Darci Kistler and Damian Woetze in the Grand Pas De Deux from George Balanchine’s Nutcracker (1993).
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Category: Choreography
12/11/17 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: NewSteps, a choreographic showcase
By Walter Rutledge
NewSteps, a choreographic showcase, began the 23-year of bi-annual presentations on December 7 at the Chen Dance Center 70 Mulberry Street. The series presented 6 works by 8 choreographers Jenny Boissiere, Esmé Boyce, Keith Comley, Chelsea Hecht, Alexandra Lockhart, Emily McDaniel, Emily McDaniel, Nikki Theroux and Shannon Yu. NewSteps offers new and emerging choreographers rehearsal space, mentoring, and a stipend to create works less than 10 minutes in length. NewSteps promotes “new steps”; in other words, all of these original works are crafted for the three performance choreographic showcase. Continue reading
12/7/17 O&A NYC DANCE: NewSteps 2017 Begins Tonight- Meet The Choreographers- Keith Comley
By Walter Rutledge
Newsteps begins their 35th bi-annual emerging choreographers showcase December 7 through December 9 at the Chen Dance Center, 70 Mulberry Street in Chinatown. Newsteps offers new and emerging dance makers the opportunity to develop and present works in a low pressure, nurturing environment. Each choreographer is given rehearsal space, an honorarium, mentoring from a member of the selection panel, and multiple (three) performances to give the works time to “find its own voice”. Continue reading
12/5/17 O&A NYC DANCE: A Conversation With Michael Jackson Jr.
By Walter Rutledge
Michael Jackson, Jr. has spent his career working in the Black dance genre. The gifted dancer, choreographer, teacher, and this season’s Ailey “poster God” began his dance training at age 14 at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. under the direction of Charles Augins. His irrepressible curiosity, athletic physique and pliant musculature help Jackson Jr. quickly excel. Continue reading
11/28/17 O&A NYC DANCE: Ailey Company To Dance George Faison’s Suite Otis At Gala
By Walter Rutledge
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will present an excerpt of George Faison’s masterwork Suite Otis at their New York City Center season opening night gala, Wednesday, November 29 2017. Choreographed in 1971 for the George Faison Universal Dance Experience the work joined the Ailey repertoire in 1977. 40 years after it’s Ailey debut Suite Otis continues to excite and entertain audiences with verve, aplomb, fleet footed technique and imaginative Archimedean storytelling.
The company will perform the finale section set to Otis Redding’s Tenderness. The full cast section reintroduces the dancers creating a visually exciting yet compelling epilog. Throughout the work Faison (the imperial storyteller) does what every choreographer should do- invites us into his vision and delivers with clarity, focus and impeccable choreographic timing.
Balletomanes still long for the return of old fashion honest storytelling- the hallmark of Ailey’s original company. In Suite Otis Faison’s articulate use of the dance narrative genre captures the majesty and universal humanity of both Otis Redding’s music and the black dance experience. This gave him a voice in an era when Black American dance and culture had started to becoming a global force.
Suite Otis- George Faison
What Faison did (and continues to do) is to keep the dance/theatre aesthetic in the forefront of the arts conversation. Tenderness will be performed for one performance only on Wednesday, November 29 for tickets and a complete schedule of the five-week New York City season visit ailey.org.
11/7/18 O&A NYC DANCE: Bill Bojangle Robinson – Stair Dance from Harlem Is Heaven (1932)
The Stair Dance featured in Harlem Is Heaven (1932): one of the first movies to ever feature an all-black cast, this film also boasts one of the earliest recorded versions of Bill Robinson’s famous stair dance routine, where he tapped up and down two flights of five steps joined by a shared platform. Continue reading
11/4/17 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Billie Jean Live 30th Anniversary 2001
Michael Jackson performs Billie Jean in Brazil on the South American leg of his 30th Anniversary tour (2001). Continue reading
11/3/17 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Viengsay Valdes And Brooklyn Mack- Diana And Acteon
For Brooklyn Mack, a principal dancer at The Washington Ballet, it is a dream come true: performing in the land of his ballet idol Carlos Acosta, one of the outstanding stars of the Royal Ballet of London.
Mack is one of over 20 U.S. based dancers who participated in the 24th International Havana Ballet Festival, October 28th through Friday, November 7th, 2014.
Viengsay Valdes & Brooklyn Mack – Diana & Acteon
10/30/17 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Coming To America (1988)- Paula Abdul Choreography
Paula Abdul talks about choreographing Coming To America, “This was one of my moments of having to really prove myself, because I was still pretty new in my career as a choreographer. John Landis, the director, wanted the person that choreographed Janet Jackson. I was still a Laker Girl. I went in and he looked at me and said, ‘What are you, a teenager?’ And I said, ‘Yes, I am!’ Continue reading
10/25/17 O&A NYC DANCE: Ailey Releases Short Film Created In Paris
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancers appear in Rue Montorgueil, a joyful short film shot on the Parisian streets. Ailey company members performed with local dancers and people of different backgrounds, talents and nationalities and it was released on October 24- United Nations Day
