Once upon a time we were in rehearsal with our friend John Scott in Dublin, who would occasionally drop out mid-dance and exclaim, “Oooh, Magpie!” and run to the window. Each time this happened, he would count the number of magpies and either celebrate or lament the number. We were confused and he explained by introducing us to this rhyme about magpies that would divine one’s luck, good or bad: “One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret never to be told, Eight for a wish, Nine for a kiss, Ten for a bird you must not miss.” Before the end of rehearsal, we all found ourselves at the window where we stopped, looked, and wondered for a long time. There were way more than ten magpies. What kind of luck could we expect?
Created by
Taryn Griggs and Chris Yon,
in collaboration with the performers
Sound Collage by
Chris Yon
Video by
Steve Morrison
Lighting Design by
David Ferri
Performed by
Rae Cozart Faith Fidgeon
Taryn Griggs Gerri Houlihan
Maddy O’Brien Kendall Ramirez
Caitlyn Swett Chris Yon
Special thanks to Jodee Nimerichter, David Ferri, Kelsey Riner, Ana Sanchez, Jennifer Scully-Thurston, and everybody at ADF for committing to the presentation of this show after multiple COVID postponements. Thanks to Sue Williams at Appalachian State University for letting us borrow the blue jumpsuits. Thanks to UNCSA’s School of Dance for rehearsal space and to Brenda Daniels and Trish Casey for their encouragement and support. Thanks also to the Arts Council of Winston-Salem Forsyth County and the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art for supporting work-in-progress iterations of what you are seeing this evening.