Articles and Reviews

"Prepare to be enthralled by a feature-length presentation of our live capture finalist, Regard, directed by the talented Alyssa Eve Mitchel. This stunning work is more than just a performance; it is a deep exploration of the authentic, soulful connections that exist between individuals.

Regard showcases a beautiful fusion of movement and emotion, inviting audiences to witness the profound relationships that unfold through dance. The choreography is a testament to the power of collaboration, featuring a diverse array of dancers who come together to express shared experiences of love, vulnerability, and connection.

As you watch, you will be captivated by the intricate interplay of bodies and the way they communicate with one another, transcending words to convey feelings that resonate deeply within us all. Each movement is infused with intention and passion, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own relationships and the bonds that unite us as human beings.

Join us for this extraordinary journey that not only celebrates art in motion but also serves as a reminder of the beauty found within our connections, Don't miss your chance to experience Regard, an unforgettable celebration of humanity through the expressive medium of dance."

~Stefanie Herrmannsdörfer,
Inspired Dance Film Festival
Sydney, Australia

Ismael Acosta and Jessica DeFranco in Alyssa Mitchel's "Here. Now." (November 2021). Photo by Kyle Adler

"Hair-on-fire-gifted."
~Lizz Roman, Choreographer and Artistic Director of Lizz Roman & Dancers, Rachel Howard//SF Chronicle Datebook, July 2023

"Delighted to add her to an illustrious list of artists making the most of the angled walls and 36 diamond-shaped windows within the Stephen & Maribelle Leavitt Yud Gallery, a light-filled architectural gem designed for live performance, the [Contemporary Jewish] Museum gave Mitchel carte blanche."
-Rachel Howard, SF Chronicle Datebook, July 2023

"Watching Mitchel coach her dancers, it's clear she's good at sustaining true connections."
-Rachel Howard, SF Chronicle Datebook, July 2023

"A rising talent in the Bay Area dance scene, the 30-year-old San Francisco native will present the world premiere of her work 'Regard' at The Contemporary Jewish Museum over the first two weeks in August...Mitchel's most ambitious and elaborate work to date."
-Andrew Gilbert, The Jewish News of Northern California, July 2023

"[Mitchel's] movement itself complemented and contrasted the music throughout the piece. Sometimes matching the sharper notes with spritely, playful energy, and other times creating long drawn out shapes following the deeper tones in the music. Stillness was placed before or after phrases of quicker steps. Long leg extensions and balances followed a duet with a series of lifts. The movement styles ranged from contemporary and partnering to stepping and breaking. No matter the movement quality, there was a rhythm to the piece that made everything flow together and blend one moment into the next."
~Mary Jane Agnew, Dance Matters, December 2021

"[Mitchel's] choreography also highlighted connection, to each other, to our surroundings, and to ourselves, and this could be felt between the dancers during the performance. The use of breath was emphasized throughout the piece as a way to center oneself, and it was also what the dancers used to match up their movements. As an audience member, I was made conscious of the importance of my own breath as I witnessed the dancers use it to communicate and help themselves through such physical choreography."
~Mary Jane Agnew, Dance Matters, December 2021

"That these two entities would collaborate and present this dance work together is inspiring. The Exploratorium is well known as an imaginative space of science, inquiry, curiosity, community and transformative experiences. Mitchel, a dancer and choreographer has a long time fascination with mathematics and together with a deep interest in exploring mindfulness, meditation and fulfillment. This is a true melding of art and science. Mitchel began working on Here. Now. during the pandemic and it is appropriate that it is presented outdoors and offered to the public now – not only as an entertainment, but also as a generous and visceral way to bring community together, to reflect and enjoy the live performance."
~Jo Tomalin, For All Events, November 2021

"Throughout, Alyssa watches, engages, offers feedback. She’s a dynamo, full of energy and vitality. She looks one moment like a student, a young dancer (which she still is, actually), and the next, a seasoned choreographer. She’s got a clear image of what she wants from the dancers, from the work itself, and she coaxes it out of them...Alyssa is the 2019 fourth-quarter recipient of the Classical Girl Giving program for this project. How could I resist?"
~Terez Rose, The Classical Girl, August 2019

“This is the second time I've seen Mitchel's work...The dancing in Frustration clearly embodied and expressed the myriad ways frustration manifests - as small fits, exhaustion, isolation. The dance also served as a reminder that we are not alone, especially when it comes to learning and the structures that constrain the process. The research behind Frustration is compelling...My 7-year old daughter wrote in her notes that this (i.e frustration) 'happens a lot of times to me.' The message in Frustration clearly speaks across ages, which doesn't happen very often in dance but maybe it should more."
~Michelle LaVigne, Dance Matters, April 2019

