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What The Press Has to Say
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Kathryn Ansite for The Brooklyn Record writes of Abby's latest show, Gutterball "...The result is something entirely accessible to audiences who would otherwise shy away from the "experimental" label. If you are in the mood for an edgy, provocative evening that will give you plenty to talk about over drinks afterwards, this is the show to catch. After all, this is what makes the New York arts scene extraordinary: we have more (and better, and weirder) options than just Spiderman III."

Julian Wise for The Martha's Vineyard Times, July, 2006 writes, "A fascinating artistic contrast took place at the Yard during its "Comedy and Classics" evening July 24. From the dramatic force of Jose Limon's masterworks to the surrealist creations of choreographer Abby Bender, the evening provided a stunning blend of drama and whimsy in equal parts..."

The New Yorker described Abby's 2003 premiere Monsters and Mirrors: heavy at play as "accessible pandemonium...five exuberant dances."

John Merchant for The Brooklyn Rail, Summer 2003, writes: "Welcome to Abby Bender's world...where lion tamers and tight rope walkers engage in a pas de deux; where sideshow callers, candy stripers, and trash men find treasures in rubbish heaps; where flash-dancers and video coupages strike a stunning tableaux; and where grand, strutting acrobatics result in luminous effects...A quick perusal of the dancers' program bios reflecs a broad range of experiences, from hipster and hippy, to teacher, student, waiter and globetrotter. Yet watching them in rehearsal, and recalling past performances, it is clear that something unique is going on to make such an unlikely group of people come together under one roof and, credibly, form a dance troupse. And, given the ecumenicity of the enterprise, the way it all comes togehter is almost uncanny..."

Meghan Sutherland in Paper Magazine, Summer 2001 writes: “The collective keeps doing whatever it wants-which sometimes includes putting non-dancers on stage… ’(They are) regular people who want to get on stage and bust a move,’ Childs says. ‘I think there’s a real hunger for this sort of freedom in the dance world right now’.”

John Merchant for The Brooklyn Rail, Summer 2001 writes: “…the hands down crowd-pleasingest grand finale was Abby Bender’s 3 Piece Suit/e. Twenty-four dancers in stiff white shirts, ties and “tighty whitey” briefs strut about and mug, engage in office chair surfing and get tied up in phone cords. First performed during the halcyon days back at Bard, I’m guessing that a decade’s worth of day jobs added some heft to the irony of this workplace fantasy. The mix of trained and amateur dancers added charm to the piece and underscored the choreographer’s mission to engage the greater community in an experience of modern dance performance.”

Michelle Dunn’s article in The Bardian, Spring 2000 reads: “…the group’s performances ‘transcend the confines of traditional modern dance. They’re funny, sexy, and wise-they appeal to both the dance aficianado and to those who wouldn’t normally frequent modern dance concerts’.”

nytheatre.com reviewer, Richard Hinojosa writes of Nharcolepsy, a play to which Abby contributed a dancy diddy. "...Director Patricia Buckley must have had a ball staging a performance such as this. The interplay between the two performers is so seemless and understated, that although I imagine she must have had a hand in it, it’s honestly hard to tell where direction really plays a part because of the immense talent that Harrington & Kauffman bring to the table. However, Abby Bender’s distinct role as choreographer marks one of the funniest segments of the show, the Dance of the Yeti, whose unpredictable precision cannot be explained but must be experienced."

Karinne Keithley writes in an OFFOFFOFF theater reveiw "The Yeti then summons Gustave to show him the Yeti dance — that most fulfilling of dances, which no man has ever seen, and after seeing which no man could die anything but a happy man. Choreographed by Abby Bender, the Yeti dance, a little bit silly, a little bit cool (like Azerbaijani cool) really is a beaut, especially when Gustave joins in, and it takes on the dimensions of multiplication — that magical thing of unison dancing... "

If you'd like to contribute a testimonial or provide feedback, please e-mail Abby. Thanks for your input!

"Gutterball is a playful romp through Abby Bender's overactive imagination, a well-crafted and inventive performance that never forgets to keep its audience marvelously entertained and shockingly stimulated. The central image of the show - a dozen or more Wizard-of-Oz Dorothys onstage at once - creates a manic theatrical spectacle that fascinates on a purely visual level, while evoking and critiquing cultural fables of troubled womanhood. Transcending kitchiness, Gutterball's Dorothys become Eve and Snow White, Madonna (both pop and biblical), a forest of dangling bodies, a living bowling alley, and the entire cast of Alice in Wonderland. With costumes, music, and movements that collage music videos, street theater, circus performance, lounge entertainment, and high modern dance, the work nevertheless provides plenty of emotional, narrative and conceptual threads to let the audience find its way into Gutterball's strange labyrinth and then back home again. Working with volunteer performers on a shoestring budget, in a performance space that Abby manages herself, Gutterball is a work of true theatrical magic. One can only wonder what damage this hurricane of a choreographer could wreak in a major dance venue."

