There is no other art in which you are your own artistic tool. It is so full. You use your body, you use your mind and you grow your self both in the moment and through time ? In modern dance, you get to use your entire range -- all your training plus who you are as a person.

I have come to a greater compassion for people who suffer. Why is this happening? I just want to put the question out there so people will have more compassion.

There are a lot of talented choreographers around here. I think of this as a mini-ADF.

We decided to put on our own show.

The younger Janis was a painter, a drawer. She was a very serious art student for a number of years. My family memories of Janis are really more about her practicing the craft of visual art, sketching, constantly sketching.

This is obviously not a typical art exhibit. I've been working for more than a year on the timing with Darren Butler, who will direct the play and knew about this exhibit, and we thought this was the perfect opportunity for a collaboration between the visual and performing arts.