Frances Steiner - