Nature Comes to Life in MOMIX: Botanica at the Schaefer Center
The internationally acclaimed dance company transforms the natural world through movement, illusion, and visual spectacle on Thursday, Nov. 12, at Appalachian State University.
BOONE, NC — Flowers bloom, birds take flight, and the natural world defies gravity when MOMIX brings its visually spectacular production Botanica to Appalachian State University’s Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7:30pm. Presented by the university’s Appalachian Arts series, the performance invites audiences of all ages into a surreal world where dance, illusion, and imagination converge.
Created and directed by MOMIX Artistic Director Moses Pendleton, Botanica is a 90-minute, multisensory journey through the rhythms of the seasons and the changing imagery of nature. Through a series of 20 short vignettes, the company’s celebrated dancer-illusionists transform the human body into a remarkable array of natural forms and fantastical creatures.
Combining extraordinary athleticism with inventive props, cinematic projections, elaborate costumes, and an atmospheric score — ranging from birdsong to Vivaldi — Botanica blurs the line between the real and the imagined. Dancers emerge as blooming flowers, humming insects, and fantastical animal forms, while glowing limbs, neon-lit shapes, and mirrored reflections create mesmerizing visual illusions. Among the production’s striking images are marigolds that bloom from oversized orange skirts, sunflower petals formed by sweeping yellow-feathered fans, and a towering ocean-inspired tail that sways against projections accompanied by the sound of waves.
From whimsical puppetry and gravity-defying movement to intricate visual effects and ever-changing stage pictures, Botanica showcases MOMIX’s signature blend of physical precision and theatrical ingenuity. The result is an imaginative celebration of the natural world that appeals to seasoned dance enthusiasts and first-time audiences alike.
“MOMIX has a remarkable ability to transform familiar elements of the natural world into something unexpected and extraordinary,” says Allison West, director of marketing for App State’s Office of Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources. “With its inventive choreography, striking visual effects, and sheer physical artistry, Botanica is the kind of performance that sparks the imagination and reminds us how powerful a live arts experience can be.”
Performance Details
MOMIX: Botanica
Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, Appalachian State University
Tickets: $10 for students/children and $25-$45 for the general public. App State faculty/staff on the Boone and Hickory campuses receive a $5 discount on ticket prices. Tickets are available at TheSchaeferCenter.org, in person at the Schaefer Center Box Office, 733 Rivers St., or by calling 828-262-4046.
Strobe Light Advisory: This performance contains strobe lighting effects approximately 3–4 minutes into Act II, following intermission. The effects last approximately five minutes.
About MOMIX
Momix is an internationally renowned dance and visual illusion company, under the direction of Moses Pendleton, presenting work of exceptional inventiveness and physical beauty for more than 45 years. Based in Washington, Connecticut, the company has cultivated a devoted international following through its distinctive blend of movement, illusion, athleticism, and visual poetry. Alongside live stage performances worldwide, MOMIX has collaborated extensively in film, television, and corporate advertising, creating national commercials for Hanes and Target, and special presentations for Mercedes-Benz, Fiat, and Pirelli. The company has also appeared in large-scale global events, including the 2014 Sochi Olympic Closing Ceremony and the 2017 Dubai National Day celebrations. MOMIX performances have been featured on PBS’s Dance in America series, France’s Antenne II, and Italian RAI television, with broadcasts reaching audiences in 55 countries. The Rhombus Media film of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, featuring MOMIX with the Montreal Symphony, received an International Emmy for Best Performing Arts Special. Using light, shadow, fabric, props, and the human body, MOMIX continues to astonish and delight audiences worldwide.
Appalachian Arts 2026/2027
The season includes a live recording of the beloved public radio show Mountain Stage with Host Kathy Mattea, contemporary dance company MOMIX in their fantastical, nature-themed meditation Botanica; Grammy-winning pop instrumentalist and trumpeter Chris Botti; the gravity-defying acrobatics of Cirque Mechanics in TILT!; the electrifying psych-funk-soul of St. Paul & The Broken Bones; and the timeless artistry of the North Carolina Symphony, performing a free concert of Classical Favorites featuring Appalachian State University’s Appalachian Symphony Orchestra.
Tickets and Information
Tickets are available at TheSchaeferCenter.org, at the Schaefer Center Box Office (733 Rivers St.), or by calling 828-262-4046.
About Appalachian Arts
Appalachian Arts performing arts series offers campus and community audiences a diverse array of music, dance and theatre programming designed to enrich the cultural landscape of the Appalachian State University campus and surrounding area. By creating memorable performance experiences and related educational and outreach activities, the series promotes the power and excitement of the live performance experience; provides a “window on the world” through the artistry of nationally and internationally renowned artists; and showcases some of the finest artists of our nation and our region. Musical events range from symphony orchestra and chamber music performances to jazz, folk, traditional, international, and popular artists. Theatre productions run the gamut from serious drama to musical comedy. Dance performances offer an equally wide array of styles, from ballet to modern dance to international companies representing cultural traditions from around the world. For more information, visit TheSchaeferCenter.org.
Thank You to Our Appalachian Arts 2026/2027 Sponsors
App State Campus Store, Appalachian Home Care, Explore Boone, Grandview Events & Catering, Mast General Store, Courtyard by Marriott, Graystone Lodge (an Ascend Hotel Collection), Hampton Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn Express, Mountain Times and Watauga Democrat, Our State Magazine, WNC Magazine, PBS North Carolina, High Country Radio (WZJS and WATA), WDAV 89.9 FM, WFDD 88.5FM, WKSK The Farm, and WASU 90.5FM.
For more information, visit TheSchaeferCenter.org.
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