About
Conceived of by Courtney Wise and Robin Dekkers in 2017, Art Haus Collective is a performing arts organization dedicated to bringing edgy, spectacular performances of classical and contemporary works into unique spaces. In 2017 their performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring at Burning Man drew a crowd of estimated 10,000 and a photo capturing the moment earned a spot in the Smithsonian “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man” exhibit. The group is made up largely of members of the Bay Area arts communities as well as artists from all over the world. Art Haus is creating exciting new experiences around classical music that defy expectations.
Burning Man 2022
Terry Riley's In C
at Catharsis
Art Haus Collective is pleased to announce that at Burning Man 2022 “Waking Dreams” they will present a performance of Terry Riley’s seminal work of minimalism In C. In collaboration with Catharsis, an outdoor amphitheater embodying the spirit of community, we will create a one-of-a-kind communal music and movement experience. Riley’s indeterminate masterpiece requires no rehearsal, no conductor, and invites any number of musicians to participate in the creation of the work as they play through the musical phrases at their own pace. Choreographer Robin Dekkers will create movement modules for the dancers to enact during the performance. The audience will be invited to experience the performance from inside, above, and around the performers as Catharsis provides a fully immersive experience, breaking down the barriers between those giving and receiving the artistic gift. Catharsis is a fractal gallery for our infinite dreams and In C is a fractal composition of infinite possibility.
We are particularly excited by the flexibility of this performance. We are able to welcome any number of performers, any instrumentation, and many levels of experience. This performance will not require any formal rehearsal for the musicians and we simply suggest that musicians who are unfamiliar with the music take a look at it beforehand. Robin’s dance modules can be learned in person at dance rehearsals in San Francisco, or via video at the dancer’s leisure. This allows us to deal with the realities and unpredictabilities of living with Covid while still bringing our community together and creating spectacular art.
Press
Stravinsky Festival Preview in 48 Hills
Rite of Spring photos in Business Insider
24 Hours at Burning Man Interviews
Beginning at 26:28 and 1:03:41
Rite of Spring in USA Today's photo slideshow
Rite of Spring Preview in the SF Chronicle
Rite of Spring Preview in Critical Dance
Directors
Music Director
Brad Hogarth
Director of Choreography
Robin Dekkers
At the age of 31, Brad has performed extensively throughout North America, Europe and Japan. Equally comfortable on stage, on the podium, and in the classroom, he is the Assistant Professor of Wind Ensemble and Conducting at San Francisco State University, the music director and conductor of the Contra Costa Wind Symphony, while maintaining a busy performance schedule as a trumpeter.
Since moving to Bay Area, he has performed with the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Ballet, UC Berkeley's Eco Ensemble, the San Francisco Contremporary Music players, and many of the Bay Areas orchestras and ensembles. He is currently the acting 2nd trumpet for the Reno Chamber Orchestra’s 2016-2017 season.
An avid educator, he was the Chair of Instrumental Music, Band and Orchestra director of Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts High School. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, Brad taught music for one year at the Gunma Kokusai Academy in Ota Gunma, Japan.
Brad holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the San Francisco
Conservatory of Music. More info can be found at www.bradhogarth.com
Executive Director/
Producer
Courtney Wise
Courtney first went to Burning Man in 2015 and was immediately hooked. After her return in 2016, a vision of ballet dancers and orchestra members out on the open playa pushed her to incorporate her professional work into the world of Burning Man, and upon the announcement that the theme of 2017 would be Radical Ritual, she knew that a performance of Rite of Spring was in order. Together with Robin Dekkers, she founded Art Haus for this purpose.
Courtney holds a Bachelors of Music in flute performance from the University Of Southern California Thornton School Of Music and a Masters of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She is a co-founding member of the flute and guitar duo, Duo Bohème with Guitarist Lyle Sheffler which boasts a wide repertoire of varying genres of flute and guitar music from around the globe. The duo released their debut album, Senza Misura, in November 2014 to glowing acclaim.
In addition to performing, Courtney supports executives at Google as an Administrative Business Partner. Learn more about her artistic projects at www.courtneywise.com
Named “25 To Watch” by DANCE Magazine, Robin Dekkers is founder and artistic director of Post:Ballet. Collaborating with eclectic artists to present programming that is “anything but risk averse” (SF Chronicle), Robin has created a range of new works for Post together with artists working in film, visual art, animation, architecture, sculpture, fashion design, and new music.
Robin has received commissions from Atlanta Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Smuin Ballet, sjDANCEco, Novaballet, and Diablo Ballet, where they are currently resident choreographer. Their works have been presented at venues including the Tanzsommer Festival (Vienna), the Ballet Builders Showcase (New York City), Against the Grain (Seattle), and West Wave Dance Festival (San Francisco). Robin danced professionally with Ballet Arizona, ODC/Dance, Company C Contemporary Ballet, and Diablo Ballet, where they were nominated for an Isadora Duncan Award for “Outstanding Performance- Individual” for their 2012-13 season. Robert is a faculty member at Berkeley Ballet Theater and regularly teaches company classes for LINES Ballet, Smuin Ballet, and ODC/Dance.
In 2013, Robin attended the Burn for the first time with their dear friend Jan the Divine.Find out more about Robert’s work at postballet.org.
Artistic Manager
Jeannie Psomas
Jeannie is the principal clarinetist with the Reno Chamber Orchestra as well as the second clarinetist with the Fresno Philharmonic. She has appeared with the San Francisco Symphony, the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, the San Francisco Opera, and the New Century Chamber Orchestra. Jeannie also plays clarinet with the Bay Area Woodwind Sextet Frequency 49.
Born and raised in the Sunset District of San Francisco, Jeannie attended the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts high school, and also played clarinet in the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. She began her undergrad at Rice University and completed her Bachelors of Music at the Eastman School of Music, where she toured with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and studied with both Kenneth Grant and Jon Manasse. Jeannie graduated with her Master's degree in clarinet performance at the San Francisco Conservatory in 2012, where she studied with Luis Baez and was awarded Departmental Honors.
Costume Designer
Christian Squires
Christian Squires is costume designer and creative director for Post:Ballet as well as a principal dancer with the company. Christian has danced with Boston Ballet, Copenhagen International Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Smuin Ballet, and Diablo Ballet, performing featured roles in works by choreographers including William Forsythe, George Balanchine, Val Caniparoli, Twyla Tharp, Jorma Elo, James Kudelka, and Helen Pickett. Christian uses his experience as a dancer, as well as his talent to encapsulate an idea visually through the use of costuming, to develop a unique visual environment for each of his eclectic collaborations. Christian has costumed several of Robert Dekkers’ works, including Happy Ending, ourevolution, See Saw, Flight of the Dodo, AnOther, and Post’s full-evening collaboration with The Living Earth Show, Do Be. He recently collaborated with Robert to create costumes for Firebird, an original full-length production with Quixotic Cirque Noveau, and is excited to be a part of Art Haus
Media Galleries
Photos from Burning Man 2017
Get Involved
If you are interested in joining us in 2020 please email: info@arthausonplaya.com
For more information, check out our FAQ doc
Donate
Art Haus Collective is a fiscally-sponsored arts organization, which relies on fundraising and donations. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas, to help us continue creating big, innovative art!
Special Thanks
Thank you to our generous supporters:
Thank you to everyone who generously donated to our Fractured Atlas Fundraiser Campaign!