"Saw some really interesting and funny work in Brooklyn last night at Triskelion Arts (a converted warehouse performance space). I wouldn't consider it full-on dance, but rather a strange, nonlinear narrative in movement and projected video footage.... something about animals taken captive in a jail. I never thought I'd like something like this, but the combination of 20 talented performers and the fact that the choreographer (Abby Bender) didn't take herself too seriously worked wonders."

"made me want to participate from the very start...."

"Brilliantly crafted and performed--loved the recurring themes..."
"What a great way to spend a night! I loved it...looking forward to future shows!"

"One of the great things about Abby's work is that you don't need to be knowledgeable about dance (or even a great fan of dance!) to enjoy her work. I'll never forget sitting in the audience for Dig Deep with a friend who leaned over to me and said: I don't usually like dance, but I like this!"
"Great music, great mix of dialogue, song and dance. Keep making great performances!"
"I love what you do. I want to be in your next piece. You must have another show!"
"I wept with laughter at the audience sock removal scene...lots of moments of utter genius..made me think about words and dance differently."
"Beautiful concepts, beautifully executed. Diversity in dancers (i.e. bodies, ethnicity)=vision and greatness!"
"Loved it! Hilarious! But I wanted to dance in the end."
"Great choreography...every performer looked like they were having fun. I saw it twice!"
"Organsisms, syncronicity, fluidy, miasma, dance hall madness! Great music, lighting and tech. effects. A great talent pool.

"Working with Abby was one of the best New York City performance experiences I have ever had. As a maker of performance myself, I learned so much from witnessing her process during Dig Deep. She is absolutely committed to bringing her ideas to life in a manner that is true to her creative vision. And I have never seen anyone so nimbly command a wild troupe of over twenty performers of all stripes and flavors!"

"The experience of working with Abby Bender is completely different from seeing her work performed. Underneath the house lights, she takes people to new worlds: corridors and grassy fields, circuses and abbatoirs. She never plays down to her audiences' intelligences. She never cuts corners to make a performance, well, her idea of perfect. She has a desire to make beauty out of simplicity, to make glamour out of novices. And she succeeds. This is Abby Bender, the artist. And this is the person I admire. Abby Bender, the craftsman, is a completely different creature. She swills coffee till she can't retain a jot of cogency. She has nervous breakdowns, crying fits, moments of throwing her hands up in the air to abandon everything. She gets tired; her work wears her out. And still she persists. This is the Abby Bender I love. And she gives every performance she puts her heart and sweat into a humanity that could only come from the richest depths of her own."

"When I came to New York in 2000 one of my goals was to perform. Abby Bender made that dream come true for me. Abby's strength lies in her remarkable ability to assess your strengths and improve upon your weaknesses. Her organization, sense of play and her dynamic understanding of the collaborative nature of dance is what makes performing in her pieces such a unique experience. The attention to details like the vast array of dance training, personal backgrounds and the journeys each individual's life has taken them on creates an atmosphere of family and exploration among it's participants. To dance in a Bender piece is a very special experience-- a kind of movement therapy found no where else. Whether you're young or old, professional or a novice, short or tall, fat or thin, a place in Abby's dance galaxy awaits you."

"Abby guides her dancers to explore, experiment, and create visionary movement. My first time professionally dancing was with Abby, and to
see and feel her artistic process was an experience I will never forget!"
"I didn't start dancing unil I was in my mid-20's. Not the common route for a dancer. But I was introduced to Abby Bender through an acquaintance in 2003, and have been a member of her company ever since. I have always loved to dance. And I have always loved to be on stage. But as for being a professional, I certainly never even considered it a possibility. I am not the best dancer in the company. I have no training outside the (considerable) training I have recieved from Abby over the past 5 years. And yet I never walk onto the stage for one of her shows without knowing that I, and my fellow dancers, look amazing, beautiful, and sometimes silly - but never foolish. Abby has many gifts, one of which is knowing how to showcase talent. Each of us in the company have different body types, styles and abilities, and Abby uses each of these to bring out not only beautiful dancing, but true entertainment. Plus, it's a whole bunch of fun!"

