Manhattan Youth Ballet presents WITH REGARD and A Gala Benefit honoring Marina Stavitskaya

Manhattan Youth Ballet presents WITH REGARD... In Practice & Performance from May 29 - 30, 2015 and A Gala Benefit honoring Marina Stavitskaya on Sunday, May 31, 2015 at Manhattan Movement & Arts Center. A Gala Benefit honoring Marina Stavitskaya will begin with a cocktail hour at 5pm, followed by the gala performance at 6pm curtain. There will also be a post-performance catered reception and silent auction.

In Practice & Performance will feature world premieres by Brian Reeder, Marina Stavitskaya, Daniel Ulbricht, Frederick Earl Mosley and Natalia Boesch as well as George Balanchine's Valse Fantaisie. Performance times are Friday, May 29 at 7pm and Saturday, May 30 at 3pm and 7pm. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students.   

A Gala Benefit honoring Marina Stavitskayawill feature special performances by GUEST ARTISTS and alumni from American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet as well as WORLD PREMIERES by Brian Reeder, Marina Stavitskaya, Daniel Ulbricht, Frederick Earl Mosley and Natalia Boesch, and George Balanchine's Valse Fantaisie. Gala tickets are $100 for adults and $50 for students. All proceeds will benefit the Manhattan Youth Ballet Scholarship Fund.

Tickets Information: For In Practice & Performanceand A Gala Benefit honoring Marina Stavitskayacan be purchased at manhattanyouthballet.org beginning on Friday, May 8, or by calling 212-787-1178.

ChEckiT!Dance Application Deadline Extended to 5/22 for 5th Annual ChEck Us OuT Dance Festival

ChEckiT!Dance is accepting applications from female choreographers to the Fifth Annual ChEck Us OuT Dance Festival, an eco-friendly evening of dance celebrating female choreographers,on Saturday, July 18, 2015 at 5pm at Solar One on the East River, NYC. Pieces from any genre of dance that can be adapted to an outdoor space are encouraged to submit. The deadline to apply has been extended to Friday, May 22, 2015 and the application form is available at www.checkitdance.com.

The festival seeks to showcase the talents of strong, female choreographers in a welcoming and fun environment. ChEck Us OuT Dance Festival is a carefully curated event that has featured the works of choreographers from across the globe, including California, upstate New York and Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Last year's featured artists included:

  • Cathy Allen/Red Desert Dance Ensemble
  • Allison Berger
  • Allison Brzezinski/ChEckiT!Dance
  • Meredith Cabaniss/Selah Dance Collective
  • Alyssa Derling/Derling Dance Arts
  • Melissa Jackson/Innovate Dance Company
  • Alia Kache
  • Lauren Lasorda and Tali Custer
  • AlexJo Natale/Gestalt Dance
  • Joya Powell/Movement of the People Dance Company
  • Jessie Sector
  • Sophie Sotsky/TYKE Dance
  • Jessica Taylor/DAMAGEDANCE
  • Meredith Testa

The ChEck Us OuT Dance Festival is the culmination of all of ChEckiT!Dance's efforts to increase performance opportunities for female dance makers. This annual outdoor festival, now in its fifth year, is curated and produced by ChEckiT! Dance each July. Summit Rock in Central Park has been the home of the past four festivals.  This year, the festival will be held at Solar One! on the East River. The ChEck Us OuT Dance Festival is a platform designed specifically to provide female choreographers the opportunity to share their work with an eager audience. The work is enriching, lively, and thrilling, and the eclectic styles of dance presented by performers hailing from all corners of the globe, builds a truly global community of female dance artists. In addition, the ChEck Us OuT Dance Festival is entirely green and entirely free of admission, providing access for all.

