WHY

HOLDTIGHT is an interdisciplinary performance art company based between Denver & NYC, creating and presenting experiential, interactive, and urgent contemporary works based in eco-psychology. HOLDTIGHT’s mission is to create transformative experiences which elicit questions, conversations, interconnection, and deep joy, supporting humanity toward healing and radical forward-thinking change.

Founded in 2016 and led by Gwendolyn Gussman, HOLDTIGHT illuminates the intersection of art, environmental activism, psyche, and body through the interconnected nature of various perspectives and identities.

HOW

HOLDTIGHT blends artistic mediums including movement, music, scenography, spoken word, lighting, and video, with extensive research to conceptualize, develop, produce, and present each performance experience.

HOLDTIGHT maintains an initiative to foster conversations and community beyond performance experiences; HOLDTIGHT hosts quarter-annual Community Events and offers open-level educational workshops.

HOLDTIGHT values experimentation, attunement, courage, open dialogue, reflection, and thoughtful action.

HISTORY

HOLDTIGHT has collaborated with over 40 acclaimed artists, including Grammy and Emmy-award winners, in genres such as dance, theater, music, scenography, video design, visual arts, sculpture, lighting, digital rendering, and the culinary arts. The company’s repertoire includes site-specific work created for non-traditional performance spaces including an 1800's carriage house, an armory, historic mansions, and unconventional theaters. Since its founding, HOLDTIGHT has created & premiered 8 evening-length immersive works, including the Nourishment series. HOLDTIGHT has been presented nationally at The Cell Theatre, The Olympic Auditorium Complex, Carroll Hall, MOVE! Dance and Arts Space, Church Street School for Music and Art, The Wadsworth Museum, YourMove Festival, HiArtist, and has been co-produced by Control Group Productions. HOLDTIGHT has been featured in publications such as The Brooklyn Rail, The Dance Enthusiast, The Denver Post, 303 Magazine, Colorado Public Radio’s ‘Colorado Matters’, Westword, Front Row Center, No Proscenium, Presenting Denver, Interludes, and more. From 2020-2022, HOLDTIGHT was Artist-in-Residence at The Cell Theatre in New York City: HOLDTIGHT presented Bites, an immersive and interactive digital work series in four parts contemplating the stories and spaces that kept us going throughout the pandemic; HOLDTIGHT developed and premiered the evening-length work What Keeps You Going? (Sept.15-Oct 2nd, 2021); HOLDTIGHT developed and premiered the evening-length work when the blossom passes, what remains? (Sept. 9th-Oct. 2nd, 2022). In April 2023, HOLDTIGHT toured when the blossom passes, what remains? to Denver, Colorado for a six show, sold-out run. HOLDTIGHT was Artist-in-Residence in summer 2023 at Carroll Hall in Bushwick, Brooklyn where they began development of a new work, un/tethered, slated to premiere in Colorado in 2024. HOLDTIGHT is based between Denver and New York City.