Phoebe and Zoë Harrington make up Twin Moon and are Guelph Dance’s 2026 artists-in-residence. Throughout the spring, they have been using their residency to research their project Wings in Motion. The culmination of their residency will be a studio showing during the Guelph Dance Festival on June 6th at Guelph Youth Dance Studios, starting at 3:30PM. Phoebe and Zoë provide some insight into the creation of their work inspired by the resilience of nature and women.
What motivated the creation of the work you are sharing at the Guelph Dance Festival?
Our dance and other artistic endeavours are almost always inspired by nature. For the past three years, we have been part of the Butterflyway Project, an initiative with the David Suzuki Foundation to promote the growth of pollinator gardens in your community. Simply said, we have grown a great appreciation for monarchs and other pollinating insects.
Last summer, we grew milkweed and helped protect the transformation of two monarchs. We witnessed the entire process firsthand. From caterpillars, to cocoons, to hatching. We have long been interested in monarchs and decided to use them as a source of inspiration.
When did you start creating this work? And how has it evolved since its inception?
As part of a York University dance showcase in 2023, Zoë created a piece called Mon Arch, a stance on the endangerment of the monarch butterfly.
Using the monarch as our muse again, we are now focusing on a dual narrative connecting the virtues of monarchs and women.
We have wanted to create a larger-scale project with elements of film and dance for a while. This is the stepping stone to bringing this to fruition.
What role has collaboration played in the creation and performance of this work?
The creation of this piece is entirely collaborative; it is an element that is inherently built into us. Being twins who work creatively together, we are always bouncing ideas off each other. We work together to combine our skills in hopes of learning and inspiring each other.
Don’t miss Twin Moon’s studio showing of their residency research! Happening at Guelph Youth Dance Studios, on Saturday June 6th at 3:30 PM! No tickets are required to attend. Guelph Dance will be accepting donations at the event, or you can make a donation here online prior to the event.