Ferndale Resident's New Professional Dance Company Takes the Stage

Who needs New York?

Ferndale resident Kristi Faulkner, who founded Metro Detroit-based professional dance company Kristi Faulkner Dance in 2012, sure doesn't. The New York-trained artist and her troupe will debut KFD's first full-length performance this week in Detroit.

"KFD's Detroit Debut Concert will include a wide range of work, from a short dance film set in a graffiti yard to Faulkner’s acclaimed solo performance, 'Peculiar Juice,' to her newest work, 'Four Letter Word,' which explores gender, sexuality and the sometimes humorous manifestations of love," according to a press release.

Faulkner recently answered a few questions for Ferndale Patch about herself, the company and the show.

When did you graduate from college/move to Michigan?

I completed my MFA in choreography and performance in 2009 (at The College at Brockport in New York) and moved to Ferndale in 2010. I officially started my company, Kristi Faulkner Dance, in 2012.

Are you originally from Metro Detroit? If not, why locate here?

I am originally from Toledo and lived in a few different states for work and education before settling in Michigan. I moved to this area because I love the creative energy and potential that exists here. I was really excited about the prospect of moving to an area that had an appreciation for dance and performance, but was not overly-saturated with it. There is something supremely satisfying about working to unite a community through performance and exposing audiences to things that they may not have had access to in the past.

Are any of the performers in the company Ferndale residents?

My performers all live in the Metro Detroit area – Ferndale, Detroit, Royal Oak and Dearborn.

How many performers are part of the company?

The number of performers really depends on the project. Currently, I am working with five dancers – four of whom are performing in this show.

Is there any tie between your performance "Peculiar Juice" and the song "Strange Fruit"? 

That's a really interesting correlation! No, there isn't a tie ... "Peculiar Juice" incorporates an old radio broadcast of "Beautiful Dreamer" in the score, but Billy Holiday's "Strange Fruit" would definitely create a very interesting version of the work. This piece has had numerous transitions over the years and with each new addition, the meaning has shifted and grown which I think is the most exciting part of the creative process.

Is there anything else you'd like to say to the Ferndale community?

I hope to see my Ferndale community at the performance! I also teach numerous regular classes and workshops in the Ferndale and Detroit area (Affirmations, Agora Arts and artLabJ) that I hope the community will take advantage of. In addition to offering professional level performances, I am committed to making dance a visceral experience and accessible to people of all ages and ability levels. To get more information about these opportunities, please check out our website, "like" the Kristi Faulkner Dance Facebook page and join our mailing list!

If you go

• When: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, June 27 and June 28; doors open at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Jam Handy Building, 2900 E. Grand Blvd, Detroit.
• Cost: $10 in advance or $15 at the door; click here to buy tickets.
• What else: Make an eligible donation to KFD’s fundraising campaign on Indiegogo to receive complimentary tickets for the performance.