“The only people for me are the mad ones...mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous Roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.”
ABOUT ME
Sarah Tallman was born and raised in Colorado. With a passion for the dramatic, her early training pushed her through the rigors of classical ballet and exposed her to music and theatrics. Sarah studied with Cherie Noble, Lizanne McAdams-Graham, Arthur Leeth, and Jeffrey Rockland.
Recently retired from a 22 year professional performance career, Sarah is currently serving as Ballet Master and Associate Choreographer for Wonderbound, Denver’s premier contemporary dance company.
She spent 15 years performing with Wonderbound and has danced in over 30 original works by Artistic Director, Garrett Ammon. Her technical prowess and artistic development over that time was guided by President, Dawn Fay. She has performed alongside musicians, poets, mentalists, and visual artists. Additionally, Sarah was featured in world premiers by Mark Godden, Alex Ketley, Maurya Kerr, Robert Mills, Laurie Stallings, Amy Seiwert, LeeWei Chao, Ma Cong and Jennifer Hart and danced as a principal artist with Central City Opera,
An accomplished choreographer, she has created several works for Wonderbound in collaboration with Denver based musicians and visual artists. She has created works for Oklahoma City Ballet, Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Western Arkansas Ballet, University of Northern Colorado, Kent State University and Denver School of the Arts. Sarah was the 2015 recipient of the National Choreographers Initiative. Sarah is guided by the humility that permeates the human spirit. She believes art and the stimulus of music and movement can awaken the senses by exploring the complexities of being human. The simple things that make Sarah smile include twinkling lights, and the color orange. She resides in Denver with her loving husband, and their pets.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As a dance maker I intend to create a connection through the landscape of music and movement. I aim to take the artist and viewer alike on a visual and emotional journey. I use classicism as a point of a departure and am influenced by the abstract as a vehicle to communicate. I find pleasure in the challenge of juxtaposing primal instinct alongside refined technique. My work is influenced by the theatrical and guided by the human spirit. I am motivated by illustrating matters of the heart while leaning into explosive and nuanced power of the body. Music is a vital tool in any creation. Using counterpoint, rhythms, patterns and themes influence my movement as it provides a roadmap to the process and finished product. I value challenge as a means for growth for myself, collaborators and the audience alike.
Choreographer
