Carolyn Dorfman Dance Presents UNFOLDING By Principal Dancer Ae-Soon Kim, 4/28

Carolyn Dorfman Dance, whose bold and dramatic works connect life and movement, hosts its annual performance and gala benefit at New Jersey's premiere performing arts center, NJPAC, Friday, April 28, 2017, at 7:00 p.m. Five of Dorfman's versatile dancers will present the world premiere of Unfolding-created by senior company member and teaching artist Ae-Soon Kim, the fourth dancer in the company's history to have this opportunity. Dorfman's enchanting Dance/Stories and the acclaimed ensemble work Sextet will be restaged for the gala celebration.

For Dorfman's Dance/Stories, the company welcomes back the incomparable storyteller, narrator, and librettist Charlotte Blake Alston. Alston will perform live during Dance/Stories, an enchanting interdisciplinary collaboration featuring a selection of folk tales and authentic stories from around the world. The acclaimed Sextet is a dance that explores the energy, rhythm and power of six dancers. Both works have been composed by the elegant and translucent percussionist Horacee Arnold.

Ae-Soon Kim's new company work is in line with the global perspective of Carolyn's work, exploring her cultural roots and life's journey on three continents. Kim, of Korean descent, was raised in Japan and has a performance resume throughout both both Europe and the U.S. Unfolding, is an abstract work that weaves together the people, places and things a person encounters in a lifetime to compose the soul. Utilizing silk fabrics and a fan, a key element of Korean Dance, each dancer represents a spoke on a fan, which moves away from the base and folds back together. A traditional Janggo Korean drummer will perform live that evening, representing the sounds of Kim's ancestors and cultural past.

"Through the language of contemporary, modern dance, we celebrate the human journey-

it recognizes and honors both the commonality and the uniqueness of the human story," explains Artistic Director Carolyn Dorfman. "We are all a product of our foundation and experiences, which often informs our work. We see that exploration of one's roots in Ae-Soon's new company work, which has already become an important addition to the repertory."

During the gala reception three annual awards will be given-the Encore Award will be presented to Gail and Clifford Schob. Mrs. Schob, former gala chair (2011-2013), and her husband are being honored for their long-time company support. The Keystone Award will be given to Horacee Arnold who is being honored for his long time artist collaboration with Ms. Dorfman as the composer of Dance/Stories and Sextet. Additionally, a 2017 Special Recognition Award will be presented to Elizabeth Demkin, owner, United Forms Finishing, Inc., for providing generous and top quality printing services to the company over the past eight years. Soul Jazz Violinist and Vocalist Charisa, the ViolinDiva, will provide evening entertainment during the pre-performance gala reception and her trio will perform during the gala reception.

The evening is presented as part of NJPAC's Jersey Moves! Festival of Dance and made possible by generous grants from The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Unfolding is made possible, in part, by support from generous donors Andres Miranda and Betsy and Drew Vaden.

TICKETS and VENUE INFORMATION

The gala evening will be held in the Victoria Theatre at NJPAC. General admission tickets are available for $30 and $45 athttp://bit.ly/2nykuju. A limited number of $15 student tickets are also available by using code CD15 online.

Individual gala tickets start at $225 and include a pre-glow reception at 6:00 p.m. in the lobby of the Victoria Theater, and a7:00 p.m. performance, followed by a light supper, cocktails, dessert, award presentations and dancing in the Chase Room. Gala sponsorships, tickets, and Virtual Advertisements can be purchased online at https://cddc.ejoinme.org/gala2017.

NJPAC's Victoria Theater is located at 1 Center Street in Newark, New Jersey. The theater is accessible by NJ Transit Newark Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast or Raritan Valley line trains, AMTRAK Northeast Regional trains or PATH trains to Newark Penn Station.

REPERTORY DETAILS

Unfolding (2017) - World Premiere

Choreography: Ae-Soon Kim

Composer: Greg Wall

Lighting: Scott Nelson

Korean Drummer: Youlmae Kim

Costume: Anna-Alisa Belous

Fabric: Ombr? Silk, donated by Lynne and Elliot Glantz, Preview Textile Group, NYC

Length: 15 minutes

Integrating East-West influences, musician/composer Rabbi Greg Wall, a long-time musical collaborator with Carolyn Dorfman, will create a commissioned score that incorporates live Korean drumming by accomplished I KADA Contemporary Dance Company's Korean Drummer, Youlmae Kim, and other electronic elements to explore Ms. Kim's roots and her life's journey on three continents: Asia, Europe and America.

Dance/Stories (1996)

Choreography: Carolyn Dorfman

Music: Horacee Arnold

Storytelling: Charlotte Blake Alston

Lighting: Scott Nelson

Costume: Russell Aubrey

Dance/Stories, an enchanting interdisciplinary collaboration featuring a selection of folk tales and stories from around the world, artistically explores the integration of narrative, music and movement to illuminate the common themes of humanity. Through image and metaphor, the dancers weave the threads that create a tapestry that bathes the senses and the soul.

Sextet (1994)

Choreography: Carolyn Dorfman

Music: Horacee Arnold

Lighting: Scott Nelson

Costume: Russell Aubrey and Traci DiGesu

With images of quick darting actions and suspended moments at its core, Sextet challenges the dynamic and technical range of the dancers. With commissioned music by jazz composer, Horacee Arnold, this sextet is an exploration of the energy, rhythm and power of six dancers. Following an accumulation form, the dance progresses from duet to trio, quartet, quintet, and finally the full ensemble.