“Mitchel[‘s]...choreographic movements clearly worked through some of the questions we have about the relationship between intelligence and learning. The end of the dance aptly captured the idea that intelligence is an ongoing process and place of wonder and perhaps a kind of play.”
~Michelle LaVigne, Dance Matters, December 2018

Links to Articles and Reviews:

Interview with Alyssa Mitchel, Choreographer
Jewish Federation Greater Raleigh, |November 12th, 2024| READ ARTICLE

NCMA DANCE: REGARD, WITH CHOREOGRAPHER ALYSSA MITCHEL AND FEATURING CAROLINA BALLET
North Carolina Museum of Art, |November, 2024| READ ARTICLE

Regard: Live Capture Finalist
Director Stefanie Hermandörfer, Inspired Dance Film Festival |October, 2024| READ ARTICLE

'Regard' celebrates connection, explores dialogue through movement
Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle Datebook |July 27th, 2023| READ ARTICLE

Of I and Thou: Choreographer Alyssa Mitchel Scales New Collaborative Heights
Mary Jane Agnew, 48hills |July 27th, 2023| READ ARTICLE

Philosopher Martin Buber Inspires Former Marin Resident's Dance Performance, 'Regard'
Sam Hurwitt, Marin Independent Journal |July 26th, 2023| READ ARTICLE

Alyssa Mitchel Gets Philosophical with Regard
Michael Phelan, BayDance |July 22nd, 2023| READ ARTICLE

Inspired by Buber, This Choreographer is Transforming a CJM Gallery with a Dance Experiment
Andrew Gilbert, J-Weekly: The Jewish News of Northern California |July 21st, 2023| READ ARTICLE

Charivari Releases New Album
Rob Pringle, Plastic Magazine |July 29th, 2022| READ ARTICLE

HERE. NOW., ALYSSA MITCHEL, NOVEMBER 7TH, 2021
Mary Jane Agnew, Dance Matters |December 15th, 2021| READ REVIEW

Alyssa Mitchel Presents: Here. Now. At San Francisco's Exploratorium!
Jo Tomalin, For All Events |November 21st, 2021| READ REVIEW

Bay Area dance: Recitals are breaking out all over this weekend
Randy McMullen, The Mercury News |November 3rd, 2021| READ ARTICLE

Alyssa Mitchel's Here. Now. Gives Movement to Meditation
Michael Phelan, BayDance |October 27th, 2021| READ ARTICLE

Ready, set, play! Bay Area in-person performances mark a step back to normal
Andrew Esensten, J-Weekly: The Jewish News of Northern California |October 26th, 2021| READ ARTICLE

The Exploratorium Presents: 'Here. Now.'
Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle~Datebook Pick |October 21st, 2021| READ ARTICLE

Choreographer Alyssa Mitchel's The Classroom is a Learning Experience
Michael Phelan, BayDance |September 5th, 2019| READ ARTICLE

Choreographer Alyssa Mitchel Presents "The Classroom"
Terez Rose, The Classical Girl |August 28th, 2019| READ ARTICLE

Festival Brings Choreographers, Dance Classes to Mountain View
Ray Levy-Uyeda, Mountain View Voice |May 10th, 2019| READ ARTICLE

Choreography Competition Winners Named Ahead of Dance Festival
Los Altos Town Crier Staff, Los Altos Town Crier |May 1st, 2019| READ ARTICLE

APRIL 6TH, PILOT 71 – “SIX SECOND RULE”
Michelle LaVigne, Dance Matters |April 6th, 2019| READ REVIEW

DECEMBER 2ND, PILOT 70 - "MERGING"
Michelle LaVigne, Dance Matters |December 2nd, 2018| READ REVIEW

Claudia Bauer's Dance Picks for June 17
Claudia Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle |June 14, 2018| READ ARTICLE

RAW presents Fyber Vision and Alyssa Mitchel
Maxine Marshall, SFGate |November 6, 2017| READ ARTICLE

Safehouse Finds Shelter in Former Gay-Porn House
Claudia Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle |March 16, 2017| READ ARTICLE

HHII Festival Shines On: Three Days of Genre-Spanning Dance
Maggie Yates and Ninette Paloma, Santa Barbara Independent |February 26, 2016| READ ARTICLE

Nebula Dance Lab Presents HHII Dance Festival
Noozhawk Staff, Noozhawk |February 8th, 2016| READ ARTICLE