This solo characterizes the emotional journey of a woman longing to speak, express, and find herself. Existing in a world of unknowns, she continually suppresses her voice and molds herself to the ways of others. She has become a puppet manipulated by her own fear. Can she swallow the self-doubt, escape her shield, and discover freedom?

Collaborative project and performance with Gail Langstroth, movement artist/poet, Fred Johnson, drummer/vocalist, Nicole Martinell, dancer to the poem, "The Self," by Adam Zagajewski.

Community Improvisation Jam
Founded in September 2010 by Nicole A. Martinell, monthly improvisations jams invite all artists and passionate improvisers to explore, react in the moment, and meet friends for future collaborations. Participants are asked to follow one guideline: when you enter the space, you are fully committed to the jam session through moving, play- ing, drawing, meditating - basically being aware!
"The sheer creative joyful weirdness, the musicality and the physical grace made for an intoxicating mixture." (Mark Chello, musician).

Dual Jam Performances
Founded by Andrew Declos, Nicole A. Martinell, and Russell O'Campo in Spring 2013, this new, ambitious event features the local band Friday Night Book Club along-side the Deep Vision dancers. Spontaneous compositions of music and movement materialize through a series of audience interactions. Dual Jams are held monthly at the Windup Space in Baltimore City.

Highlighting the dynamic music of Jel, this quirky, playful, and somewhat peculiar contemporary modern duet questions the validity of relationships emerging from intrigue and fixation. The whimsical characters fuss over of their fascination, tease and manipulate each other, and attempt to unglue the meaningless attraction. Colorful, metallic costumes, video projections of the movement from an aerial perspective, and psychoactive video effects magnify the imaginative nature of the piece.

Video projections composed by David Merino and Ronald Santana.

Collaborating with visual artist, Rebecca Wolf, "Inner Palette" features moldable, abstract sculptures and follows the journey of a woman building, experiencing, and sifting through the complex layers of the psyche. The inner shifting reflects her obscure, outer restructuring. Can she accept her personal composition?

Immersing the audience with videography and translucent mirrors, "Fractured Spectrum" traverses the continuum from dark, ambiguous self-absorption to light, clarity, and compassion.

Premier - Theatre Project, June 2011
Reprise - Theatre Project, March 2012 & Joe's Movement Emporium, April 2012

"heady collectables"
DC Premiere: January 12th & 13th at Dance Place
Baltimore Premiere: April 27th & 28th at Theatre Project
DC Capital Fringe Fest: July 10-28, GALA Theatre at Tivoli Square
Lighthearted, candid, and inspiring, "heady collectables" is comprised of a series of concise yet robust movements uniquely weaved together into a cohesive whole. Each movement investigates the figurative and literal interpretations of head idioms, such as "out of my head," "can't keep my head on straight," "hothead," and "two heads are better than one." Vibrant characters are combined with Scott Joplin's ragtime music and Doritt Carroll's humerus poetry. Movements have been released as "collectables" in formal and site specific venues throughout the 2012 season, building hype for the premiere in 2013. Enticing the inquisitive mind and challenging the chaotic spirit, this work mediates meaning through the collective audience mind.

“3” is the number of truth and strength; “3” mediates, harmonizes, and connects; “3” is the key to divine perfection. Exploring this sacred number reveals its connection to the integrity of existence; order is organically sustained through the underlying pulse of 3.

Musical collaboration with Cuong Nguyen

(Note: Project also known as "Trinity")

*To be featured at the Maryland Dance Showcase at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in January 2014.

AKIMBO is a 3-part dance series upholding the mission to increase awareness and opportunities for Baltimore’s professional dance scene; to build community between artists, venues, and audiences; and to set the groundwork for future collaborations.

AKIMBO Teaser occurs in conjunction with the late August Final Friday and Scape Scape, a music festival in Station North Arts & Entertainment District (SNAED). Dance companies perform improvisational scores in a round robin fashion, cycling through 5 locations in the arts district. Additionally, a FREE dance class is held at Wonderground, allowing for ALL community members to join in the dance experience.

AKIMBO: A Site-Specific Dance Artwalk is the main event on September 15th from 2:00-5:00PM. This event pairs 20 professional dance companies with 20 SNAED locations. Musicians, performers, and other creative types join the dance companies in crafting performances that speak to the visual artwork and/or theme of a rich variety of locations. Audiences walk through businesses, sidewalks, and grassy knolls while experiencing the beauty and vibrancy of dance. Collaboration, communication, and experimentation are the key requirements of all participants.

