What do you get when you combine a costume ball, a concert, and an immersive dance performance all under one abandoned mill roof? That would be “Through the Hollows,” Understory’s upcoming one-night-only event.
On Saturday, Nov. 2, the Coosa Mill will be transformed into a space dedicated to love, loss, death + rebirth — a journey of grief rituals found across cultures. Understory’s Founder and Creative Director Jules Downum said she used her extensive background in anthropology to guide the vision.
“This year was a lot of death for me,” Downum said. “I was looking up a lot of grief rituals for myself, and somebody came to me [...], in a way I wanted to create this space for myself and other people to go through this communal transformation.”
As you venture through the mill, there will be several activation points for you to participate in.
Liza Greever of Fox and Fern Botanical Styling will provide a floral installation, and you’re invited to help. You can bring an artifact representing someone or something you want to either honor, or release + choose flowers you want to add to the collection.
Greever is using inspiration from Victorian-era floriography, providing a selection of blooms for you to pick based on its meaning.
- Moss | Clarity
- Gladiolus | Remembrance + sincerity
- Snapdragon | Graciousness, fascination + protection from evil
- Fern | Magic, fascination + secret bonds of love
Pro tip: Choose items that don’t hold significant value — the installation will be disposed of after the event.
Folks can also enjoy music played by local band Nick Lutsko and the 100K Band, dancers (take a look at last year’s performance), libations, and a participatory poem installation.
The event’s color scheme is white + black with accents of crimson. Costumes are encouraged, Downum said she hopes to see people get creative with their current wardrobe or by thrifting — get inspired.
We can’t wait to see what you decide to wear. Since this event is for one night only, expect tickets to sell out.