About a year ago, Maxime Werk, an IU senior studying liberal studies and contemporary dance, came up with the idea to create a one-of-a-kind collective platform that could blend various art forms into one immersive experience.
With the help of her producers, IU alumna Nicole Alpizar and IU senior Maddie Shimura, Werk's brainchild manifested on Friday and Saturday as the "POP Production” in the clubhouse of The Fields apartment complex.
“Everything in Hollywood feels stuck on sequels and recycled ideas,” Werk said. “I was bored and frustrated and it felt like the creative industry was becoming less and less creative. I wanted to do something innovative and the only way to do that is to bring in multiple perspectives and ideas.”
The clubhouse was bedecked with earthy Bohemian decorations and fairy lights to reflect the free-spirited nature of the art on display. Participants were ticketed at $15 with a $12 early-bird price, and were free to mingle and explore the display tables and activities before doors to the live show opened at 7:30 p.m.
The tables featured a myriad of eclectic art forms handcrafted around the theme of the event. Participants could indulge in light refreshments while strolling around to purchase art works, posters and paintings, get a tattoo done by a professional or have their fortune divined by a tarot card reader. The Tap brewery catered the refreshments, featuring a limited-edition cocktail dubbed the “Pop, Lock and Drop It” for the event.
Werk said the event allowed the artists to collaborate and express their visions, with every artist creating their own work under the show’s theme. She said she initially wanted the show to represent a singular theme with POP standing for “Power of Pleasure,” but decided to segment the live show into four acts, each representing power, pleasure, privilege and peace, respectively.
“I didn’t want this to be a one-time show,” she said. “I wanted it to grow — to be a touring production with different themes, artists and cities. Those four themes became the foundation for how musicians composed, how dancers created improvisational work and how other artists built their pieces.”
Werk said the performers met through a call-out during the fall semester. She said although they had rehearsed throughout the process, not everyone had been able to attend every time, and this week was the first time everything had come together.
Not everything came together as smoothly as Werk had expected, with an untimely hurdle at the eleventh hour. She said the City of Bloomington shut down the original venue — The Mill — April 4 because of structural issues.
“We got the call at 4 p.m., just a week before the show,” she said. “So, we scrambled, called everyone we could and got lucky. The Fields didn’t have an event scheduled, and they let us in. It felt meant to be. The vibe is perfect.”
Elizabeth Capetillo, an IU alumna and one of the singers in the live show, said she was putting up flyers for her own music when she saw the call-out for the POP Production and decided to join immediately.
“Being in a space that allows true creative collaboration — nothing forced — is something I’ve been longing for,” she said.
At 7:30 p.m., the audience was invited to the live show. The two-hour set of dance and musical performances incorporated interludes at the end of every act to allow other types of art to be expressed on stage.
“From the moment you step in, you’re not just an audience member, but a part of a living, breathing work of art,” Werk said in the opening speech. “Nothing at the POP will ever be recreated, so what you experience here will be truly one-of-a-kind.”
There was no stage laid out, keeping the performers at level ground with the audience to augment the immersive aspect of the show. The performers even moved up close to audience members during some of the presentations.
Most of the performances involved four dancers gracefully exhibiting interpretative dance to the tune of singers and musicians playing their own tracks. The first interlude featured a brief film presentation with the aid of holographic projections on the walls.
The second interlude to mark the intermission featured the first course of the night — a color-changing soup — by aspiring chef and IU student Alexia Kline. She also came up with other bite-sized vegan dishes to be eaten at specific moments throughout the show.
The third interlude featured a live tap-dancing paint performance by Robert Burden, a visiting professor in the IU Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance. The paintings from both days of the show were available to purchase after the show for $500.
The live show concluded with an upbeat dance with performers calling the audience up front for a convivial dance celebration together.
Evelyn Melton, an IU student among the audience, praised the cast and crew for all their effort in making the show come alive.
“I really love art, and I was really connected to all the art forms that were put on today,” she said. “I feel like showcasing all of those talents was really powerful and impactful to me personally.”
Werk is passionate about creating immersive, collaborative experiences that bring the community together. She said she envisions the POP Production to be a touring show like the Cirque du Soleil, with each city having its own name, theme, lineup and collaborating artists.
“We’re thinking LA might be next since both my producers and I are interested in moving there,” she said. “I’m not sure if we’ll do another show in Bloomington next year, but this will always be our home base. If people want it, we’ll bring it back.”
