Seattle International Dance Festival to Open with Shura Baryshnikov, 6/10

The Seattle International Dance Festival (SIDF) opens June 10 with Shura Baryshnikov and Danielle Davidson's Doppelgänger Dance Collective. See history in the making as the next generation from the great Baryshnikov family travels from Providence RI to open the festival with an original contemporary duet. Joining them on stage is the dynamic duo, former Spectrum Dancers, Shadou Mintrone and Derek Crescenti. They return to Seattle from New York to present their latest collaboration, a new untitled work.

This 16-day dance extravaganza known as SIDF brings a bold mix of global and local contemporary dance artists. Highlights include: Spotlight on Contemporary Ballet at Broadway Performance Hall at 7:30 on June 21 & 22; Aura Dance Theatre from Lithuania and Seattle's own Deborah Wolf at Raisbeck Hall at 8pm on June 17 & 18; Israel's Dafi Dance Group at Broadway Performance Hall at 8pm on June 25; and the closing weekend event with two world premieres by Seattle's Khambatta Dance Company and local dance icon, Wade Madsen.

Tickets to all evening performances are $22 in advance, $27 at the door (Students are $18 in advance, $22 at the door). A 2-Show pass is $38, the All Festival Pass (9 shows) is $64 and the Premium Pass ($85, includes entrance to the closing night VIP party.) All details, including performance times, locations and ticketing information are available at www.Seattleidf.org.

INTER|NATIONAL ARTISTS SERIES WEEKEND 1 - June 10-12 (Fri & Sat @ 8pm. Sun@7:30 pm)

At Raisbeck Hall Theater

Shadou Mintrone & Derek Crescenti (New York) - this dynamic duo, formerly of Spectrum Dance Theater, present a new untitled work.

Doppelgänger Dance Collective (Providence, RI) - founded by Shura Baryshnikov and Danielle Davidson present a contemporary duet performance.

Blind Tiger Society (San Francisco) - Bianca Cabrera brings her wild-haired antics to the festival with a new work.

T42 (Switzerland / Japan) - perform Another Chopsticks Story. Misato Inoue and Felix Dumeril use the famous opera Madame Butterfly to examine ideas around orientalism, identity, and false binaries between East, West, male and female.

INTER|NATIONAL ARTISTS SERIES WEEKEND 2 - June 17-19 (Fri & Sat @ 8pm. Sun@7:30 pm)

At Raisbeck Hall Theater

Aura Dance Theatre (Lithuania) - presents GODOS, a mind-bending tale of peculiarity in two parts.

Deboarah Wolf (Seattle) - presents a new work with her own brand of muscular emotionally charged physicality.

LED: Lauren Edson Dance (Boise ID) - performs This Way to the Egress.

J.M.P. Dance Company (Seattle) - Jovan Miller's choreography is unique storytelling with hairpin turns and explosive leaps. Its jubilant style is infectious and electrifying.

INTER|NATIONAL ARTISTS SERIES WEEKEND 3 - June 23-25 (Thur. @ 7:30. Fri & Sat @ 8pm)

At Broadway Performance Hall

Khambatta Dance Company (Seattle) - premiere of Casualties of Fate. The work explores what we hide and what is seen: the neurotic impulses that lurk as we attempt to defend our coveted identities against the reality of fate. This is the fourth installment in a series of works, one created each year for ten years.

Wade Madsen (Seattle) - this icon of the Seattle dance world for over 30 years premieres a big new work and he's not sharing any details -something only Wade can get away with.

Dafi Dance Group (Israel) - presents Never the Less. This work deals with life's choices. What do we really choose in our lives and what are mere products of a familiar routine? Is the person you live with chosen or have you mainly grown accustomed to them?

The Stone Dance Collective (Seattle) - this dance champion from the Eastside presents a series of short, poignant works. Her contemporary dance lends perspective on the human experience.

SPOTLIGHT SERIES - June 14, 16, 21, 22 at 7:30pm

June 14 - Spotlight on Seattle Now

At Raisbeck Hall Theater

Take a peek at what is happening behind these artists' studio doors. Curated by Cyrus Khambatta, Deb Wolf and Marlo Martin. Includes works by Liz Houlton, Jeremy Cline/Blair Elliot, Anna Conner and Lauren Linder/Adriana Hernandez.

June 16 - Spotlight: Artist's Perspective

At Raisbeck Hall Theater

Focuses on Seattle-based artists, who address specific themes in their work that are important to each creator. Curated by Erin Boyt, Cyrus Khambatta and Constanze Villines. Includes works by Elby Brosch, Peter DeGrasse, Stephanie Liapis, Kaitlin McCarthy, Ethan Rome and Constanze Villines/re:flexion Dance.

June 21 & 22 - Spotlight on Contemporary Ballet

At Broadway Performance Hall

Curated by Donald Byrd, Cyrus Khambatta, Zoe Scofield and Eva Stone. Collectively they raise the bar for contemporary dance in the region, fostering emerging talents and experienced icons. Artists include Jade Solomon Curtis, Julie Tobiason, Kim Lusk, Alana O'Rogers and a featuredcommission for choreographer Jason Ohlberg set on Coriolis Dance.

The festival is produced by Khambatta Dance Company and provided to Seattle residents to enrich the local community through the availability and diversity of high caliber contemporary dance.