Martha Graham News

Two world premieres, one by the “Lion King,” Tony Award-winning choreographer Garth Fagan and the other by Fagan's muse, rehearsal director and “Bessie Award” winner Norwood Pennewell, are among the highlights of Garth Fagan Dance's 45th anniversary celebration that takes place at The Joyce Theater, November 3-8.

The Joyce Theater Foundation, Inc. (Linda Shelton, Executive Director) is pleased to announce the eight companies selected for its first annual American Dance Platform, a showcase made possible by a grant from The Harkness Foundation for Dance and dedicated to the memory of Theodore S. Bartwink.

Hudson Valley Dance Festival, a world-class dance experience in the heart of Catskill, NY, returns today, October 10, 2015, featuring four of the most captivating dance companies in the country all on one program. The one-performance-only event at the Historic Catskill Point is produced by and benefits Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

TED, the nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, and PBS have announced additional participants for the first ever TED TALKS LIVE, a six-night speaker event featuring TED Talks, short films and performances at The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street) in New York's famed Theater District.

Toilet Fire: Rectums in the Rectory is Eliza Bent's ceremony and celebration of the one thing that unites us all: our need to go. Using the structure of an ancient religious ritual to talk about matters of digestion, philosophy, and faith, Toilet Fire written and performed by Bent, with direction by Kevin Laibson and music accompaniment by Alaina Ferris, explodes with song, story, audience participation, and unexpected textual twists.

Maher Benham and Coyote Dancers announce three evenings of works choreographed by Ms. Benham, and dedicated to her company's beloved teacher, mentor, and friend Dudley Williams (1938-2015).   The evening will feature the world premiere of Ms. Benham's 'A Song for Dudley,' along with Coyote repertory works, including 'Eight for Martha,' dedicated to Martha Graham, October 23-25 at the Martha Graham Studio Theatre.  The Coyote resident ensemble of 16 dancers will be joined by distinguished guests Carlos Fittante, Lucy Postell, Jon Warren (musician), and Deborah Zall.   Presented by Maher Benham and Coyote Dancers in collaboration with Deborah Zall and Classic Contemporary Dance Heritage, Ltd.

Due to tropical storm Joachim, En Garde Arts has postponed BOSSS, its new site-specific outdoor performance festival featuring new works by some of the New York City's most promising emerging theatre artists, to October 23-25 throughout Hudson River Park. The opening night party at The Frying Pan will now take place on October 23 at 7pm.

Commissioned for the 100th Anniversary of the Abrons' Playhouse, SISTERS' FOLLIES: BETWEEN TWO WORLDS is a spooktacular musical extravaganza direct from the unlimited imagination of Basil Twist and stars the legendary Downtown icons Joey Arias (Arias With A Twist, Lincoln Center's AmericanSongbook) and Julie Atlas Muz (Beauty and the Beast).

Commissioned for the 100th Anniversary of the Abrons' Playhouse, SISTERS' FOLLIES: BETWEEN TWO WORLDS is a spooktacular musical extravaganza direct from the unlimited imagination of Basil Twist and stars the legendary Downtown icons Joey Arias (Arias With A Twist, Lincoln Center's AmericanSongbook) and Julie Atlas Muz (Beauty and the Beast).

Al Hirschfeld immortalized celebrities, politicians, Broadway productions, films, television shows and beyond with his iconic linear drawings for nine decades, establishing himself as one of the most important contemporary portrait artists. Over a decade since the legendary artist drew his final line drawing, he continues to inspire. Tonight, September 29, at 6:30PM, The Art Students League of New York (215 W 57th Street) will host a discussion on the art and influence of perhaps the most popular graphic artist of the 20th century.

World-renowned artists Mika (marimba) and Richard Stoltzman (clarinet) return to Carnegie Hall on November 5, 2015, to showcase their amazing versatility and crossover ability in a one-night only concert event. The program includes works by Chick Corea, John Zorn, Toru Takemitsu, Bach, Ravel, and Stravinsky, as well as the world premiere of William T. McKinley's 22-movement Mostly Blues for Clarinet and Marimba. Joining the duo on stage are guest artists Eddie Gomez (bass), Adam Albert (clarinet), John Hamann (bass clarinetist), and Miki Orihara (principal dancer of the Martha Graham Dance Company).

Last year the School of Nimbus Dance Works gave over $30,000 in scholarship funds to Jersey City youth, to ensure access to high quality dance training, regardless of financial situation. Nimbus' youth programs broaden young peoples' horizons and enrich the community with world-class arts. While remaining true to the company's community mission, up to now, scholarship money has come from the company's general operating budget. The 2015 Gala raises funds to offset the expense of the scholarship program, ensuring that this program, and Nimbus Dance Works are sustainable for the long term benefit of Jersey City.

Trainor Dance's fifth anniversary season opened with multi-colored ghosts descending from the sky- silk skirts that featured as heavily as the dancers themselves in this excerpt of Faux Pas. The fabric was manipulated into a variety of shapes and garments, which has led many to draw comparisons with Martha Graham's Lamentation, but a mild similarity in costuming is where the comparison should probably end.

For this our 4Oth Anniversary Season, Kanopy will present three weekend of provocative dance-vivid performances inspired by Martha Graham's teachings of tension and release-- but works that are Kanopy's own-created in collaboration with artists and chroreographers from around the globe.

As part of the 2015 Next Wave Festival, the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan had its US premiere of the piece Rice on September 16-19 at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House. The company's founder and Artistic Director, Lin Hwai-min, s a recent recipient of the Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement, putting him in the same category as other notable choreographers such as Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham and William Forsythe. Cloud Gate is the first contemporary dance company in the greater Chinese-speaking community and was founded in 1973 with its name drawn from the oldest-known Chinese dance. Lin, a writer-turned-choreographer, often draws inspiration from Asian cultures and aesthetics in his work.

Al Hirschfeld immortalized celebrities, politicians, Broadway productions, films, television shows and beyond with his iconic linear drawings for nine decades, establishing himself as one of the most important contemporary portrait artists. Over a decade since the legendary artist drew his final line drawing, he continues to inspire. On September 29, at 6:30PM, The Art Students League of New York (215 W 57th Street) will host a discussion on the art and influence of perhaps the most popular graphic artist of the 20th century.

 Juilliard Dance will receive the 64th Annual Capezio Dance Awardfrom the Capezio Ballet Makers Dance Foundation at a ceremony on Sunday,November 22, 2015 at 6pm at The Juilliard School in the Willson Theater.  Artistic Director Lawrence Rhodes will accept the award on behalf of the school. 

TITAS Presents, in association with the AT&T Performing Arts Center, proudly announced today that it is co-commissioning an evening of new work by Twyla Tharp, one of the most important and influential choreographers of our time. The work will premiere in Dallas at the AT&T Performing Arts Center Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House on September 18 and 19, launching Tharp's Fiftieth Anniversary Tour. The 10-week North American tour will celebrate Tharp's five decades of dance-making for both modern and ballet companies, television, the Broadway stage and Hollywood films.

Green Space is pleased to offer a diverse roster of new/emerging artists in September.

LOS ANGELES, CA (September 15, 2015) Ebony Repertory Theatre (ERT -  Founder/Producer Wren T. Brown) announced today that Garth Fagan Dance will bring to Los Angeles Fagan's tribute to the late Geoffrey Holder, "Dance for/With Geoffrey." Performances at the 400-seat Nate Holden Performing Arts Center (4718 W. Washington Blvd.) in Los Angeles will run October 16-18, 2015. www.ebonyrep.org