nyc.dancr
Paul Taylor American Modern Dance presents “Company B” at the Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival.
Company B is the story of America in the 1940s. Jubilant youths were high in spirit as the nation began to emerge from the Great Depression.
“Company B”
Choreography: Paul Taylor
Dancers: Paul Taylor Dance Compnay
Photography: Jason Chuang
The Paul Taylor Dance Company accompanied by the Duchess at the Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival on Friday.
With the Duchess performing songs of the Andrews Sisters, the Paul Taylor Dance Company put on “Company B,” a choreography set in the 1940s swing era as the United States emerged from the Great Depression and drawn into World War II.
Comprised of ten parts, each section of “Company B” tells a different story of the nation. Starting with youths jubilantly dancing the lindy hop, jitterbug, and polkas… we were then treated to hit songs of the era (“Tico Tico” and “Rum and Coca-Cola”)… before the storyline moved onto young lovers separated by war (“I Can Dream, Can’t I?”) and the heartbreak of losing a loved one (“There Will Never Be Another You”). As we watched Heather McGinley mourn on stage, we couldn’t help but feel for what the 1940s generation had gone through in a turbulent era.
“Company B – Bei Mir Bist du Schön”
Choreography: Paul Taylor
Dancers: Robert Kleinedorst, James Samson, Parisa Khobdeh, Sean Mahoney, Eran Bugge, Francisco Graciano, Laura Halzack, Michael Apuzzo, Michael Novak, Heather McGinley, George Smallwood, Christina Lynch Markham, Madelyn Ho, Kristin Draucker
Photography: Jason Chuang
The Paul Taylor Dance Company performed at the Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival on Friday.
“Airs” is a happy, dynamic, and energetic choreography filled with jumps, lifts, and fluid movements meant to represent the air and water. Paul Taylor paints the stage with his dancers as gusts of wind, eddies in the river, clouds in the air. Everything is smooth and ever changing — like spending a day out in the nature, or like nature itself.
“Airs”
Choreography: Paul Taylor
Dancers: Michael Trusnovec, Robert Kleinendorst, George Smallwood, Michelle Fleet, Eran Bugge, Laura Halzack, Parisa Khobdeh
Photography: Jason Chuang
Finally saw Gibney Dance and Devin Oshiro perform this afternoon at Union Square.
In addition to being a fabulous dancer, Devin as part of Gibney Dance also runs the Dancers Economic Empowerment Program, a series of free sessions for dancers about affordable housing, healthcare resources, taxes, budgeting, and other economic challenges that dancers face in New York.
Do you have questions about your finances as a dancer? Check out the DEEP program at Gibney Dance.
The José Limón Dance Company wrapped up the Contemporary Dance festival at Bryant Park tonight.
I saw “The Exiles” twice at the Joyce Theatre earlier this year, but it took me until the second viewing to fully appreciate the piece. I’m so glad to watch it again.
Centered around a couple, the choreography tells the couple’s story in two movements, “The Flight” and “The Remembrance.” At the beginning, the couple walk onto the stage arms around each other’s back, alternating between making brave strides forward and taking tentative but necessary steps to continue their journey. Immigrants arriving in a new land, perhaps? Or maybe refugees who cannot look back? In any case, we follow the couple in this foreign land as they take on new identities, become momentarily euphoric, only to struggle again. Eventually, the couple shed their shells, their exterior pretense, and finally find their true selves. As they across the stage again, their strides are higher, braver, and ever more confident.
Well, that’s how I translated Limón’s language anyways.
The piece is as relevant to my own expat existence in New York City this evening, as it is to the plights of millions back in 1950 when the piece was first created, as it is to millions around the world now. And that, capturing the essence of our lives and our everyday experiences, is what I find to be the magic of José Limón.
Bravos to Mark Willis and Savannah Spratt for the wonderful performance!
“The Exiles”
Choreographer: José Limón
Dancers: Savannah Spratt and Mark Willis of the José Limón Dance Company
Photographer: Jason Chuang
The all-female dance company The Moving Architects performs at Bryant Park Presents Contemporary Dance.
“Demure as Dynamite”
Choreography: Erin Carlisle Norton
Dancers: Caitlin Bailey, Maggie Beutner, Jenny Gram, Léla Groom, Ashley Peters of The Moving Architects
Photographer: Jason Chuang
Second in the program, Black Boys Dance Too performed at the Contemporary Dance festival at Bryant Park tonight.
They braved and danced in the rain last year. Thankfully the sky cleared this afternoon just in time for us to see those gorgeous young men going full out on stage today.
“Blocked”
Choreographer: Terk Lewis
Dancers: Black Boys Dance Too
Photographer: Jason Chuang
Youngsters from the Harlem School of the Arts opened the Contemporary Dance festival tonight at Bryant Park.
Energetic and cheerful, these kids remind us why we are here: Because we just loooove to dance!
“Sweet’s Sweet Suite”
Choreographers: Aubrey Lynch II, Leyland Simmons
Dancers: Harlem School of the Arts Dance Ensembles and Junior Dance Ensembles
Photographer: Jason Chuang
The Bryant Park Ballet Festival continues tomorrow (Friday 6pm) with the Ashley Bouder Project, Continuum Contemporary/Ballet, Doug Baum and Artists, Island Moving Company, and Thomas/Ortiz Dance.
Summer in New York City means outdoor dancing everywhere. Go enjoy some incredible dance performances! Here is a throwback to watching Thomas/Ortiz Dance last year. Love their beautiful lines and gorgeous costumes. I can’t wait to be back in town!
“Undamely”
Choreographers: Ted Thomas and Frances Ortiz
Dancers: Thomas/Ortiz Dance
Photographer: Jason Chuang
In case you missed the Isadora Duncan Dance Company at the Joyce Theater on Monday, they are performing tonight at 7pm at the Old Westbury Gardens!!!
Photograph: Throwback to Lori Belilove and the Isadora Duncan Dance Company at the Battery Dance Festival last fall.
“Homage to Apollo”
Choreographer: Isadora Duncan
Dancers: Lori Belilove and the Isadora Duncan Dance Company
Photographer: Jason Chuang