Deborah Jowitt News

-This summer marks another historic milestone for the annual Bard SummerScape festival. For the first time since its founding, this season's focus is on the music and culture of Italy, with seven weeks of music, opera, theater, dance, film, and cabaret keyed to the theme of the 27th Bard Music Festival, "Puccini and His World." This intensive examination of the life and times of Giacomo Puccini opens a window onto Italy's rich musical heritage from Palestrina to Menotti, by way of the most popular and successful - yet, paradoxically, frequently critically underrated - opera composer of all time. Complementing the music festival, some of the Tuscan master's most compelling compatriots provide other key SummerScape highlights.

This summer marks another historic milestone for the annual Bard SummerScape festival. For the first time since its founding, this season's focus is on the music and culture of Italy, with seven weeks of music, opera,theater, dance, film, and cabaret keyed to the theme of the 27th Bard Music Festival, "Puccini and His World." This intensive examination of the life and times of Giacomo Puccini opens a window onto Italy's rich musical heritage from Palestrina to Menotti, by way of the most popular and successful - yet, paradoxically, frequently critically underrated - opera composer of all time. Complementing the music festival, some of the Tuscan master's most compelling compatriots provide other key SummerScape highlights. These include a rare, fully staged production of Iris, a forerunner of Madama Butterfly by Puccini's close contemporary Pietro Mascagni; the world premiere of Demolishing Everything with Amazing Speed, four newly unearthed puppet plays from leading Italian Futurist Fortunato Depero, as reimagined by Dan Hurlin;the world premiere of Fantasque, a new ballet set to the music of Respighi and Rossini by John Heginbotham and Amy Trompetter; a film series on "Puccini and the Operatic Impulse in Cinema"; and the return of Bard's authentic and sensationally popularSpiegeltent,hosted by the inimitable Mx. Justin Vivian Bond. Taking place between July 1 and August 14 in the Frank Gehry-designed Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts and other venues on Bard College's stunning Hudson River campus, SummerScape's 2016 offerings provide new opportunities to discover that, as Time Out New York puts it, "the experience of entering the Fisher Center and encountering something totally new is unforgettable and enriching." Tickets go on sale on Monday, February 15; click here for more information.

Cultural partners Jacob's Pillow Dance and MASS MoCA present two innovative and independent New York-based contemporary dance artists, Katie Workum and Kimberly Bartosik, in a one-night-only engagement, tonight, October 24 at 8pm at the Hunter Center.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Heidi Latsky Dance (HLD) continues to redefine the notions of dance, beauty, and virtuosity through new genre-shattering, cutting-edge performances under the artistic leadership of internationally renowned artist Heidi Latsky (a former dancer with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company). In a shared program with AXIS Dance Company at NYU's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on November 15th, HLD presents three daring, critical works that examine the intense, personal and social struggle with physicality: Solo 1, an excerpt from Solo Countersolo (2013), the New York City premiere of Somewhere (2015), and the reincarnation of the site-specific, multi-media movement installation ON DISPLAY (2015). This marks the latest addition to HLD's The GIMP Project, a dance and advocacy project involving both disabled and non-disabled performers.

Cultural partners Jacob's Pillow Dance and MASS MoCA present two innovative and independent New York-based contemporary dance artists, Katie Workum and Kimberly Bartosik, in a one-night-only engagement, October 24 at 8pm at the Hunter Center. Noted for her 'serious and ambitious' work by Gia Kourlas of The New York Times, Katie Workum brings her new work Black Lakes, full of improvisation, risk, and humor. The second half of the program features New York Dance and Performance ('Bessie') Award winner Kimberly Bartosik's Ecsteriority4 (Part 2), which constructs a landscape of power and desire to explore violence in American culture today. Co-presentations by Jacob's Pillow and MASS MoCA are made possible by the Irene Hunter Fund for Dance.

New and recent works by PUSH Dance Company and leading mid-career and emerging dance artists from the Bay Area and beyond will be featured during PUSHfest 2015, presented by PUSH Dance Company, a San Francisco-based contemporary dance company, founded by artistic Director Raissa Simpson. PUSHfestis a mixed-genre dance festival that showcases the work of  mid-career and emerging choreographers alongside the PUSH Company at San Francisco's ODC Theater (3153 17th Street) on September 18-20, 2015. Program A will be performed today, September 18, at 8pm and Sunday, September 20, at 4pm. Program B will be performed on Saturday, September 19, at 8pm and Sunday, September 20, at 7pm. www.pushdance.org/festival.  

