Bill Shannon 'Crutchmaster' in his acclaimed work, Spatial Theory

Straight from the streets of New York, Bill Shannon will treat Austin audiences with his acclaimed multimedia performance work, Spatial Theory. Influenced by breakdancing, hip-hop, silent film aesthetics and disability culture, Shannon's unique hybrid of movement defies gravity with devastating style and grace. Diagnosed at the age of 5 with a rare form of arthritis that affects his hips, Shannon dances on crutches, and has developed an extraordinary vocabulary with impeccable timing, fluidity and body awareness. Spatial Theory includes a live narrated video segment that that examines his street performance explorations.

Bill Shannon is known internationally as a conceptual, interdisciplinary performance and media artist. He considers his work rooted in street/club culture and informed by the fine arts. He is widely recognized in the
dance/performance world, the underground hip-hop and club dance scene as well as the disabled artist community. Shannon was recently honored with a John Simon Guggenheim (2003). His performance and video work have been presented nationally and internationally over the past ten years.

"Bill Shannon's choreography appeared to defy basic principles of balance and gravity, creating a remarkable kinetic world of its own" Jack Anderson, New York Times

"Bill Shannon dances like a new bionic man made of metal and flesh with a hip-hop heart" Sally Sommer, Dance Magazine

"He glides, he floats, he spins, he balances and crumples, all with breathtaking grace" Lisa Traiger, the Washington Post

This performance made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, City of Austin, Texas Commission on the Arts, Heartland Arts Fund and private contributions.