BMDC Announces World Premiere Of TROIS RÊVES Choreographed For COVID

Bowen McCauley Dance Company, an award-winning contemporary dance company with a legacy of community engagement, announces its Virtual 25th Season Opening Performance on May 26, 2021 at 7:00PM. Performed live at the Kennedy Center and broadcast via free live web stream, the season opener features three pieces that demonstrate the range of Artistic Director Lucy Bowen McCauley's choreographic work: "Trois Rêves," "Dances of the Yogurt Maker," and "Far Behind."

The long awaited one-night performance was previously set for March 2020, but was rescheduled twice due to COVID-19. Bowen McCauley was determined to premiere the work before retiring at the end of this 25th season, demonstrating the resilience of this DC Metro area Company, and her commitment to new work. The evening will begin with a pre-show toast and introduction with Bowen McCauley and Music Director, Nikola Paskalov, sharing their insights and thoughts on the works.

The world premiere of "Trois Rêves" set to Maurice Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit for piano and played live by pianist Nikola Paskalov, features seven Company dancers portraying three dream sequences that will make audiences swoon, tense, lean-in, and laugh. An example of art reflecting the times, "Trois Rêves" has been choreographed with COVID-19 restrictions in mind. There is no partnering, and the dancers maintain safe physical distancing, with graceful sweeping movements that only a Ravel composition could deliver. "Not being able to partner or touch at all helps push me a dramatic way. "Trois Rêves" looks unlike any piece I have ever done," said Lucy Bowen McCauley.

The show will open with "Dances of the Yogurt Maker," choreographed by Lucy Bowen McCauley with music by Turkish Composer Erberk Eryilmaz. The first-ever collaboration between these two award-winning artists was commissioned by the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra in March 2019.

The second piece will take a look back and honor two longtime BMDC principal dancers, Alicia Curtis and Dustin Kimball, with a screening of the filmed version of "Far Behind" set to live music by Jason and The Scorchers. Curtis and Kimball have been principal dancers at BMDC for 14 and 15 seasons, respectively. The full-length production, "Victory Road," premiered at the Kennedy Center in April 2015.

The Kennedy Center performance comes on the heels of a successful Season Kickoff retrospective screening of the March 2012 performance of "Le Sacre du Printemps." Two hundred members of the BMDC community gathered virtually to reminisce with choreographer Lucy Bowen McCauley, principal dancers Alicia Curtis and Dustin Kimball, and original cast members Alvaro Palau and Antoine Lee in a pre-show zoom conversation, followed by the performance.

25TH SEASON EVENT SCHEDULE

BMDC Presents 25th Season Opening Performance (Virtual)

Live from the Kennedy Center for One Night

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26 @ 7:00 p.m.

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Terrace Theater

The LIVE virtual performance for BMDC will include a reprise of "Dances of the Yogurt Maker," Choreography by Lucy Bowen McCauley with music by Turkish Composer Erberk Eryilmaz. Lucy Bowen McCauley will also premiere a new work, "Trois Rêves" created for the COVID socially-distanced stage performance, set to Maurice Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit, featuring a live piano solo by Nikola Paskalov.

The evening will begin with a pre-show discussion with Lucy Bowen McCauley and artists sharing their insights and thoughts on the evening's performance. The virtual performance will follow at 7:30 p.m.

Two Artists Reunite for the Company's Season 25 Finale

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 @ 7:00 p.m.

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - Eisenhower Theater

2700 F St NW, Washington, DC 20566

Bowen McCauley Dance Company closes out 25 seasons at the Kennedy Center for the Silver Anniversary finale, a one-night 'in-person' performance featuring three world premieres with live musical accompaniment. Guests can expect an after-party finalé celebration with cast and crew.

The show will open with a reprise of "Exuberant Fanfare," McCauley's choreographed piece set to the music of Igor Stravinsky, Suite Italienne from Pulcinella and played live by violinist Leonid Sushansky and pianist Carlos Cesar Rodriguez of the National Chamber Ensemble. The program features a second world premiere and the U.S. debut of guest artist, Manish Chauhan dancing a solo created by Israeli Choreographer Igal Perry. The first half of the program will close with the reprise of "Trois Rêves," choreographed by Lucy, set to Maurice Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit played live by pianist Nikola Paskalov.

After intermission, BMDC presents the third world premiere, "Imago'' choreographed by Lucy and set to six songs from German/Croatian Composer, Nikola Glassl, played live by the Composer's grandson, Nikola Paskalov. Next, we present the Kardelen Turkish Dance Ensemble of Washington, DC for an authentic traditional Turkish Folk dance with a music composition specially created by Eryilmaz.

The final world premiere is an expanded collaboration between two award-winning artists, Lucy and Turkish Composer, Erberk Eryilmaz. "Insistent Music" is a rhythmic and choreographic tour de force with the new composition, written especially for Lucy. It features eight Company dancers and five Hoppa Project musicians.