Benjamin Turner - Resume and CV
ABOUT Current interests include storytelling through dance and interactive climbing structures
Modern dance, contact improv, partner acrobatics, stiltwalking, acro-yoga, Thai massage
Have taken past Project Bandlaoop workshops (intensive and Monday nights)
PERFORMANCE BACKGROUND
2014-2015 Star Star Roadhouse - Lead male dancer in hour long dance and cabaret show including harness work
2008-2009 AscenDance Project - Choreography and performance on climbing wall and truss structures
2008-2009 ODC Pilot 51 & 53 - performed in Grey To Gold and Sotiera choreographed by Elizabeth Castaneda
2008-2009 Lunatique Fantastique- found object puppetry, performed EO 9066, Chicken Stock, and The Wrapping Paper Caper
2008-Present Twinspace - Dancer, children's movement teacher, and builder for SF-based dance studio
Performances include Bingo! for Harmony Fest Kids' Zone and the Rootabaga Opera for the Crucible Fire Arts Expo
2007-2011 Fou Fou Ha!- Dancer and Ensemble member - slapstick cabaret and modern dance
2006- 2010 Jean and Bean - acro-silly performance duo
2005-2007 The Carpetbag Brigade - acrobatic stilting physical theater troupe; performer and youth teacher
TEACHING / EXPERIENCE WITH KIDS
2009-2010 Loco Bloco Stiltwalking teacher in Bayview Boys and Girls club and performer with students in Carnaval
2009-2011 Kids Dance Class Co-taught children's creative movement class at Twinspace in 2 segments, ages 1-4, and 4-8
2010 Vagaboom/Living Dream Arts - Co-taught after school circus arts class for 4th and 5th graders
2009 Harmony Fest KidZone Performance and Roaming Entertainment
2008-2009 Lunatique Fantastique Performed EO 9066 and the Wrapping Paper Caper in Bay Area schools with puppeteering demos
2005-2006 The Carpetbag Brigade Co-taught weeklong stilting workshops for middle-schoolers in urban areas around New England and
the Midwest
EMPLOYMENT
2009 - Present One Hat One Hand - Fabrication and installation for commercial set design and art shop in San Francisco
(Clients including Apple, Google, NBC, Nintendo, Red Bull, Levis, Recology) One Hat One Hand
2010, 2012 Goldmyer Hot Springs - Seasonal (Winter) caretaker for 9 months at a wilderness hot springs in the Cascades
2005-2009 Michael Light Studio - Photo and printing assistant, Co-pilot on aerial shoots
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2003 B.A. - Arts and Social Sciences - "Playground Design for Adults" - Hampshire College, Amherst, MA (Johnson Scholarship)
2001 A.A. - Deep Springs College, Deep Springs, CA (Full scholarship)
1998 Southside High School, Greenville, SC: Greenville County Student of the Year (for highest SAT score)
ART/ SCULPTURE
Current interests include 3D design and fabrication of playscapes inspired by nature, natural forms, science, and math;
Building with recycled, sustainable, non-toxic materials
2015 Web of Annihilation - 30' hand-spliced cotton-rope climbing net - replica of a spiderweb as found in nature
2013 Inflatable Cyclops - Beats Antique 14' tall inflatable cyclops kitty for "Thousand Faces" tour. Made from Tyvek fabric.
2012 Inflatable Squid - Beats Antique 20' tall inflatable squid for live stage show. Made from Tyvek fabric.
2010 MT Pockets Traveling Midway Part of design, fabrication team, and event crew for old-fashioned carnival games at Treasure
Island Music Festival, the Maker’s Faire, and Lightning in a Bottle.
2010 Museum Designed and built life-sized (8’) picture frames for dancers to walk out of for Elizabeth Castaneda’s ODC Pilot Program 56
piece. Built from recycled flats and Styrofoam on their way to the dump.
2009 Waste-Stream Upstream Designed a portable sculpture from plastic to-go bags sewn into sockeye-salmon windsocks to raise
awarenss of the North Pacific Gyre (“plastic island”)
2009 Out of Order Designed and built stage set for FouFouHa!’s Out of Order at Mama Calizo’s Voice Factory. A disco – lavatory
decorated in black and white silhouettes of the dancers to highlight colorful costumes.
2008 Storytime Festival Designed and built stage set for FouFouHa! Kids’ show at the Storytime Festival: an oversized child’s bedroom including giant cymbal monkey, toy trunk, and oversized alphabet blocks.
2007 Panhandle Bandshell Fabrication and install team for musical bandshell built from car hoods, old doors, and water bottles. Also
performed The Showdown by Jean and Bean for opening day. Finch Mob/One Hat One Hand
2006 Giant Croquet Designed giant croquet set from second-hand materials for The Finch Mob Gallery Premiere Exhibition in Panhandle
Park. Finch Mob, One Hat One Hand
2005 The Temple of Honor Construction on Burning Man temple designed by Mark Grieve and David Best.
2004 Latest Show on EarthDesigned Sideshow of Postmodern Obscurities, “Bad-Idea Bubble-gum”, matching Velcro wrestling suits and
other interactive props for touring comedy show.
2004 Jadu Beta Wind, sound, and touch interactive environment designed by Saul Melman for Burning Man.
2003 Johnny on the Spot 30' giant urinal by Saul Melman, installed as an enormous replica of Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain.”
2003 Through All Five Senses Hampshire College thesis project. Two week installation of a 100’ x 100’ interactive maze, with
commissioned artists designing interactive sensory experiences inside. Built entirely of recycled and reclaimed materials from local
farm surplus and Materials for the Arts in NYC.
