The Soaking WET Series Continues Performances At the West End Theatre

The Soaking WET series, curated by David Parker and produced by Jeffrey Kazin, continues at the West End Theatre with two performances daily, February 7-10, with dance and live music sharing the stars in two programs of collaborations:

Program A features JOHANNA S. MEYER, dancer/choreographer, collaborating with CATHERINE McRAE, violinist/composer in "Maps," and dancer/choreographer ALAN GOOD collaborating with pianist ALLEN FOGELSANGER in "Lossless."
PROGRAM A Thursday/Friday/Saturday, February 7,8,9 at 7 PM; Sunday February 10 at 2 PM JOANNA S. MEYER and CATHERINE McRAE

Dancer/choreographer Meyer and violinist/composer McCrae, longtime friends, team up for the first time professionally to premiere "Maps," a 50-minute dance and sound collaboration performed by the veteran artists. Their inspiration is the simplicity and detail of "The River," by visual artist and poet Jen Bervin. "The River" is a visual art piece, an inch scale map of the mississippi River that meanders over 200 feet, hand sewn in silver sequins.

The dance takes its cues from Bervin's viewpoints: ceiling and wall and the idea of orienting the audience to many different perspectives; submerged, looking up to the sun's reflection at the surface. The layered work collages original choreographer, solo material by Bay Area choreographer Rhea Speights, live atmospheric violin loops and feedback, and a collection of objects that the artists found amongst their possessions: sequined clothes, balloons, noise making devices, and a collection of flashlights.

Dancer/choreographer Good and pianist Fogelsanger present "Lossless," the latest work in a 2-year series of site-specific pieces for dancer and musician. "Lossless" rolls out dead-simple movements and sounds, some enormous, some tiny, separated in time by pauses like those in speech.

Such pauses reveal an echo, while the dancer and/or pianist holds, poised, no more certain than the audience of what will unfold next. Action resumes, building in momentum and ferocity. Fit to the close space of WET, the piece defers to, consults, and allows in the audience, who help drive the piece. Alan danced with the Cunningham company for 15 years and also appeared with the ensembles of Martha Graham, Pam Tanowitz, Tere O'connor and Sasha Waltz. He met Allen when the pianist was accompanying June Finch's technique class, and their chats have led to their now second collaboration.

Soaking WET is a series of choreographic evenings produced by Jeff Kazin and curated by David Parker, whose company, The Bang Group, has been the first and only resident dance company of the West End Theatre since January 2003. Parker is committed to bringing together artists of varied backgrounds and levels of experience in order to break down aesthetic barriers and achieve mutual inspiration. The artists are united by their commitment to movement and their understanding that vigorous experimentation can take many forms. Soaking WET has received generous support from The Jerome Robbins Foundation and New York City's Department of Cultural Affairs.
www.thebanggroup.com

February 7-10 West End Theatre, 263 West 86th Street (2nd floor of the Church of St. Paul & St. Anthony) Tickets: $20 Reservations: www.brownpapertickets.com or 1.800.838.3006