ChEckiT!Dance's performance credits include: Edinburgh Fringe, Scotland; Body Blend, Dixon Place, NYC; JT Lotus First Choreographer's Showcase, The Ailey Studios, NYC; HATCH Presenting Series, The Works Studios, NYC; STEPS Performance Lab Series, STEPS, NYC; New York City Dance Parade, NYC; Dance Fest, The Bandshell at Tompkins Square Park, NYC; ChEck Us OuT Dance Festival, Summit Rock, NYC-- 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014; Waterside Plaza Dance Festival, Waterside Plaza, NYC; Moving Beauty Series Dance Lab, Church of All Nations, NYC; Secrets, Lies and Rumors: A Cabaret, Loft on Fifth, NYC; MishMash201, Sukha Arts Center, Harrington Park, NJ; FigmentNYC,

Governor's Island, NY-- 2012, 2013; TEXT/CONTEXT, The Kraft Center at Columbia University/

Barnard College, NYC *featured artist at talk back*; GHOST Series, The Gershwin Hotel, NYC;

Astoria Dance Festival, Bohemian Beer Garden, Astoria, NY 2012, 2013; Dance Film Association's

Films That Move Series, Solar One, NYC; Home is Where The Art Is, Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn, NY;

20 Years Celebration of Dance, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA.

For more information: www.checkitdance.com.

ZviDance presents the World Premiere of Escher/Bacon/Rothko

From June 24 - 27, 2015 at New York Live Arts

***

The WORLD PREMIERE of ZviDance's newest work, Escher/Bacon/Rothko, will run for a limited engagement at New York Live Arts (219 W. 19th Street, NYC) from June 24 - 27, 2015 with an Opening Night on Wednesday, June 24, 2015.

Performances:

Set in three parts, Escher/Bacon/Rothkois an evening-length dance piece inspired by the work of M.C. Escher, Francis Bacon and Mark Rothko. Virtuosic in form and versatile in style, Gotheiner's stirring choreography pulsates with each artist's startling notion of modernity.

Cast includes: Chelsea Ainsworth, Todd Allen, Alex Beigelson, Kuan Hui Chew, Alison Clancy, Derek Ege, Samantha Harvey, David Nosworthy, Ying Ying Shiau, and Robert M. Valdez Jr.

TICKETING INFORMATION

An exclusive ticket pre-sale to ZviDance's Opening Night Benefit is available to ZviDance patrons and may be purchased by emailing tickets@zvidance.com or by visiting http://www.zvidance.com/tickets. (Opening Night Celebration Tickets - $150)

Single tickets for the production are available at New York Live Arts Ticket Services (212) 924-0077or by visiting http://newyorklivearts.org/event/zvi_dance_2015 (Evening performances - $35/adults; $28/seniors/students/NYLA Members; Matinee performance - $25/adults; $20/seniors/students/NYLA Members.

For more information, visit www.zvidance.com.

BALLET ACADEMY EAST Spring Performance May 15-17, 2015

Ballet Academy East will present its Spring Performance from May 15-17, 2015 at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at 524 W. 59th Street, NYC.

Performances:

  • Friday, May 15 at 7:00pm,
  • Saturday May 16 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm, and
  • Sunday May 17 at 2:00pm.

The Saturday May 16, 2:00pm performance will be a special family matinee, which will feature craft activities in the lobby during intermission, (recommended for ages 6 and up).

The performance will feature the Pre-Professional Division, levels 2-9, in ballets choreographed by Jenna Lavin, Matthew Neenan, Margo Sappington and Rex Wheeler.

For more information, visit: www.baenyc.com.

www.jjay.cuny.edu/theater

BodyStories: Teresa Fellion Dance presents The Mantises Are Flipping W.3

BodyStories: Teresa Fellion Dance presents The Mantises Are Flipping W.3 as part of the DANCE: Access series* at Danspace Project from May 21-23, 2015 at 8pm at St. Marks Church, 131 E. 10th Street, NYC. Tickets are $20 ($15 for Dancespace members) and can be purchased on dancespaceproject.org, by calling the Dancespace Project box office at 866.811.4111, or by visiting the box office in person. For more information, please visit http://bodystoriesfellion.org.

Derived from Teresa Fellion's original solo work, Mantises utilizes contrasting movement qualities, while creating polyrhythmic movement where the upper and lower body performs separate dynamics and rhythms. With Fellion's direction, the company dancers are investigating themes including: the nature of opposites, "sanity versus insanity", the effects of sound on the body both internally and externally, and the changing psychological states of several individuals in a thread of isolation. These have informed their ever-changing imaginative development process to cultivate new discoveries. 

