ANIMAL Dance, the Burlington-based performance and production company directed by Hanna Satterlee, will present four performances of "This is Also Possible" at Phantom Theater in Warren, on August 8, 9, and 10. This full-length multidisciplinary work examines how people navigate constant change and upheaval in a rapidly shifting world.
"This is Also Possible" emerged from Satterlee's response to witnessing global catastrophes and asks the urgent question: "What else is possible with our independent power?" The piece began as "Whelm," an 18-minute work created in response to the war in Gaza, exploring the embodiment of being "engulfed by rage, buried in disbelief, yet still submerged by day-to-day life."
“I picked the work back up in September 2024, and with two dancers, Caitlin Morgan and Grace Palmer, expanded the movement from ‘Whelm’ into a multidisciplinary full-length piece, retitled ‘This Is Also Possible,’” Satterlee explained. “This new title helped me embrace and surrender to the whelm of living in our situation(s). The phrase ‘this is also possible’ can be uttered both as a lament and a reassurance.”
The performance features dancers Morgan and Palmer alongside Satterlee, moving through what the choreographer describes as feeling "inside a collapsed building, the edges surrounding me pliable if I believe I can move them." The work is enhanced by visual elements created by artist Adrian Tans and an original score by sound artist Willverine, who will perform live during the two Sunday, August 10 performances.
ANIMAL Dance's artistic focus highlights "the sentience shared between species, honoring the ephemeral language of the body in motion,” said Satterlee. She chose the company name to evoke the compelling quality of watching an animal in motion – requiring no story or explanation to be captivating and relatable.
“ANIMAL Dance's work is designed to be accessible to all viewers, requiring no prior dance knowledge or experience to appreciate and connect with the performances,” said Satterlee.
The choreographer's unique creative process involves mapping concepts through notebooks, sound recordings, daily walks, and dreams before translating ideas into movement through site-based improvisation.
"I use the tool of improvisation because it induces a trance in me, giving my body less resistance to experience a daring adventure," Satterlee explains. The final choreography emerges through collaborative work with skilled dancers, creating what she calls "non-narrative chapters" where bodies express the essence of concepts rather than telling stories.
Performances of “This is Also Possible” take place on Friday, August 8 and Saturday, August 9 at 8pm, as well as on Sunday, August 10, with shows at both 6pm and 8pm. The Friday and Saturday shows will include an artist “talk back” following the performance, and the August 10 performances will feature live musical accompaniment. Tickets are available at www.theaterengine.com/companies/1.
As part of their residency at Phantom Theater, the three performers are each hosting special events to expand on their offerings to the community, and to share their individual approaches and styles of dance.
A “Queer Country Line Dance” will take place on Friday, August 1st from 7-9:30pm at the Warren Town Hall. Beginners are encouraged, and friends and allies of the queer community are encouraged to join this special evening of line dance instruction and open dancing. This event is drop-in friendly with a $10 suggested entry (cash or venmo). Contact
On Saturday, August 2, dancer Caitlin Morgan will host “Finding Flow: An Open-Level Contemporary Movement” workshop from 4:30-6 p.m. at Phantom Theater. Through meditative exercises, warming prompts, and choreographed containers, participants learn how to take up space in a way that honors their unique bodies and desires. Pre-registration is required by August 1 via email to
Hanna Satterlee will offer a “Movement and Creation” workshop on Tuesday, August 5, from noon-2 p.m. and Thursday, August 7, from 6-8 p.m. at Phantom Theater. Participants will explore multiple ways and styles of moving, plus tactics and scores for dance creation. No formal dance training is needed; just the desire to experiment, create, and celebrate bodies in motion. Pre-registration required by August 4 via email to
