Boundless Art

BY LISA CAVANAUGH

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIA CUMES

On a balmy evening in June, several dozen spectators are spread across the sand at Corporation Beach in Dennis. Before them, with a stunning backdrop of gentle greyblue waves, are a small group of classical musicians and modern dancers, performing and moving interpretatively to “The Swans” from Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. The sublime setting, the delicate music, and the expressive gestures combine to create a uniquely transportive experience.

These collaborative artists are part of Beyond The Bounds, a newly formed nonprofit arts organization, whose mission is to promote connection through outdoor performances. “Our goal is to create opportunities to share an engaging experience with each other and with nature,” says founder Naomi Steckman, a classically trained cellist, who relocated from Boston to Cape Cod soon after the Covid-19 pandemic began.

“I’ve played with the Cape Symphony,” says Steckman, “so I knew Cape Cod would be a wonderful place to retreat to, especially after live performances came to an abrupt stop.” Once Steckman was settled in Brewster, she found herself spending an enormous amount of time exploring the woods and beaches near her new house. “I feel most at home outside,” she says. “I’m grounded when I’m in nature.”

The quiet forest also proved to be an ideal practice space, and the experience of playing her cello amid a serene grove of birch trees spurred a new idea. “I was loving being on the Cape, but I also missed being part of an orchestra,” she says. “Auditions just were not happening at that point, but I knew I still needed performance experiences.” Recruiting several fellow graduates from her orchestral studies master’s program at Boston University, Steckman pulled together a series of pop-up concerts that combined her passions for classical music and the natural world. She also joined forces with another artist, dancer Diana Steinberg, who had been as inspired as Steckman to perform outside. “The pandemic created this driving need to head outdoors,” says Steinberg. “Being, and dancing, in nature felt like a liberation, and it was soul satisfying to connect and communicate with the environment that way.” After that first event, Steckman formalized the interdisciplinary collaboration into Beyond The Bounds, gaining nonprofit status as well as dedicated audience members. “I think people are really affected by the combination of the exquisite natural beauty of Cape Cod and the creative expression of the artists,” she says. So far, their performances have taken place at town beaches and in the National Seashore. “I’m trying to be intentional about the locations we choose for performing,” says Steckman. “And I think it’s important that the people who happen to be enjoying the natural spaces also get to listen and experience this art.” With more than three decades of cello playing behind her (she began lessons at age three), Steckman is passionate about making her music accessible. “I believe classical music can touch everyone, which is another reason I am doing this. I think it is something everyone needs,” she says.

When I hear from the audience members and the other performers how much the experience means to them, it keeps reminding me I’m doing the right thing. This feels like where I need to be.

— Naomi Steckman

As concert halls reopen, Steckman has begun to return to playing orchestral jobs, but she remains committed to Beyond the Bounds. Her goal is to raise enough funds to pay the artists and continue offering streaming video of their shows. “When I hear from the audience members and the other performers how much the experience means to them, it keeps reminding me I’m doing the right thing. This feels like where I need to be.” As the sun dips lower over Cape Cod Bay, the Beyond the Bounds quintet begins the first of two movements from Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B Minor. The dancers move with emotion as glorious pink and orange tinged clouds fill the sky, and it is easy to understand why Steckman chose this grand piece. “Dvorak wrote this to be about hope and the outdoors, so it truly matches the atmosphere,” she says. “That is our entire goal: to synthesize the music, the movement, and the place, and engage the audience members in that amazing conversation.”

For more information about Beyond the Bounds and their upcoming performances please visit: naomisteckman.com

ne pleasant afternoon earlier this fall, I joined a group of offroad enthusiasts on a favorite local activity: oversanding on a Cape Cod beach. With a light breeze in the air and at least two hours before the sun was due to set, it proved to be the perfect time for a Sandy Neck four-wheel-drive adventure. Located in West Barnstable, close to the Sandwich town line, Sandy Neck Beach is a six-mile-long natural treasure, with numerous opportunities for swimming, strolling, fishing, and birdwatching. It is also one of a handful of beaches on Cape Cod that allow recreational beach driving, which gives all-terrain vehicle owners a chance to explore the far reaches of the strand in a singular way. With our Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) permit secured, we arrived at the gatehouse in a new GMC Canyon AT4 pick-up truck. The friendly attendant directed us to the ORV access road, where we joined a handful of other vehicles in the process of airing down their tires. Reducing your tire pressure creates a wider base for driving over sand and lessens the potential for creating ruts or getting stuck. (In addition to a tire gauge, all ORV drivers must also pack a shovel, tow straps, a jack, a spare tire, and a support board.) Once our tires were aired down to 18 psi, we proceeded at the mandatory five miles per hour towards the shoreline. As we inched along through low dunes, a group on horseback ambled past, having explored the beach in their own distinctive manner. Turning east onto the sand, we first came upon a row of RVs, lined up perpendicular to the waves, and then the open expanse of Sandy Neck lay before us.

The Canyon AT4’s suspension handled the sand beautifully, and it also maneuvered over the rocks that formed our parking spot on a berm above the shore. I was surprised to see only a smattering of other four-wheel-drive vehicles around us. My guides explained that the fall and winter are the best times to explore Cape Cod beaches in an ATV, as you are more likely to find a secluded spot. We settled in with beach chairs and fishing rods, and began preparations for a sunset campfire. We were soon joined by the President/Dealer Principal of Robertson’s GMC in Wareham, Ali Robertson, and her son Andrew, who drove up in an Acadia AT4, GMC’s mid-size SUV. Although she lives off-Cape, Ali has a personal familiarity with Sandy Neck Beach. “It is fun being back because I grew up coming down here to camp with my family,” says Ali. “It was awesome. We used to stay for a whole week in our camper, which my dad called the white whale. There were three of us kids, and we always found lots to do. I loved it!”

Ali was happy to share today’s experience with Andrew, who works in the sales department at Robertson’s GMC. He is the third generation of Robertsons at the company (her father Howie is the founder of the dealership). “I was just telling my son he should get a camper like we had!” she says. For shorter visits, she noted that driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle like the Canyon or the Acadia is a great way for people to spend a day on the beach. “The AT4 trim package has special suspension and tires meant just for this kind of driving,” she says. Although Ali is more equipped than most coming from a background that includes a stint as a cross-country truck driver, the AT4 certainly makes it easy for everyone to go off-road. “Anybody can do it,” she says. “It’s really simple to switch over to four-wheel drive with just a press of a button.” “Everyone is always looking for a fun day trip,” she continued, “with the right vehicle you can come down here and have a wonderful time.” All of the GMC AT4s have room for bikes, tents, and even kayaks, and the Acadia can accommodate up to seven passengers, making it ideal for a family outing. “The AT4 is a popular configuration for people and their active lifestyles,” says Ali. “It is absolutely perfect for this kind of adventure.” Dusk was falling, the fire was lit, and everyone savored the quiet beauty of Sandy Neck. “I love it here in the fall,” remarked Ali. “It has a different feel than the summer. Everyone is gone, the light is gorgeous. It’s a hidden gem.” For more information

Robertson’s GMC

2680 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham 508-273-2525; @robertsons.gmc robertsonsgmc.com