Category: New York City Parks

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Reconstruction by Battery Dance

Battery Dance presented “Reconstruction” tonight at the 36th annual Battery Dance Festival.

Choreographed by each of the company members, this piece explores the dancers’ responses to living in the current chaotic political environment. The music is by Matmos: electronic, jarring, and meant to represent the American Civil War. The movements reflect the great uncertainty that many of us experience today: dynamic and athletic at times, but bizarre and dreadful at others. Attempts to escape. Attempts to find calamity under the circumstances. Attempts to reach out and support each other.

Earlier this year, Battery Dance’s New York Season featured an evening of programs centered on social activism. Due to unfortunate time conflicts, I was unable to attend any of the performances, but I’m super glad to catch “Reconstruction” tonight. Two more choreographies from their New York Season will be presented this Thursday and this Saturday!

“Reconstruction” (2017)
Choreography: Robin Cantrell, Mira Cook, Clement Mensah, Bethany Mitchell, Sean Scantlebury, Razvan Stoian
Dancers: Robin Cantrell, Mira Cook, Clement Mensah, Bethany Mitchell, Sean Scantlebury, Razvan Stoian
Photography: Jason Chuang

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Ballade: The Rain Song

The 36th annual Battery Dance Festival opened tonight with poetry reading by Riyadh Mohammed and dancing by Hussein Smko.

The piece is a part of the “Combating Islamophobia Through Spoken Word and Dance” project, established by Battery Dance as a tribute to Adel Euro — a young and inspiring Iraqi dancer, mentored by Battery Dance, but tragically killed by a suicide bomb in July 2017. For more information, visit Battery Dance.

“Ballade: The Rain Song” (World Premier)
Speaker: Riyadh Mohammed
Dancer/Choreographer: Hussein Smko
Poetry: The Rain Song by Badr Shakir al-Sayyab
Photography: Jason Chuang

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Peridance Contemporary Dance

Lovely dance performance and improvisation by Peridance Contemporary Dance Company at Summer in the Square this afternoon at Union Square Park.

“Dia-Mono-Logue” (top)
Choreography: Igal Perry
Dancers: Katherine Currier, Greta Zuccarello, and the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company
Photography: Jason Chuang

Dance improvisation (bottom left)
Dancer: Eriko Sugimura
Photography: Jason Chuang

“YOUnited” (bottom right)
Choreography: Marlena Wolfe
Dancers: Peridance Contemporary Dance Company
Photography: Jason Chuang

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Bei Mir Bist du Schön (Reprise)

Paul Taylor American Modern Dance presents “Company B”

“Company B” ended where it began with a reprise of “Bei Mir Bist du Schön.” However, underneath all the jumps and jives, was America really the same after everything that took place?

“Company B”
Choreography: Paul Taylor
Dancers: Paul Taylor Dance Company
Photography: Jason Chuang

#lcoutofdoors #paultaylordancecompany #ptdc #ptamd #moderndance

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There Will Never Be Another You

Paul Taylor American Modern Dance presents “Company B”

As the stories of “Company B” continued and as America became further drawn into World War II, we once again were confronted with the realities of the war. Here are Heather McGinley and Sean Mahoney with the sorrows of losing a loved one in “There Will Never Be Another You.”

“Company B”
Choreography: Paul Taylor
Dancers: Heather McGinley, Sean Mahoney, and the Paul Taylor Dance Company
Photography: Jason Chuang

#lcoutofdoors #paultaylordancecompany #ptdc #ptamd #moderndance

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Rum and Coca-Cola

Paul Taylor American Modern Dance presents “Company B”

We were treated to hit songs of the 1940s including “Rum and Coca-Cola” by the Andrews Sisters. The song lyrics, based on a calypso (not the jump but a style of Afro-Caribbean poetry), tell the stories of American G.I.s in Trinidad. Accompanied by the Duchess‘s singing, here’s the amazing Eran Bugge and the boys!

“Company B”
Choreography: Paul Taylor
Dancers: Eran Bugge and the Paul Taylor Dance Company
Photography: Jason Chuang







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Oh Johnny Oh Johnny Oh!

Paul Taylor American Modern Dance presents “Company B”

More of the 1940s American life. Here is “Oh Johnny Oh Johnny Oh!” by the Andrews Sisters where every girl in town is crazy about a certain little lad… featuring James Samson as Johnny and the Duchess on the mic.

“Company B”
Choreography: Paul Taylor
Dancers: James Samson and the Paul Taylor Dance Company
Photography: Jason Chuang





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I Can Dream, Can’t I?

Paul Taylor American Modern Dance presents “Company B”

The optimism of the American youths in the early 1940s was soon overshadowed by the realities of the World War, as millions were sent into battle. In “I Can Dream, Can’t I?” Parisa Khobdeh bid goodbye to her sweetheart, uncertain of when (or if) they would reunite.

“Company B”
Choreography: Paul Taylor
Dancers: Parisa Khobdeh and the Paul Taylor Dance Company
Photography: Jason Chuang

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Tico-Tico

Paul Taylor American Modern Dance presents “Company B”

With a touch of Latin American rhythm, Francisco Graciano danced all out — from his handsome entrance to leaps, barrel rolls, and floor slide — to the Brazilian choro “Tico Tico” made popular in America by the Andrews Sisters in 1944.

“Company B”
Choreography: Paul Taylor
Dancers: Francisco Graciano
Photography: Jason Chuang

#lcoutofdoors #paultaylordancecompany#ptdc #ptamd #moderndance