Final Nick Cave Dance Lab Experiments with Campus Martius

Nick Cave, the American performance artist and textile sculptor best known for creations he calls "soundsuits," wearable sculptures made of wildly colored and shaped fabric, fringes, feathers, beads, found objects, children's toys and maybe even an actual kitchen sink, has brought his kinetic art to Detroit for both a studio art exhibition at the Cranbrook Museum and a series of dance performances. Cave, who also danced with Alvin Ailey, brings his soundsuits to Detroit this summer, where local dancers and musicians have been using them in a series of experimental performances very appropriately titled "Dance Labs." The third and final installment in the series hits Campus Martius Friday, July 31 and will occur alongside the Campus Martius Beach Party. The Campus Martius spin on Dance Lab, sponsored (of course) by Quicken Loans, is choreographed by Hardcore Detroit, will feature music by the Odu Afrobeat Orchestra.
Dance Lab at Dequindre Cut:

Dance Lab at Ruth Ellis Center:

Work from Nick Cave's Here Hear exhibition at the Cranbrook Art Museum:

The first Dance Lab performance took place at the Ruth Ellis Center earlier this month with choreography by Marcus White and music by DJ John Collins. The second took place at Dequindre Cut July 26 and highlighted work by Biba Bell and Frank Pahl. Cave worked with Detroit dancers and musicians to create the Dance Lab series, giving each set of collaborators with a box of supplies and allowing them a free hand to create performances based on the items provided.

The performances complement Cave's Cranbrook Art Museum show, Here Hear. The 7,000 square-foot exhibition allows visitors to see Cave's otherworldly soundsuits, along with some of his newer commissions and a tapestry made specifically for the venue. Visitors can also explore Cave's video work. The gallery show contains a "Map in Action" room containing the soundsuits and video of the Dance Lab performances.

The final Dance Lab performance takes place at Friday at 6:30 pm at Campus Martius. Here Here remains at the Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills through October 11.

·Soundsuit Shop [Soundsuit Shop]
·Nick Cave's Here Hear Exhibition [Cranbrook Art Museum]
·Hardcore Detroit Dance Crew [Hardcore Detroit]
·Odu Afrobeat Orchestra [Soundcloud]