"Abby shows great insight and creativity as a choreographer. She utilizes her artistic community to its maximum ability. She works alongside each member to develop existing training into uncharted levels of potential.Her encouragement of input enabled an excellent group dynamic. Contributing in any way I can has given me great pleasure and satisfaction."
"I am so grateful that there is a space like Triskelion Arts here in the city. The individuals involved there coupled with the level of professionalism and passion for creation provides a space – a safe haven from the banal routines of the day – to expand, challenge, and be challenged on conditioned perspectives of dance theory. Having had no previous professional dance instruction, I had a difficult time securing a dance space that worked with individuals in applying and advancing their techniques more effectively than Schmantze Theatre. My experience with Triskelion has unearthed unexpected, dynamic, fresh styles of applying the imagination, intuition and wisdom of the body into movement. Director and dance choreographer Abby Bender has created an inspiring space where individuals from all levels of experience are motivated to turn themselves inside out in hopes of becoming more attuned and grounded in not only dance, but also in life."

"From an audience point of view, Abby's work looks like controlled chaos, making the choreography fun and interesting to watch. She is able to put real life and action into Modern Dance - this is a skill where many other choreographers fall short. Working with her as a dancer is a similiar experience... we are treated as people as well as dancers- very refreshing!! She actively cultivates a sense of community among her dancers and this comes through in the 'life' of the choreography when it is performed. Her work may sometimes be confusing to learn, but is always very exciting to perform - Abby truly is a mad scientist!"

"Being involved with Abby and Schmantze has been an unbelievable experience! Going in I had no idea what to expect but I felt an immediate connection. Abby's movement and creative choices enhance everyone's capabilities, regardless of experience or previous dance training. She is a force who brings different people together all sharing the same love of creativity and art. The end result leaves me in amazement!!!!!"
"Abby makes magic on stage and off. She turns ordinary people into superstars ready to contend with legends such as Fred Astaire and John Travolta. Her pieces take on a life of their own because the performers are having as much fun as the audience is. Such a bundle of talents is a rare find."

"Abby is my cousin but being in her pieces always makes me feel like a pro. Her instruction is gentle and thorough and, above all, fun. She makes everyone feel like a star, regardless of relation or ability. The sense of community she inspires creates a loyalty among her dancers that, from my observation, is unmatched in other similar groups."

"There were times during rehearsals when Abby told us (fledgling dancers) what we would be doing, and my jaw would quietly drop as I thought to myself, 'This will never happen.' But it did, time and again, with stunning results. Abby turned me into Fred Astaire – literally! (For 86 counts.) And, given my under-abundance of finesse, that is an enormous feat. As I am something of a control freak, I also loved and admired Abby’s way of letting the piece happen, shaping it over the course of the rehearsals with assuring confidence. Adding suggestions and fortuitous accidents, dropping beloved sections after they didn’t fit in--Abby guided the process with a grace that I could only hope to emulate. The construction of the piece was extraordinary to watch and to be a part of. If she was stressed, I never knew it. I love Abby’s ability to combine, in just the right proportions, her humor, energy, and sense of poignancy. My only regret is that the run couldn’t go on, and on, and on…"

"During the production of Dig Deep in the spring of 2004 I became pregnant with Abby Bender's child. I am due any day now. I have yet to tell her this news. I would have aborted the fetus if it had been any other choreographer, but I think she's a genius and it would be irresponsible of me not to assist, in my own small way, in this further contribution that her genes will make to the world."
"Schmantze is imagination never broken. Schmantze is captivating and entrancing. It is many worlds intertwining. I sometimes forget I'm onstage, I'm so stuck in the imaginary worlds we've created. Schmantze invites us to keep on, to try all these flavors that fill the taste buds and leave us hoping it will keep on going just a little bit more and more...The practice is a simultaneous blend of loose fun and seriousness with the variety of energies that we all bring. This helps us develop: We're all real people who have jobs and our own personal problems, so for a shot in the day to submerge ourselves in a supportive, wacky environment is something I look foward going to and coming back to. Everyone is professional and learns from each other's different disciplines that all come together. Schmantze attracts a wide ranging audience that is rare-people bring their cousins, mothers, children, fathers, girlfriends, boyfriends, even ex-friends, people who may have not been exposed to these kind of performance experiences and dont have the opportunity to in their lives. Once they do, it is cool to share their enjoyment post-show (with their eyes blown open and their words taken over by their laughter.) All this keeps it exciting and brand new and reminds me that I'm alive"