By LlAUKIH. MAAMIALL

By LlAUKIH. MAAMIALL

Rappahannock News contributing writer

On Saturday and on Oct. 11 at 8 p.m. in the Gay St. Theatre in Washington, the premiere performance of a modem dance entitled “Box 48” will be presented by the Rappahannock Avocation for the Arts and Community (RAAC).

“Box 48” was choreographed by Sally Nash and is based on the correspondence Ms, Nash has received since she moved to the county 10 years ago.

The title is also her mailing address at the local post office.

Ms. Nash and the Last Minute Wood Company perform the dance, which was two years’ in the making and deals with such subjects as her mother’s cooking, her sister’s religious conversion and how one person’s creative process can support that of another.

The following in an interview with choreographer, director and performer, Sally Nash:

RAAC: Can you talk about the content of this dance?

SN: “I used the subject of mail as the basis of the dance because it is both universal and very particular, and it comes in small units that can be used episodically. Like different colored beads on a necklace, they give the piece a shape by the order in which they’re arranged.

“I didn’t realize when I started how important mail is to me. It has a kind of mysterious importance that’s emphasized by living in the country. We’re so isolated; it’s one of our contacts with the outside world. And, to me, it’s always been magic. It has the power of the printed word, and yet it’s just for you. I value those words (from letters) a lot, so it was very gratifying to chew them over and find different expressions that were related to them.”

RAAC: How long have you been working on this piece?.

SN: “I have worked two years on it, six months of which was alone (the remainder choreographing with the dancers and then rehearsing) which includes months of going through old letters and picking out the ones I was going to use and retyping them. There’s a lot more text