Works & Process Premieres HAND DANCE

Last night, Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim, presented the premiere of a new virtual commission by Annie B-Parson, David Lang, Brittany Engel-Adams, and Ron Erlih.

Hand Dance is a dance film and collaboration between composer David Lang, choreographer Annie-B Parson, visual artist Ron Erlih, and dancer/choreographer Brittany Engel-Adams. Moved by their premiere date, the eve of election 2020, the group wanted to reflect this precipice. David Lang's song employs a line about the working class from a Bernie Sanders' speech, and in Lang's hands, the text reads like an aspirational koan. The song inspired an intimate hand dance set in Brittany and Ron's kitchen in Brooklyn. Throughout the film, hands sourced from public data sets are overlaid on top of Brittany's hand gestures, suggesting a larger world beyond their home.

watch!

Choreography by Annie-B Parson
Music by David Lang
Words by Bernie Sanders

Performance and Film Direction by Brittany Engel-Adams
Software and Film Direction by Ron Erlih
Vocals by Brittany Engel-Adams and Chris Giarmo
Costumes by Suzanne Bocanegra
Produced by Sara Pereira da Silva