"The Mantises Are Flipping W.3 is a long-term contemporary dance project which has evolved during three separate, detailed stages of fresh development, exploring duality that creates a voyeuristic point of observation into idiosyncratic worlds and relationships among individuals," said Teresa Fellion, Artistic Director of BodyStores: Teresa Fellion Dance. "World One premiered at ICA Boston and CPR-Center for Performance Research in 2013, exposing our sound and movement vocabularies, created to contain opposing qualities simultaneously. World Two premiered at Manhattan Movement and Arts Center and Bryant Park Summerstage in 2014, offering layers of cohesion to four distinct, rich environments. Through further movement and sound development, as well as extended spatial and interactive design research, in May 2015 we will premiere a new work, Mantis W.3, which will give the audience an immersive experience in the imaginative, playful, yet 'unfortunately adult' world of Mantises Are Flipping."

Mantises will feature dancers Iman Barnes, Zach Bergfelt, Corey Bliss, Mia DeWeese, Alex Jenkins, Monica Mordaunt, and Audrey Rachelle Stanley; with costumes by Ljupka Arsovska; lighting design by Tim Cryan; and live music and original composition by Ryan Edwards and John Yannelli.

"Bodystories: Teresa Fellion Dance have stepped bravely up to the mirror and refused to shy away from our most unpleasant characteristics, while unfailingly celebrating the potential for beauty within each of us. Through repeated movements, loving touches and some of the angriest dance I have ever seen women undertake on the stage, this group has created true magic."

- Edinburgh Festivals Magazine

*DANCE: Access is a self-produced series administered by Danspace Project that serves independent choreographers and dance companies.

BodyStories: Teresa Fellion Dance is a contemporary dance company that strives to capture and communicate universal human encounters through dynamic, purposeful movement. We are a multifaceted, highly physical company laced with provocative, emotional, political and humorous edges. Our mission is to examine depths of society in their darkest and brightest moments and to inspire audiences to physically sense emotional and psychological aspects of the human condition on stage. Live music is an important factor in many of our works. We also consistently work via in-depth collaborations in lighting, costume, video and set design. In addition to creating and performing innovative works, our company is committed to reaching diverse populations through outreach and education and maintaining a stable business model to sustain our work. Our company values international exchange; we collectively speak nine languages and research, perform, and collaborate with artists from five continents.  Shown works and taught at Baryshnikov Arts Center, Jacob's Pillow, ENTPE University (France), NYU, UME, UFL, Pace, SLC, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Ailey Citigroup Theatre, Bryant Park Summer Stage, Dixon Place, 92nd St. Y, 4 Times Square, Franco-American Cultural Centre, BDF Edinburgh, Ailey School, and in concerts with Phish. 

For more information, visit: www.bodystoriesfellion.org.

NEW YORK! GET UP AND BOOGIE!

Annual Taste Of Dance Showcase

Hey, New York, do you feel like dancing? It’s almost that time of year when the dance lovers of the city take to the streets and go crazy!

It’s Dance Parade time and it’s a  gathering of 10,000 dancers, strong, that make May just another reason to well — dance — but before they do that again, the creative people need your help.

To get the “dance” started they are throwing a Taste of Dance Parade Showcase this Sunday, for the Advanced ticket price of only $20 but you can get $5 off until April 7th by using the discount code “livefreeanddance.”

Art ain't free. Come on - help the creative folks out!!!! If you can, be a “Mover and Shaker” with a $100 contribution and get listed as a major sponsor in the event program and website, and enjoy food and drinks at the show.

  ·  Get tickets here!

  ·  RSVP and spread the word on Facebook.

The showcase is a teaser for the juggernaut of the 9th Annual Dance Parade and Festival which features 75 unique styles, making it the world’s largest display of cultural diversity. The parade, festival and dance classes in Tompkins Square Park are all free, which is why our showcase benefit is so crucial.

Donnie D'Amato will emcee a dazzling program including Chinese ribbon dancers, Salsa, Samba, physically integrated dance, hip-hop and even fire hooping and a triple trapeze piece-- all in the intimate space of Dixon Place Theater with a group of New Yorkers who love and support dance.