Modern dance, contact improv, partner acrobatics, stiltwalking, acro-yoga, Thai massage
Have taken past Project Bandlaoop workshops (intensive and Monday nights)
PERFORMANCE BACKGROUND
2014-2015 Star Star Roadhouse - Lead male dancer in hour long dance and cabaret show including harness work
2008-2009 AscenDance Project - Choreography and performance on climbing wall and truss structures
2008-2009 ODC Pilot 51 & 53 - performed in Grey To Gold and Sotiera choreographed by Elizabeth Castaneda
2008-2009 Lunatique Fantastique- found object puppetry, performed EO 9066, Chicken Stock, and The Wrapping Paper Caper
2008-Present Twinspace - Dancer, children's movement teacher, and builder for SF-based dance studio
Performances include Bingo! for Harmony Fest Kids' Zone and the Rootabaga Opera for the Crucible Fire Arts Expo
2007-2011 Fou Fou Ha!- Dancer and Ensemble member - slapstick cabaret and modern dance
2006- 2010 Jean and Bean - acro-silly performance duo
2005-2007 The Carpetbag Brigade - acrobatic stilting physical theater troupe; performer and youth teacher
TEACHING / EXPERIENCE WITH KIDS
2009-2010 Loco Bloco Stiltwalking teacher in Bayview Boys and Girls club and performer with students in Carnaval
2009-2011 Kids Dance Class Co-taught children's creative movement class at Twinspace in 2 segments, ages 1-4, and 4-8
2010 Vagaboom/Living Dream Arts - Co-taught after school circus arts class for 4th and 5th graders
2009 Harmony Fest KidZone Performance and Roaming Entertainment
2008-2009 Lunatique Fantastique Performed EO 9066 and the Wrapping Paper Caper in Bay Area schools with puppeteering demos
2005-2006 The Carpetbag Brigade Co-taught weeklong stilting workshops for middle-schoolers in urban areas around New England and
the Midwest
EMPLOYMENT
2009 - Present One Hat One Hand - Fabrication and installation for commercial set design and art shop in San Francisco
(Clients including Apple, Google, NBC, Nintendo, Red Bull, Levis, Recology) One Hat One Hand
2010, 2012 Goldmyer Hot Springs - Seasonal (Winter) caretaker for 9 months at a wilderness hot springs in the Cascades
2005-2009 Michael Light Studio - Photo and printing assistant, Co-pilot on aerial shoots
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2003 B.A. - Arts and Social Sciences - "Playground Design for Adults" - Hampshire College, Amherst, MA (Johnson Scholarship)
2001 A.A. - Deep Springs College, Deep Springs, CA (Full scholarship)
1998 Southside High School, Greenville, SC: Greenville County Student of the Year (for highest SAT score)
ART/ SCULPTURE
Current interests include 3D design and fabrication of playscapes inspired by nature, natural forms, science, and math;
Building with recycled, sustainable, non-toxic materials
2015 Web of Annihilation - 30' hand-spliced cotton-rope climbing net - replica of a spiderweb as found in nature
2013 Inflatable Cyclops - Beats Antique 14' tall inflatable cyclops kitty for "Thousand Faces" tour. Made from Tyvek fabric.
2012 Inflatable Squid - Beats Antique 20' tall inflatable squid for live stage show. Made from Tyvek fabric.
2010 MT Pockets Traveling Midway Part of design, fabrication team, and event crew for old-fashioned carnival games at Treasure
Island Music Festival, the Maker’s Faire, and Lightning in a Bottle.
2010 Museum Designed and built life-sized (8’) picture frames for dancers to walk out of for Elizabeth Castaneda’s ODC Pilot Program 56
piece. Built from recycled flats and Styrofoam on their way to the dump.
2009 Waste-Stream Upstream Designed a portable sculpture from plastic to-go bags sewn into sockeye-salmon windsocks to raise
awarenss of the North Pacific Gyre (“plastic island”)
2009 Out of Order Designed and built stage set for FouFouHa!’s Out of Order at Mama Calizo’s Voice Factory. A disco – lavatory
decorated in black and white silhouettes of the dancers to highlight colorful costumes.
2008 Storytime Festival Designed and built stage set for FouFouHa! Kids’ show at the Storytime Festival: an oversized child’s bedroom including giant cymbal monkey, toy trunk, and oversized alphabet blocks.
2007 Panhandle Bandshell Fabrication and install team for musical bandshell built from car hoods, old doors, and water bottles. Also
performed The Showdown by Jean and Bean for opening day. Finch Mob/One Hat One Hand
2006 Giant Croquet Designed giant croquet set from second-hand materials for The Finch Mob Gallery Premiere Exhibition in Panhandle
Park. Finch Mob, One Hat One Hand
2005 The Temple of Honor Construction on Burning Man temple designed by Mark Grieve and David Best.
2004 Latest Show on EarthDesigned Sideshow of Postmodern Obscurities, “Bad-Idea Bubble-gum”, matching Velcro wrestling suits and
other interactive props for touring comedy show.
2004 Jadu Beta Wind, sound, and touch interactive environment designed by Saul Melman for Burning Man.
2003 Johnny on the Spot 30' giant urinal by Saul Melman, installed as an enormous replica of Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain.”
2003 Through All Five Senses Hampshire College thesis project. Two week installation of a 100’ x 100’ interactive maze, with
commissioned artists designing interactive sensory experiences inside. Built entirely of recycled and reclaimed materials from local
farm surplus and Materials for the Arts in NYC.