The legendary Martha Graham Dance Company (MGDC) will kick off its 90th Anniversary year in a seven-show engagement at Jacob's Pillow's historic Ted Shawn Theatre, August 26-30. Celebrating the company's pioneering past and trail-blazing reputation, MGDC's program features a diverse set of works including Graham's dramatic classic Embattled Garden, the world premiere of AXE by eminent choreographer Mats Ek, the powerful Depak Ine by Nacho Duato, and Echo by Greek choreographer Adonis Foniadakis.

New and recent works by PUSH Dance Company and leading mid-career and emerging dance artists from the Bay Area and beyond will be featured during PUSHfest 2015, presented by PUSH Dance Company, a San Francisco-based contemporary dance company, founded by artistic Director Raissa Simpson. PUSHfestis a mixed-genre dance festival that showcases the work of  mid-career and emerging choreographers alongside the PUSH Company at San Francisco's ODC Theater (3153 17th Street) on September 18-20, 2015. Program A will be performed on Friday, September 18, at 8pm and Sunday, September 20, at 4pm. Program B will be performed on Saturday, September 19, at 8pm and Sunday, September 20, at 7pm. www.pushdance.org/festival.  

Following last season's popular BALLET 2014 engagement, New York City Ballet principal dancer Daniel Ulbricht returns with a topflight ensemble in remarkable works by a variety of acclaimed choreographers, performed to live music, this weekend, July 29-August 2 in the Ted Shawn Theatre.

Following last season's popular BALLET 2014 engagement, New York City Ballet principal dancer Daniel Ulbricht returns with a topflight ensemble in remarkable works by a variety of acclaimed choreographers, performed to live music, July 29-August 2 in the Ted Shawn Theatre. Principals, soloists, and corps de ballet members of New York City Ballet and Boston Ballet perform works by prominent artists including iconic American choreographer Jerome Robbins; New York City Ballet's current resident choreographer Justin Peck; Danish dancer, director, and choreographer Johan Kobborg; and Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, who achieved both his choreographic start and widespread acclaim at New York City Ballet.

Alonzo King LINES Ballet returns to Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival with bold new ideas for contemporary ballet tonight, July 15, through July 19.

Alonzo King LINES Ballet returns to Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival with bold new ideas for contemporary ballet July 15-19.

THE AMERICAN DANCE GUILD, today, June 19 and Saturday, June 20, will host a choreography showcase featuring 12 new works in tribute to independent dance artist Frances Alenikoff in the space she created, Eden's Expressway at 537 Broadway in New York City. All performances are at 8pm. Tickets are $15, cash only at the door. Seating is limited. For reservations: 212-874-6947.

San Francisco, CA, June 17, 2015 – New and recent works by PUSH Dance Company and leading mid-career and emerging dance artists from the Bay Area and beyond will be featured during PUSHfest 2015, presented by PUSH Dance Company, a San Francisco-based contemporary dance company, founded by artistic Director Raissa Simpson. PUSHfest is a mixed-genre dance festival that showcases the work of  mid-career and emerging choreographers alongside the PUSH Company at San Francisco's ODC Theater (3153 17th Street) on September 18-20, 2015. Program A will be performed on Friday, September 18, at 8pm and Sunday, September 20, at 4pm. Program B will be performed on Saturday, September 19, at 8pm and Sunday, September 20, at 7pm. www.pushdance.org/festival.  

THE AMERICAN DANCE GUILD, on Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20, will host a choreography showcase featuring 12 new works in tribute to independent dance artist Frances Alenikoff in the space she created, Eden's Expressway at 537 Broadway in New York City. All performances are at 8pm. Tickets are $15, cash only at the door. Seating is limited. For reservations: 212-874-6947.

This year's Jacob's Pillow Dance Award, a prestigious honor carrying an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize, will be presented to contemporary choreographer Liz Gerring in recognition of her talent and outstanding contributions to the dance field. Active in the dance world for nearly 20 years, Gerring regularly garners acclaim for her 'enthralling and important' works (Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times) that also 'reveals the dancers as the splendid athletes that they are' (dance critic Deborah Jowitt). Gerring will accept the Award and members of Liz Gerring Dance Company will perform at the Pillow's Season Opening Gala on Saturday, June 20 in the Ted Shawn Theatre. The company will return to perform the evening-length work glacier in the Doris Duke Theatre August 19-23. Previous recipients of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award include tap artist Michelle Dorrance, the legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham, 2013 MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abraham, and Tony Award winner and director of New York Live Arts Bill T. Jones, among others.

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.

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 tonight, January 31 at 6 p.m. as part of Lincoln Center's annual DANCE ON CAMERA film festival.

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.