World-renown Dance Group to Perform "Ferocious Beauty: Genome" in Rochester

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Using the medium of dance, "Ferocious Beauty: Genome" turns the spotlight on human genomics in a setting other than a scientific laboratory. Demonstrating the topic's relevance to the entire community, the production explores the future of genetic science and its impact on human life. The timely performance is especially relevant to the Rochester community, as host to the newest genomics research facility in the Midwest the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics.

Hosted by Mayo Clinic Center for Humanities in Medicine, the performance will be held at 7 p.m., Nov. 9, 2006, at Mayo Civic Center's Presentation Hall. The presentation is free and open to the public. There is no advance ticketing for the event.

"Ferocious Beauty: Genome" is a two-act performance. Act I is approximately 60 minutes, and Act II, approximately 30 minutes. Act I takes the audience into the laboratories of scientists and offers an imaginative view of several genetically related themes from history and folklore. Act II examines long life, selection and perfection, and the nature of ancestry. The production incorporates projected video and still imagery, a complex soundscape and richly textured lighting.

Developed through collaboration with scientists, bioethicists, researchers, clergy and artists, "Ferocious Beauty: Genome" is produced by world-renowned choreographer Liz Lerman. Generous financial contributions from several sources have made this production and the Rochester performance possible. Donors include the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, with lead support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Jack Taylor Family Foundation.

Founded by Liz Lerman in 1976, the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange breaks boundaries between stage and audience, theater and community, movement and language, tradition and the unexplored.

Mayo Clinic Center for Humanities in Medicine integrates the arts, history and ethics into the medical environment to support the Mayo ideal that the needs of the patient come first. For more information, please visit Mayo Clinic Center for Humanities in Medicine (www.mayoclinic.org/humanities-in-medicine).

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About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy of "the needs of the patient come first." More than 3,700 physicians, scientists and researchers and 50,100 allied health staff work at Mayo Clinic, which has sites in Rochester, Minn; Jacksonville, Fla; and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. and community based providers in more than 70 locations in Southern Minn., Western Wis. and Northeast Iowa. These locations treat more than half a million people each year. To obtain the latest news releases from Mayo Clinic, go to www.mayoclinic.org/news. For information about research and education, visit www.mayo.edu. MayoClinic.com is available as a resource for your health stories.