Gallim Dance: SIT, KNEEL, STAND
May 24, 2012
Gallim Dance, photo by Franziska Strauss
Two years ago Gallim Dance made their Joyce Theater debut with Andrea Miller’s Wonderland. In early 2011 they performed at Dance Theater Workshop (now New York Live Arts), and then spent much of the year in residence at the JCC Manhattan, performing there while also touring across the US and abroad. In 2012, they relocated to a new home in Brooklyn. In a nutshell, they’ve been busy. Starting on June 8th, they return to the Joyce as part of Gotham Dance Festival with the world premiere of SIT, KNEEL, STAND, Miller’s newest evening-length work. SIT, KNEEL, STAND deconstructs the border between harmony and chaos. Not much else is known about the work (though you can catch a glimpse in the company’s preview videos), but I’m sure it will feature Gallim’s relentless physicality and emotional rawness.
Tickets to SIT, KNEEL, STAND can be purchased at the Joyce’s website or by calling 212.242.0800. Performances are June 8th through 10th.
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This American Life Comes to the Stage
May 20, 2012
Ira Glass and OK Go at This American Life LIVE on May 10th, photo by Evan Namerow
How do you take a radio show – one filled with beloved storytellers and writers whose voices we know but whose faces we rarely see – and turn it into an exciting visual experience? Add aspects that you simply can’t do on radio, like dance, an interactive music experience, animation, and other visual effects. On May 10th, I attended a live taping and screening of This American Life LIVE at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. The auditorium was buzzing with anticipation, and the fact that the show was being broadcast in movie theaters across the US and Canada made it even more thrilling.
I could write pages on all the wonderful aspects of the program, which was hosted by the delightfully charming and occasionally giddy with excitement Ira Glass. Comedian Tig Notaro made the audience roar with laughter, David Sedaris was frightening in clown make-up as he whined (understandably) about waiting in line for coffee, and the band OK Go brought some pleasing tunes to the stage and a musical experiment that relied on a smartphone app. It sort of worked, but was nonetheless fun.
David Rakoff at This American Life LIVE, photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz
Since this is a blog dedicated to dance, I’d like to highlight the dance contributions to the show. Ira Glass introduced Monica Bill Barnes & Company, a NYC-based group that he recently saw and thought would be a good addition to the show. He was right. In an excerpt from their 2009 work Another Parade, Anna Bass and Monica Bill Barnes mock everyday experiences, like someone lifting weights at the gym or strutting their stuff for attention, to James Brown’s Get Up (I Feel Like Being) a Sex Machine. And although this wasn’t my first time seeing the piece, its humor still resonated.
The other performance, which came as more of a surprise, was from David Rakoff, who is better known for his writing. At the microphone, he talked about how cancer affected his life – and his left arm, which he can no longer use – along with his background in dance. He mentioned walking “across the street” as a college student to take dance classes (referring to the studios at Barnard, across from Columbia). Quite suddenly, he left the microphone and broke into movement. He lunged, arched his back, and had full command of his body. He moved with grace. It was one of the more powerful moments in the show – and one that couldn’t be appreciated on radio.
Thank you, This American Life, for bringing the show to the stage. It was funny, touching, sad, powerful, thoughtful, and downright smart. Please do so again soon.
Borrowed Prey – A Performance in a Butcher Shop
April 19, 2012
Carrie Ahern's "Borrowed Prey", photo by Kris Martin
I was filled with both trepidation and curiosity when I received the press release for Carrie Ahern‘s latest project. Borrowed Prey, a solo conceived, directed, researched, and performed by Ahern, will come to a butcher shop at Chelsea Market next week. Yes, a butcher shop. It doesn’t sound like it’s for the faint of heart, and I’m still unsure of how to prepare for this type of experience. Below is an excerpt from the press release. Tickets to Borrowed Prey can be purchased here. Performances are April 26th through May 13th – Thursdays and Fridays at 9pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 8pm. Go see it if you dare.
Carrie Ahern Dance/Present Pariah, Inc is pleased to present the world premiere of Borrowed Prey inside the Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Avenue, NYC, at Dicksonʼs Farmstand Meats. Borrowed Prey is an hour-long solo performance by Carrie Ahern inside a butcher shop. Borrowed Prey is a provocative investigation into our relationship to the animals most of us consume. Bringing together 4 strands of research: hunting, butchering, and slaughtering of animals, plus the work of animal behavior scientist and autistic Dr. Temple Grandin, Borrowed Prey attempts to illuminate more about the true “farm to table” process and our human capacity for empathy. Ahern questions the slippery nature of anthropomorphism and death in our culture. The work includes butchering of a lamb and meat will be made available for sale post show.
Faye Driscoll’s “You’re Me”
April 17, 2012
Faye Driscoll and Jesse Zaritt in Driscoll's "You're Me", photo by Paula Court
Last week I saw Faye Driscoll’s newest work, You’re Me, at The Kitchen. My review will be in the next issue of The Brooklyn Rail, but a heads up: if you haven’t seen it yet, go go go. It’s messy, funny, sad, and frighteningly accurate. You can even watch this little flipbook of Driscoll and Jesse Zaritt, her partner in the piece.
Upcoming: skybetter and associates at Joyce SoHo
April 4, 2012
Jennifer Jones of skybetter and associates, photo by Tom Caravaglia
In 2010, skybetter and associates left a lasting impression when they made their Joyce SoHo debut. This month, from April 5th to 22nd, they return to that venue with a world premiere and several works from their repertoire. The Brooklyn-based company, founded in 2008 by artistic director Sydney Skybetter, will perform Near Abroad (2008), The Laws of Falling Bodies (2009), Temporary Matters (2011), Little Boy (2012), and the world premiere of For Want of Sleep, featuring a commissioned score by composer Sxip Shirey.
skybetter and associates has partnered with Nel Shelby Productions to produce an innovative, multi-camera live stream of the performance on April 15th. Plus, every performance will be followed by a talk back with various artists, scholars, consultants and managers, including Eduardo Vilaro, artistic director of Ballet Hispanico (4/5); David Parker, artistic director of Bang Group (4/7); Bill Bragin of Lincoln Center and composer Sxip Shirey (4/14); Jill Johnson, Director of Dance at Harvard University (4/15); Tim Cynova, deputy director of Fractured Atlas (4/20); and Jennifer Edwards of Edwards & Skybetter | Change Agency (4/22).
Skybetter explained, “I’ve learned through extensive work in the dance community as a marketer and technologist that post-show talk backs are square one in audience engagement. So we thought, why just have one during the run when we can have one following every show.”
skybetter and associates performs at Joyce SoHo April 5, 7, 11, 15 & 20 at 7:30pm, and April 14 & 22 at 2pm. Seating is very limited. Tickets are available online.
155 Mercer Street, New York City
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