BEYOND.WORDS. Addresses Autism Through Dance 4/2-4 At BMCC

Contemporary dance company dre.dance (Andrew Palermo and Taye Diggs) examines autism in their latest World Premiere, BEYOND.WORDS. Performances of this challenging new work run April 2-4 at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center.

BEYOND.WORDS dives into the world of autism with both wonder and sympathy. With movement gleaned from 'typical spectrum behavior,' this evening-length gives voice to these 'multi-sensory' individuals. Inspired by first-person accounts of people on 'the spectrum,' beyond.words challenges common misconceptions that the 'afflicted' want and need to be cured, and hopes to shed light on the beauty and spirit of people with autism.

BEYOND.WORDS is danced by Janelle Abbott, Christina Black, Vince DeGeorge, Colby Lindeman, Kyle Mullins, Susan Philipp, Tommy Scrivens, Joshua Shutkind, and Lindsay Wood.

Andrew Palermo and Taye Diggs founded dre.dance in 2004. Emotion and power drive the company's aesthetic, while simultaneously maintaining the directors' most important quality, authenticity. Childhood friends from Rochester, New York, Palermo and Diggs have worked together for over eighteen years. They have presented three full-length New York seasons (two at Ailey Citigroup Theatre, one at Joyce Soho), as well as performances at the New York City Festival of Dance, Dance New Amsterdam's 'In the Company of Men Festival', TriPAC's Work and Show Festival, John Jay College, and a solo for Desmond Richardson, originally presented as part of Complexions Contemporary Ballet's 2007 Joyce season.

Taye Diggs currently appears on ABC-TV's 'Private Practice'. His television credits also include 'Kevin Hill' (UPN), 'Ally McBeal' (Fox), and 'Daybreak' (ABC). His feature film credits include How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Brown Sugar, Chicago, Rent, and others. Diggs's Broadway credits include Rent, Wicked, and Chicago.

Outside of dre.dance, Andrew Palermo's stage choreography credits include Great Joy at New Amsterdam Theatre, Kristin Chenoweth at Carnegie Hall, X'posed/Jai Rodriquez at Hudson Theatre, Journey to the West at 37 Arts, New York City Festival of Dance 2005 featuring Idina Menzel, Bright Lights Big City at Prince Music Theatre in Philadelphia, Aida at Music Theatre of Wichita, Man of La Mancha at Sacramento Music Circus, as well as Hair (director/choreographer) and The Wild Party at Wichita State University. He has also choreographed for Comedy Central's 'Stella', the film Holey Habits, as well as commercials for G-Shock and the Showtime Network/Apple Computers.

BEYOND.WORDS runs Thursday, April 2 - Saturday, April 4 at 8pm. Tickets are $10. BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center is located at the Borough of Manhattan Community College at 199 Chambers Street (between Greenwich and the West Side highway, accessible from the 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, N, R , 4, 5, 6, J, M trains New Jersey Path train and the M20 & M22 buses). For tickets or more information call 212-220-1460 or visit www.TribecaPAC.org.

Photo credit: Roberto Falck/Rachel Elkind

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