Not able to make it but still want to support us? There's a way to donate online as well. 

I hope to see you April 12th. Until then, enjoy the newsletter below and thanks so much for helping keep dance free in the streets of New York!

BALLET HISPANICO ANNOUNCES TWO-WEEK NEW YORK SEASON AT THE JOYCE THEATER

Spring means many things in the city. It’s a signal to enjoy the fruits and the bounty that the creative community brings, year after year, to New York.

The spring season of BALLET HISPANICO (April 14-26, 2015) is no exception!

Artistic director, Eduardo Vilaro of Ballet Hispanico keeps true to his roots while mixing it with an eclectic, sleek, modern style that has always been favored by audience and critics alike with The New York Times calling the dynamic company “...the best contemporary repertory ensembles" (The New York Times).

This year, some of the highlights of the Joyce season include the world premiere by Mexico-based choreographer Miguel Mancillas and the dazzling New York premiere of Show.Girl. by Miami-based, Princess Grace Award-winning choreographer Rosie Herrera.

Other gems include the Joyce Premiere of Gustavo Ramírez Sansano's CARMEN.maquia, a contemporary spin on the iconic story about a passionate gypsy with set design by Luis Crespo and costumes by fashion designer David Delfin; Sombrerísimo, choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and commissioned by New York City Center for the 10th anniversary of the Fall for Dance Festival; and El Beso, choreographed by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, with original costumes by Venezuelan fashion designer Angel Sanchez.

Keeping up with the times, this will be the first New York season where Ballet Hispanico will also offer a 90-minute matinee on Saturday, April 18 that is specially curated for children and families. 

Ballet Hispanico's fun, interactive and educational Performances for Young People is now celebrating 30 years-give families a glimpse into the beauty of the arts and Latino culture.

This dynamic program will feature excerpts from Ballet Hispanico's diverse repertory and a Q&A with the dancers. This event will be hosted by Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro and Education Director AnaMaria Correa.

"Our New York Season truly offers something for everyone," said Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director of Ballet Hispanico. "The works this season highlight the full breadth of the company's powerful ability to interpret the many shades of the Latino cultural experience. From raw human expression to stylized theatrical seduction, each work is a chapter in the past, present and future of our American experience. And, I am particularly excited to offer our beloved and signature Performances for Young People to family audiences through a special Saturday matinee."

Ballet Hispanico's New York Season at The Joyce Theater - April 14-26, 2015

World Premiere of Conquer by Miguel Mancillas 

New York Premiere of Show.Girl by Rosie Herrera 

Joyce Premiere of Evening-Length CARMEN.maquia

Special Matinee for Children and Families on Saturday, April 18 .

BALLET HISPANICO 2015 Spring Gala "Noche Cubana" Honors Cuban Civic Leaders

Bring out your Sunday best, it’s time to go to the The Plaza Hotel on Monday, March 30, 2015 at 6:30pm to Honor Milena Alberti-Pérez & David Pérez with the Civic Inspiration Award and Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas with the Nuestra Inspiración Award at its annual Spring Gala in The Plaza Hotel's Grand Ballroom with Ballet Hispanico.

The Plaza Hotel's Grand Ballroom, so swanky on (768) Fifth Avenue will be serving cocktails at 6:30pm and dinner and dancing commence at 7:30pm. Attire is festive black tie.

Ballet Hispanico's 2015 Spring Gala will salute three extraordinary individuals who have given voice to their Latino culture and the importance of Ballet Hispanico's work through the corporations they serve. Ballet Hispanico Board President and President and COO of Palladium Equity Partners David Pérez and Milena Alberti-Pérez, SVP and Head of Global Corporate Finance at Penguin Random House, will receive the Civic Inspiration Award for their thirteen years of leadership and dedication to Ballet Hispanico. Chair of Ballet Hispanico's Leadership Council Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas will receive the Nuestra Inspiración Award for his unwavering advocacy for New York City's arts community and for his efforts as program director for the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. This year's Gala also celebrates "Puentes," Ballet Hispanico's education programs, and features live salsa music by Grupo Irék along with performances by the Ballet Hispanico Company and students of the Ballet Hispanico School of Dance and P.S. 87M.