Unique to Baltimore, this annual event engages audiences in site-specific performances along a flowing, experiential journey. AKIMBO weaves audiences through a multitude of businesses on North Avenue and Charles, along a dance parade down East Lanvale, on a winding journey through Cork Factory, and over to Area 405 and Gallery City Arts. Strategically located volunteers in bright yellow shirts assist people in moving from place to place and in interacting with site-specific dance. Audiences further create their own journey by perusing the AKIMBO website, www.AkimboBaltimore.com, and referencing the colorful postcards.

Due to the tour’s walking nature, this event was as much about the journey between the spaces as the experience within. AKIMBO connects the northwestern and southeastern parts of SNAED, allowing the audience to feel comfortable and adventurous navigating SNAED. A sense of beauty and safety within the community develops as audiences become aware of the rich and diverse offerings of Baltimore’s arts scene.

AKIMBO Spree is the third event at Windup Space on September 18th from 8:00-9:30PM. Dance companies gather to present excerpts of their findings/presentations from the AKIMBO Artwalk. This celebratory event proves to be a very important component of AKIMBO, allowing companies to share their artistry and to mingle.

As a lead-up to AKIMBO, artists enjoy FREE workshops facilitated by Liz Lerman and Meet & Greets are held in SNAED locations. Following the Artwalk and Spree, after parties continue collaborative discussions, to heighten community building, and to demonstrate support and appreciation of all artists.

AKIMBO is a project of Deep Vision Dance Company, under the direction of co-founders and co-coordinators Nicole Martinell, dancer and choreographer, and Sidney Pink, local artists and curator.

Other key players for the success of this event are a volunteer committee, a project assistant, Deep Vision Dance Company interns, a volunteer coordinator, 20 artistic directors, venue coordinators, and 60 plus artists wholeheartedly participating. Many people volunteer their time to make this event possible with the plan to make this an annual happening. This event is about building and upholding community.

AKIMBO is graciously funded by the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, creator of the Baker Artists Awards, www.bakerartistawards.com; Station North Arts & Entertainment, Inc., www.stationnorth.org; The Citizens of Baltimore County; Towson University Department of Dance; and MICA.

Founder and Artistic Director: Nicole A. Martinell

Deep Vision Dance Company, Inc.
Founded in 2011 by Artistic Director Nicole A. Martinell, Deep Vision Dance Company, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to producing high quality choreographic works in the Baltimore/DC area while creating a home for dancers, collaborating with local artists, and educating the community in the creative process. Martinell’s choreography immerses the audience into a unique world that highlights the flux of human emotions, arouses curiosity, and challenges one’s view of reality. DVDC choreography has been featured at such Baltimore/DC venues as Theatre Project, Baltimore Museum of Art, Towson University, Creative Alliance, Dance Place, and Joe's Movement Emporium as well as up the east coast. Also highly active in the community, DVDC organizes workshops, classes, improvisation jams, and mentorship programs that focus on creation and collaboration. In 2012, Nicole Martinell/DVDC founded AKIMBO, a site-specific dance festival for Baltimore's professional dance scene and the Station North Arts & Entertainment District.

Our Vision is to be an impetus for positive change in the self, in the arts, and in the community.

Our Mission is to engage, inspire, and motivate the community through high quality dance performances and educational experiences.

Goals
Perform – To demonstrate innovation and artistic excellence in the creation and production of choreographic works.
Collaborate – To develop long-term, collaborative partnerships with artists from multiple disciplines, arts presenters throughout the region, and community organizations interested in using the arts to transform community life through creative works.
Educate – To engage and educate the community in the creative process.
Sustain – To play an integral role in assisting the arts community in building cultural sustainability for the art form of dance in the Greater Baltimore region.

Artistic Statement
Nicole A. Martinell's choreographic process is an organic transformation of ideas and movement. By nurturing the collective artistic voice, Martinell integrates diverse abilities and resources with an evolving team of dancers, musicians, visual artists, and technicians. DVDC's collaborative endeavors ignite long-lasting relationships and stimulate artistic growth for all involved in the creative process while expanding the boundaries of modern dance. Martinell values creating an environment where all (including the choreography) grow, adapt, change, and thrive. Like a growing organism, the dancers' emotional and physical relationship to the project evolves and deepens. Choices within the choreographic structure allow for constant exploration and transformation, which continues on the stage.

Collaboration
DVDC is proud to have an established collaboration with Towson University Community Dance. The artistic intersection of both entities thrives on the joint mission of nurturing a community of artists by providing quality artistic experiences for dancers through workshops, performances, and classes; growing and enhancing the Baltimore arts scene; and upholding dance as an appreciated, intellectual art form that encourages risk taking, self-awareness, and personal fulfillment.