “It is an intimate piece that still feels expansive and communal.”
Since then, the piece has evolved, incorporating themes like pregnancy loss and communal healing — issues that resonate deeply with Karlin personally and professionally.
“This work also incorporates my dedication to reproductive justice,” she said. “I was inspired to include my own history with pregnancy loss in the piece to share, to create a space to grieve, as well as to support, expose and relate.
“It gives expanse to experiences that are otherwise mired in shame and silence, and the antidote is collective space, which allows for healing. My wish is that everyone who attends comes away with their own authentic, deeply personal experience with the story, the artists, even the person sitting next to them. This performance is inclusive, interactive and builds a community.”
In 2017, Karlin remade “Interior Design” into a new, more extended version, and now, in 2024, the completed work is premiering as a full-evening performance.
“It is so joyful to have the opportunity to finish this piece. I started it in my 20s, revamped it in my 30s, and am completing it in my 40s,” Karlin said. “This show is a celebration of how we find home with another — and all of the laughter, emotions, highs and lows that can entail.”
The production’s interactive elements blur the lines between performers and spectators. Audience members are not just observers but become active participants in the story. This interaction ranges from helping assemble furniture — a universal symbol of relationship challenges — to engaging in a communal house party, celebrating the joy and solidarity of communal living.
“I love playing with the fourth wall because we are all people in space together,” Karlin said. “I love inviting the audience in, not just emotionally, but also sometimes even physically.
“There’s definitely space for people to crack open and be vulnerable themselves. If you want to really come into that space with us, I think it’s a very safe feeling. It’s also really irreverent, whimsical and silly humor. I think it’s really the full spectrum of our experiences as people.”
Karlin’s innovative approach extends to musical participation. Upon entry, each audience member will receive an instrument crafted from everyday objects featured in the show. This collective music-making session, led by composer and community music facilitator Diana Lynn Wallace, emphasizes the theme of community and connection, integral to the show’s narrative.
“Community connection is ultimately how I find home,” she said. “So we wanted to have a collective experience. I also think that’s part of the mass healing that we need. I think with COVID-19, going through isolation and not being able to gather was traumatizing. We’re in a space of so much uncertainty. We’re all grieving something. And so having space to be together is really special. I was craving a piece that acknowledged trauma, loss and grief, but also gave space for joy and connection.”
Karlin aims for an intense yet brief experience, allowing the audience to carry the emotional and communal warmth of the show into their lives beyond the theatre. “Interior Design” is more than a dance show; it’s a call to rediscover the joys of communal living and emotional resonance in a post-pandemic world. Karlin invites audiences to consider how shared spaces and experiences can transform internal landscapes and foster a sense of belonging and healing. “Interior Design” promises to be a transformative experience, inviting everyone to witness and actively partake in a journey of emotional and communal discovery.
“Interior Design”
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, April 20, and 5 p.m. Sunday, April 21
WHERE: The Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Boulevard, Culver City
COST: Tickets start at $30
INFO: invertigodance.org