"We are thrilled to recognize our visionary honorees," said Kate Lear, Chair of Ballet Hispanico's Board of Directors. "We celebrate the inspired leadership of David Pérez and Milena Alberti-Pérez, whose enthusiasm for and belief in Ballet Hispanico's mission has been a driving force behind the organization over many years.  We are equally elated to honor the exceptional efforts of Ben Rodriguez Cubeñas, who is a great friend and extraordinary advocate on behalf of Ballet Hispanico."

The event is headed by Event Chairs Jody & John Arnhold, Kate Lear & Jon LaPook, Marcos A. Rodriguez, and Greidys Gil & Luis Zaldivar, along with Event Vice Chairs Herb Scannell and Charles Wortman & Laura Baldwin. The Gala Honorary Committee is chaired by Ford Foundation President Darren Walker. Proceeds, which last year totalled just over $1M, benefit the creation of new Company works, need-based financial aid and merit scholarships in the Ballet Hispanico School of Dance, and community arts education programs. 

Since its inception in 1970, Ballet Hispanico has been recognized as the nation's premier Latino dance organization. Led by award-winning Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro, the Ballet Hispanico Company has performed for audiences totalling over 3 million, throughout 11 countries, and on 3 continents. The Company's commitment to contemporary repertory has produced world-class, multifaceted performances that have featured master works by Nacho Duato, cutting-edge premiers by Cayetano Soto and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and live music collaborations with renowned artists such as Paquito D'Rivera and Ruben Blades-to name a notable few. Through the work of its professional company, school of dance, and community arts education programs, Ballet Hispanico celebrates the dynamic aesthetics of the Hispanic diaspora, building new avenues of cultural dialogue and sharing the joy of dance with all communities. For more information, visit www.ballethispanico.org.

DANCE WITH BALLET HISPANICO

What’s not to love about dance?  Nothing that’s what—nothing and with a special matinee for Children and Families that’s a big “go” sign to plan a New York family day!

This year, Ballet Hispanico, recognized as the nation's leading Latino dance organization since 1970, returns to the Joyce Theater from April 14-26, 2015 with 15 performances featuring five dynamic programs. The tickets are reasonable starting at $10 with the World Premiere of Conquer by Miguel Mancillas; a New York Premiere of Show.Girl by Rosie Herrera, Joyce Premiere of Evening-Length CARMEN.maquia and a Special Matinee for Children and Families on Saturday, April 18.

Under the brilliant eye of Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro, Ballet Hispanico has melded its Latino roots with an eclectic, sleekly modern style that has made it "one of the best contemporary repertory ensembles" (The New York Times).

Highlights of this year's Joyce season include a raw and athletic world premiere by Mexico-based choreographer Miguel Mancillas and the dazzling New York premiere of Show.Girl. by Miami-based, Princess Grace Award-winning choreographer Rosie Herrera. Other highlights include the Joyce Premiere of Gustavo Ramírez Sansano's CARMEN.maquia, a contemporary spin on the iconic story about a passionate gypsy with set design by Luis Crespo and costumes by fashion designer David Delfin; Sombrerísimo, choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and commissioned by New York City Center for the 10th anniversary of the Fall for Dance Festival; and El Beso, choreographed by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, with original costumes by Venezuelan fashion designer Angel Sanchez. 

For the first time during its New York Season, Ballet Hispanico will also offer a 90-minute matinee on Saturday, April 18 that is specially curated for children and families featuring excerpts from Ballet Hispanico's diverse repertory and a Q&A with the dancers.

Hosted by Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro and Education Director AnaMaria Correa, Ballet Hispanico's fun, interactive and educational Performances for Young People-now celebrating 30 years-give families a glimpse into the beauty of the arts and Latino culture.   

"Our New York Season truly offers something for everyone," said Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director of Ballet Hispanico. "The works this season highlight the full breadth of the company's powerful ability to interpret the many shades of the Latino cultural experience. From raw human expression to stylized theatrical seduction, each work is a chapter in the past, present and future of our American experience. And, I am particularly excited to offer our beloved and signature Performances for Young People to family audiences through a special Saturday matinee."

