PORTRAYALS OF HUMANITY: Buglisi Dance Theatre to Perform at Ailey Citigroup Theater

Buglisi Dance Theatre will present Portrayals of Humanity on Tuesday, June 23 and Wednesday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joan Weill Center for Dance's Ailey Citigroup Theater.

The two-night engagement will feature a mix of new works, artistic collaborations, commissioned music, and signature repertory from founder and artistic director Jacqulyn Buglisi, alongside premieres by guest choreographers Lorenzo Pagano and Ron De Jesús.

Dedicated to the memory of founding board member and theater artist Sondra Lee, the season explores themes of love, resilience, environmental stewardship, and the human experience through dance and live music.

Among the highlights is a preview of Buglisi's new work, The Wing and the Shell – A Hummingbird and A Turtle, commissioned by vildwerk. Featuring original music performed live by composers Stahv Danker and Erán Fink and narration by former Martha Graham Dance Company artistic director Christine Dakin, the work draws inspiration from Peter Laufer's book Dreaming in Turtle. The dance imagines a poetic connection between two vulnerable species threatened by climate change and environmental decline.

The program also includes Bare to the Wall Suite, adapted from Buglisi and Donlin Foreman's 1996 work commissioned by The Joyce Theater Foundation, and Sospiri, Buglisi's acclaimed duet inspired by the tragic story of Argentine lovers Camila O'Gorman and Ladislav Gutierrez.

Company member Jai Perez will perform the solo Being Mortal, while guest choreographer Lorenzo Pagano will make his choreographic debut with Dream/Existence, which he will also perform.

Opening night audiences will also see the New York premiere of Consortium, choreographed by Ron De Jesús and performed by award-winning ballroom artists Kristine Bendul and Abdiel. The pair made history as the first professional ballroom couple in the United States to compete in DanceSport using a gender-neutral approach, exchanging lead and follow roles across all five American Rhythm dances.

Buglisi Dance Theatre's company for the season includes Ane Arrieta, Ashley Bromfield, Antonio Cangiano, Zachary Jeppsen-Toy, Lindsay Jorgensen, Isabella Pagano, Jai Perez, Esteban Santamaria, Rayan Lecurieux-Durival, Grace Sautter, and Jessica Sgambelluri, with apprentice Emelyn Urdahl.

Founded in 1993 by Jacqulyn Buglisi, Terese Capucilli, Christine Dakin, and Donlin Foreman, Buglisi Dance Theatre has earned acclaim for creating theatrical works that address social justice, environmental concerns, and the complexities of the human condition. The company has performed at venues including The Joyce Theater, New York City Center, Jacob's Pillow, the Kennedy Center, and New York Live Arts.