"When I started HOLDTIGHT in 2016, I really wanted to bring audiences more intimate and multi-sensory experiences, because I felt like I wasn't seeing that kind of work," says founder and artistic director Gwendolyn Gussman. "We started incorporating food from 2016 to 2019, and then we took a little bit of a break. Mostly because of the pandemic, but it was kind of a blessing in disguise, because it pushed us to open in different ways. Now that we’re back in Denver full-time, it felt like the right moment to bring food back and in even more avant-garde ways."
This year, that vision is coming to life in two collaborations: Wild Oscillation at Somebody People and Nourishment: What Feeds You? at Stowaway Kitchen, each offering a fresh take on the connection between food, art and community.
"When we first used food as a company, it was a lot to elicit emotions through different senses," Gussman says. "Now, that's still true, but I'd say this new chapter of using food with performance is also about pushing boundaries and seeing what our relationship is to food and art. How we can expand both of those relationships is through site-specific collaborations with local restaurants."
The return to the company's roots began with Wild Oscillation, which launched April 21 at Somebody People, the popular South Broadway plant-based restaurant helmed by Tricia and Sam Maher. The concept? An evening oscillating between chaos and order, wilderness and civilization, served alongside a six-course tasting menu.
"This is definitely our first production in the space," Tricia says. "We've always been into the arts, music and culture. We used to bring DJs on board. We had a nightclub downtown for a little bit, so the music side of things came naturally. We did one immersive soundscape but this is next level. When Gwen invited us to see one of her performances of alone, we were blown away and excited to collaborate."
During Wild Oscillation, guests are drawn into a world where they’re encouraged to let go of societal expectations. In one moment, diners slurp, munch and savor a dish in delightfully messy ways typically forbidden at a formal dinner. In another, they participate in energetic, playful scenes alongside live painting and original music.
Audience members participate in Wild Oscillation at Somebody People.
Courtesy of Chelsea Chorpenning
"The audience response to the first Wild Oscillation was overwhelmingly positive," Gussman recalls. "Our youngest guest was about 22, and the oldest was in their late 70s, and every single person participated, even the more high-energy parts that require quite a bit of participation. Every single person was in on it with us, which was just amazing."
The menu, designed with seasonal local produce, also plays into the show’s themes. One central ingredient — a “weed” reimagined for its nutritional and cultural value — inspires a solo dance performance and reflects the larger narrative of recontextualizing what’s “wild” in nature and in ourselves.
"Without sharing the actual weed itself we serve, the idea is to recontextualize how we think of weeds and show how they are actually nutritious, healing and used in so much food and medicine," Gussman says. "One of the scenes is a solo dance based around this particular weed in which [the performer] is embodying that weed but then also in conversation with the feelings that humans have around that weed."
Wild Oscillation continues with performances on May 19, September 29, October 20 and November 17, and the team teases they "may add one in July or August." Tickets, which include all food, beverages and the performance, are $150 for spring events and $175 in the fall.
Meanwhile, HOLDTIGHT will debut Nourishment: What Feeds You? at Stowaway Kitchen on Friday, May 2. This new show was born from a collaboration between Gussman and Stowaway co-owner and chef Amy Cohen, supported in part by an award from the RiNo Art District.
"This show is exploring what nourishes you — literally, as in the food you eat, but also mentally, artistically, emotionally and spiritually," Gussman says. "This is more story-based than the Somebody People show. While there is some talking and text in Wild Oscillations, it's a more abstract experience where this is more rooted in story and memory."
Nourishment will feature a five-course meal, each dish depicting a stage in the human journey. From a ricotta-based first bite symbolizing infancy to later courses representing agency and choice, the dining experience becomes a metaphor for growth.
"At first, guests won't pick their own food," Gussman explains. "As the evening unfolds, they gain agency, just like in life."
A performer engages the audience during HOLDTIGHT's Wild Oscillation performance at Somebody People.
Courtesy of Chelsea Chorpenning
"This piece gently facilitates conversation," Gussman says. "It’s a fun revolt against the status quo of digital disconnection."
For Cohen, the project aligns beautifully with Stowaway’s philosophy. “We’ve pledged to do more artist collaborations this year,” she says. “We're focused on feeding the community — literally and figuratively.”
Each Nourishment event will host up to 26 guests, with all-inclusive tickets priced at $125; the performances run through May 16.
Ultimately, both projects reflect HOLDTIGHT's larger mission: to create art that encourages interconnection, conversation and transformation. "Community is a big buzzword right now, and there's nothing wrong with that," Gussman says. "Let it be a buzzword. We all need community, and these spaces, shows and experiences are built on creating more of it in Denver."
Learn more about upcoming performances at holdtightcompany.com.