Ballet Hispanico's New York Season at The Joyce Theater - April 14-26, 2015

Conquer (2015) - World Premiere

Choreography by Miguel Mancillas

A raw and athletic world premiere by Mexico-based choreographer Miguel Mancillas that explores, through notions of power and possession, the ways in which we seek to conquer spaces and people. Mr. Mancillas's work came to fruition through Ballet Hispanico's Instituto Coreográfico, an innovative choreography lab program for Latino dance makers.

Show.Girl. (2014) - New York Premiere

Choreography by Rosie Herrera 

A dazzling New York premiere by Miami-based, award-winning choreographer Rosie Herrera, Show.Girl. uses the Cuban cabaret aesthetic to explore the Latina female identity. Ms. Herrera's work was commissioned in part by American Dance Festival and came to fruition through Ballet Hispanico's Instituto Coreográfico, an innovative choreography lab program for Latino dance makers.

CARMEN.maquia (2014) - Joyce Premiere

Choreography by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano

Hailed as a "masterpiece" by the Chicago Sun-Times, CARMEN.maquia is a Picasso-inspired contemporary take on Bizet's beloved classic. The physically charged and sensual choreography fuses contemporary dance with nods to the Spanish paso doble and flamenco. A stunning set design by Luis Crespo and minimalist black-and-white costumes by fashion designer David Delfin evoke the paintings of Pablo Picasso. Highly original and full of elaborate partnering, CARMEN.maquia is a bold and electrifying reimagining of this tragic tale. 

Sombrerísimo (2013) 

Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

An absorbing exploration of identity, Sombrerísimo references the surrealist world of the Belgian painter René Magritte, famous for his paintings of men in bowler hats. This athletic work for six male dancers was commissioned by New York City Center for the 10th anniversary of the Fall for Dance Festival. 

El Beso (2014)

Choreography by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano

Spaniard Gustavo Ramírez Sansano's first work for Ballet Hispanico is a spirited look at the nuances of a kiss set to Spanish Zarzuela music and featuring original costumes by Venezuelan fashion designer Angel Sanchez. 

Asuka (2011) 

Choreography by Eduardo Vilaro Asuka is a celebration of the music of Celia Cruz through the lens of the Latino experience. Cruz, renowned as the "Queen of Salsa," captured the heart of Latinos the world over and became a symbol of perseverance for many. Through rich imagery and humor, Eduardo Vilaro explores the struggles of departure from one's homeland and the exuberance of success experienced by a community. 

Good Night Paradise (1994)

Choreography by Ramón Oller Catalan lyrics, haunting tableaus, and relationships that stem from the dark side of the heart shape this powerful and highly physical piece of dance theater by Catalan modernist Oller. 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE 

Program A:  Show.Girl., Conquer,El Beso 

Tue 4/14, Wed 4/15 at 7:30pm; Thu 4/16, Fri 4/17, Sat 4/18 at 8pm, Sun 4/19 at 7:30pm 

Program B:  CARMEN.maquia 

Tue 4/21, Wed 4/22 at 7:30pm; Thu 4/23, Fri 4/24, Sat 4/25 at 8pm 

Program C:  Conquer, Sombrerísimo, El Beso 

Sun 4/19 at 2pm; Sat 4/25 at 2pm 

Program D:  Show.Girl., Good Night Paradise, Sombrerísimo, Asuka 

Sun 4/26 at 2pm*

*Specially programmed to celebrate retiring Ballet Hispanico dancer Jessica Alejandra Wyatt 

SATURDAY EN FAMILIA Program: 

Sat 4/18 at 2pm 

Excerpts from Asuka, CARMEN.maquia, Sombrerísimo, El Beso

Bring the whole family to a 90-minute, fun-filled journey through Latin American dance and culture featuring excerpts from Ballet Hispanico's diverse repertory and a Q&A with the dancers. Hosted by Ballet Hispanico Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro and Education Director AnaMaria Correa, our fun, interactive and educational Performances for Young People-now in their 30th year-give families a glimpse into the beauty of the arts and Latino culture. All tickets $25.