Dan Butterworth has performed with his hand-carved marionettes for the last 20 years. His unique style of dance and expressive movement has drawn artists of various stripes to work with him on collaborative ventures. His own creation, Carnaval del Mundo, is a compilation of puppets and dances from his travels. He has performed in Asia, Mexico, Canada, Alaska, and most of the lower 48 states at fairs, festivals, and theaters. Mr. Butterworth's crew not only makes the marionettes and their costumes, but the intricate staging, the choreography, the special effects and lighting, and many times the music as well. He has performed La Boite a Jou Jou for the Newport Classical Music Festival with world-famous pianist Peter Frankle and, Prokofiev's Cinderella Suite with a full symphony orchestra. Most recently the company has performed Igor Stravinsky's L'histoire du Soldat with the St. Petersburg Chamber Ensemble and with Robert J. Lurtsema narrating.
Dan has also worked both as a performer and advisor on video and film productions. The 1998 film,"Anima" which featured Butterworth marionettes, has gathered critical acclaim and numerous awards. In the fall of 1999, Dan helped the residents of Pelly Bay, Canada recreate an ancient Inuit legend in celebration of the creation of their homeland.
