Shell Returns to Artistree's Grange Theatre

Shell Returns to Artistree: A Dance Performance Exploring Connection, Community, and the Stories We Share

An evolving work by choreographer Ellen Smith Ahern invites audiences to experience contemporary dance in an unexpected and deeply human way.

Live performance on Saturday, November 7th at 3pm

What happens when dance, storytelling, handmade quilts, and a little cardboard come together on stage? The result is Shell, an imaginative, thought-provoking performance by Upper Valley choreographer and dancer Ellen Smith Ahern, returning to Artistree's Grange Theatre this November.

Part dance performance, part creative exploration, Shell invites audiences into a world where movement becomes a language of its own. Through a constantly shifting landscape of quilts and cardboard, dancers explore how we communicate, understand one another, and navigate the layers of experiences that shape our lives.

A Performance Shaped by Community

Unlike a traditional dance production, Shell has been developed through an ongoing creative process that brings professional dancers and community members together.

Smith Ahern, along with fellow dancers Kate Elias and Jessie Owens, has been developing the work through performances, artist residencies, and collaborations in Vermont and beyond. Artistree has been part of that journey, hosting a work-in-progress presentation at The Grange Theatre earlier this year.

Community participation is central to the project. Through conversations, movement, and shared creative experiences, audiences and participants have helped shape the work as it evolves toward a national tour.

Another important element is PatchWork, a community quilting initiative that brings people of different generations together to share stories, skills, and creativity. Some of these handmade quilts become part of Shell's ever-changing stage environment, weaving the contributions of community members directly into the performance.

Finding Meaning in the Unexpected

With its inventive use of everyday materials, expressive movement, humor, and moments of tenderness, Shell offers an experience that is both playful and deeply reflective.

The work has already captured attention beyond Vermont. Following a presentation at Los Angeles's Odyssey Theatre, LA Dance Chronicle described Shell as an exploration of community, empathy, and humanity, praising the collaboration and artistry behind the production.

And while contemporary dance may be unfamiliar territory for some, Shell is designed to spark curiosity rather than require any special knowledge or experience. Its themes of belonging, communication, and connection are universal.

A Creative Homecoming

As Shell returns to Artistree this November, audiences have another opportunity to experience a work that continues to grow and evolve, with roots firmly planted in the Upper Valley community.

It's a celebration of artistic exploration, collaboration, and the surprising ways we can connect through movement and shared experience.

Join us at The Grange Theatre this November for Shell—an imaginative journey that invites us to look a little closer, listen a little differently, and discover the connections that bring us together.

Get your "Pay what you wish" tickets here