The Joyce Theater to Present PARSONS DANCE, 1/21-2/1

Parsons Dance, under the artistic direction of David Parsons, will present a season full of premieres and favorites at The Joyce Theater from January 21 - February 1. New and celebrated American choreographers take center stage as Parsons Dance performs three New York City premieres by acclaimed American choreographers Robert Battle, Trey McIntyre and David Parsons, along with a world premiere from GenerationNOW fellow Natalie Lomonte. Tickets, priced from $10-$59 ($26-$44 for Joyce members), can be purchased by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800 or via the internet at www.joyce.org. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th street.

Known for its sexy athleticism and stunning ensemble work, the company will perform Robert Battle's percussive work Train, Trey McIntyre's reflective duet Hymn, and Parsons' own Whirlaway set to music by the legendary jazz musician Allen Toussaint, which will all make New York City premieres. The company will also present the debut of Within a new creation by former company member and GenerationNOW fellow Natalie Lomonte, along with Parsons' Bachiana, a humorous look at the formality and grandeur of baroque tradition set to Bach and the perennial classic, Caught. This year, the company will present four family matinees at The Joyce, offering audiences kid-friendly repertory and an opportunity for fans (young and old) to meet the dancers. These family matinees will be Saturday, January 24 and 31 at 2pm and Sunday, January 25 and February 1 at 2pm.

David Parsons (Artistic Director/Founder) has enjoyed a remarkable career as a performer, choreographer, teacher, director and producer of dance. Mr. Parsons was born near Chicago and raised in Kansas City. He was a leading dancer with The Paul Taylor Dance Company, where Mr. Taylor created many roles for him in works such as Arden Court, Last Look and Roses. He is a recipient of the 2000 Dance Magazine Award, the 2001 American Choreography Award, as well as, the 2011 Dance Masters of America Award. Mr. Parsons has created more than 70 works for Parsons Dance. He has also received commissions from American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the American Dance Festival, Jacob's Pillow, the Spoleto Festival and Het Muziektheater in Amsterdam, to name a few. His work has been performed by Paris Opera Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theatre, National Ballet of Canada, Hubbard Street Dance and Batsheva Dance Company of Israel, among many others.

Robert Battle was personally selected by Judith Jamison to succeed her as Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2011. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Battle had a long association with the Ailey organization as a choreographer and artist-in-residence. Since becoming Artistic Director, he has received critical and audience acclaim for expanding Ailey's repertory and he has also instituted a New Directions Choreography Lab. His journey to the top of the modern dance world began at New World School of the Arts and The Juilliard School. He danced with Parsons Dance Company from 1994 to 2001, and set his choreography on that company starting in 1998. His own Battleworks Dance Company flourished from 2002 to 2011. Mr. Battle has been honored as a "Master of African-American Choreography" by the Kennedy Center, and he received the prestigious Statue Award from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA.

Trey McIntyre One of the most sought after choreographers working today, Trey McIntyre has created a canon of more than 90 works for companies including: Houston Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Moscow Ballet Theatre, State Ballet of (Republic of) Georgia, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Washington Ballet, Ballet de Santiago (Chile), Ballet Florida, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Texas Ballet Theatre, The Carlisle Project, Ballet Memphis, Ballet Pacifica, Nashville Ballet, Aspen/Santa Fe Ballet Company, Cincinnati Ballet, Philadanco, Sacramento Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Smuin Ballet and Trey McIntyre Project.

Natalie Lomonte is a choreographer, dancer and teacher in NYC. She has collaborated to create work and toured with such companies as MOMIX, Pilobolus, The Chase Brock Experience and Parsons Dance. She has performed on television throughout Europe and Japan and danced with Liza Minnelli in the movie Se x And The City 2. Natalie was in the original Broadway cast of Spiderman:Turn Off the Dark, where she eventually served as the Dance Captain and Dance Supervisor. In 2012 Natalie became the Movement Director for One Year Lease Theater Company and an Adjunct Professor of Dance at Fordham University. For the past two years she has choreographed for theater, dance and film and has led creative movement workshops at Harvard University and Vassar College.