Created in the spirit of a traditional Sicilian religious procession, this site-specific work for eight dancers from the company and San Francisco’s Green Street Mortuary Band was commissioned for the Choreographers’ Festival at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco in August 2002. The slow moving procession on the grassy Esplanade of the Yerba Buena Gardens stretched from the Mission Street steps across the vast lawn toward the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Fountain. The movement vocabulary for La Processione built upon Karp’s observations of traditional Sicilian processions; from the actions of spectators and procession participants alike.

The choreography by Nancy Karp was in collaboration with dancers Pia Allabastro, Manuelito Biag, Hilary Bryan, Jason Hancock, Aileen Kim, Diane McKallip, Anne-Lise Reusswig, and Manfred Schaechtle . Musicians in the band included Lisa Pollard, Soprano Saxophone/ Leader; John Coppola, Toni Thompson, Michele Latimer, Trumpets; Zacharia Spellman, Tuba; Derek James, Trombone; Angel Orosczo, Drum, and Tim Vaughn, Drum.