Alvin Ailey News

MUMMENSCHANZ, the legendary Swiss mask troupe that revolutionized wordless theatrical entertainment, will be in Providence this month to thrill audiences of all ages with its famously uproarious performances and to kick off the FirstWorks 2015 'Artistic Icons' series. MUMMENSCHANZ will delight Rhode Island audiences with classic favorites and brilliant new works tonight, January 22, 2015 at 7:00 P.M. at Veterans Memorial Auditorium (The Vets).

Parsons Dance, under the artistic direction of David Parsons, will present a season full of premieres and favorites at The Joyce Theater from tonight, January 21 - February 1.

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (“The Wallis”) presents DanceBrazil (Jelon Vieira, Artistic Director) for three performances only, February 6-7, 2015 in the Bram Goldsmith Theater. The program includes the West Coast premieres of Gueto, choreographed by Vieira to music of Marcos Carvalho, and Búzios, choreographed by Guilherme Durarte to music of Leo Jesus. The program also features Vieira's 2013 Fé do Sertão, also set to music by Carvalho. The company will also conduct masterclasses in Afro-Brazilian movement (February 5) and Capoeira (February 7).

American Repertory Ballet (ARB) Artistic Director Douglas Martin will premiere his new full-length ballet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, on February 26 and 27, 2015 at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ. The ballet will feature the beloved score by Mendelssohn, performed live by Rutgers Symphony Orchestra. ARB will also bring this new ballet to the Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem, PA on March 6. In anticipation of these performances, today January 16, ARB will host 'Behind the Music: A Midsummer Night's Dream,' a free lecture featuring guest and music scholar Simon Morrison.

Two short films from DANCING SONDHEIM -- a free App compiling 7 short dance movies by Richard Daniels using the music of Stephen Sondheim -- will be screened on Saturday, January 31 at 6 p.m. as part of Lincoln Center's annual DANCE ON CAMERA film festival.

New York City-based Complexions Contemporary Ballet performs Innervisions, an upbeat modern dance tribute to the music of Stevie Wonder, as well as other works, when it takes the stage at Mayo Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 8 pm. Tickets are $29-49

New York City Center will present A Bailar: Dance at the Center, a three-week Latin dance festival featuring three acclaimed dance companies from Cuba, Argentina and Spain, running February 18 - March 7, 2015. The Festival kicks off with the U.S. debut of Havana Rakatan, a celebration of Cuban dance and music, and continues with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui'sm¡longa, which captures the sultry world of Buenos Aires tango. Voces, Suite Flamenca, a new work from flamenco superstar Sara Baras, closes A Bailar. The Festival's many free pre-show events include dance lessons and discussion panels that will explore Latin culture through a variety of lenses.

This exciting new staging will star the radiant Laura Griffith as Julie and 5th Avenue favorite Brandon O'Neill as Billy in his first Seattle production following his Broadway debut in Disney's Aladdin. The cast also includes local luminaries Anne Allgood, Eric Ankrim, Allen Fitzpatrick, Sean G. Griffin, Cynthia Jones, and Billie Wildrick, and marks The 5th Avenue debut of rising talent Joshua Downs.

Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2015, beginning with the spring season performance and residency series running January 14 to June 28. Programs at BAC throughout 2015 will exemplify the kind of creative engagement for which BAC has earned recognition during the last decade: presenting and nurturing artists from around the world, at varying stages in their careers, and who are working innovatively across disciplines.

As part its 10th Anniversary Spring 2015 season, Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) proudly presents the New York Premiere of Carmen de Lavallade's As I Remember It, February 19-21 and 24 at 8PM, and February 25 at 1PM in the Jerome Robbins Theater. This intimate autobiographical performance combines movement and storytelling to weave a poignant memoir of Carmen de Lavallade's extraordinary career, highlighting the legendary artist's singular place in cultural history.

Douglas Sills has joined the cast of George and Ira Gershwin's Lady, Be Good, joining previously announced cast members Tommy Tune, Colin Donnell, Danny Gardner, Jeff Hiller, Erin Mackey, Patti Murin, Richard Poe, Jennifer Laura Thompson and Kirsten Wyatt. The opening production of New York City Center's 2015Encores! season, directed by Mark Brokaw and choreographed by Randy Skinner, will run for seven performances, February 4 - 8, 2015. Founding Encores! Music Director Rob Fisher will return as Guest Music Director and has supervised the restoration of the Gershwins' original score.

On January 9, 2015, COCA-Center of Creative Arts in St. Louis announced Antonio Douthit-Boyd and Kirven Douthit-Boyd, currently principal dancers with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, will join the organization as Co- Artistic Directors of Dance.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents the poignant and contemporary choreography of Ronald K. Brown/Evidence on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 8:00pm. This performance will take place at the Byham Theater, located at 101 Sixth Street, downtown Pittsburgh. The presentation is part of the 2014-15 Pittsburgh Dance Council season.

MUMMENSCHANZ, the legendary Swiss mask troupe that revolutionized wordless theatrical entertainment, will be in Providence this month to thrill audiences of all ages with its famously uproarious performances and to kick off the FirstWorks 2015 "Artistic Icons" series. MUMMENSCHANZ will delight Rhode Island audiences with classic favorites and brilliant new works on Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 7:00 P.M. at Veterans Memorial Auditorium (The Vets).

New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB) will perform at 92Y from tonight, January 9-11, 2014. 92Y is located at 1395 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10128 (Lexington Avenue and 92nd Street). Performances: Today and Saturday at 8pm;and Sunday at 3pm.

American Repertory Ballet (ARB) Artistic Director Douglas Martin will premiere his new full-length ballet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, on February 26 and 27, 2015 at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ. In anticipation of these performances, on January 16, ARB will host 'Behind the Music: A Midsummer Night's Dream,' a free lecture featuring guest and music scholar Simon Morrison.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are honored to welcome Tony and Grammy Award-winning singer, composer, actor, playwright and director Billy Porter to Feinstein's at the Nikko for three performances only - Friday, January 30 (8 p.m.); Saturday, January 31 (7 p.m.) and Sunday, February 1 (7 p.m.). Porter will perform songs from his new critically acclaimed album, "Billy's Back on Broadway," as well some of his other favorites!

Miss Hill: Making Dance Matter tells the inspiring and largely unknown story of Martha Hill, a visionary whose life was defined by her love for dance, and who successfully fought against great odds to establish modern dance as a legitimate art form in America.

The Growing Studio will be hosting a free seminar for all of the wonderful actors of New York City today, January 6 from 7 to 8:20 p.m. at the Alvin Ailey Theatre (405 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019).

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.