Artist Profile: Tommy Lewey

By caitlin on March 11, 2013

Meet Tommy

Indianapolis based artist Tommy Lewey will be joining Indy Convergence for the first time this year, and we can’t wait to get to work with him. We asked him a few questions about his work, background and why he wanted to be a part of IC. Check back every Monday for a profile on one of our 2013 Indy Convergence artists.

What will you be working on at IC this year?

For the 2013 Indy Convergence I will be hosting a workshop on how to utilize improvisation in the creation of original or devised works. Improvisation is an opportunity to create your a world with its own unique perimeters and rules as a means to as ask questions and discover answers and “make something happen.” Regardless of medium or focus, improvisation can be an artist’s greatest and most beneficial tool to explore inspirations, ideas, intentions, and indulgences to discover new avenues, possibilities, and help alleviate any creative blocks. Any artist that seeks to explore should participate in the workshop.

I will also be working on a Side Project — an adaptation of Swan Lake into a modern dance theater piece that will be premiering in Fall of 2013 with NoExit Performance. My time spent at IC will involve working with dancers, actors, and other artists to aid in exploring the truth behind the story of the ballet and how to revitalize that truth in order to tell that story for a contemporary culture.

What attracted to you Indy Convergence?

I like to consider myself a collaborative artist — an artist who’s work strengthens by the concert efforts of other people with vast expertise and backgrounds. By hosting artists with various backgrounds, IC offers a dynamic environment in which creative individuals can learn, grow, and find new inspiration. It is this prospect that enticed me the most to participate in IC. I look forward to meeting people outside of my immediate circles of colleagues, the potential of new growth, and the development of Indianapolis arts.

Where are you from and what is your “artisitc” background?

I like to consider myself a dancer by training, a choreographer by profession, and a director by fate. Originally from Northwest Chicago where I received my initial training. In 2009, I graduated from Butler University with a BA in Dance Pedagogy. During  my tenure at Butler I performed in several original works with the Butler Ballet and Butler Theater. I also furthered my dance studies at the Jordan College Academy of Dance, Nutmeg Conservatory, LINES Ballet, and Bates Dance Festival. I now maintain a heavy involvement with the Indianapolis community by collaborating with NoExit Performance, Motus Dance Theatre, IndyFringe Theatre, and serving as a member of the dance faculty at Broad Ripple Magnet High School. My original work has been hailed as “visceral” and “proactively entertaining.”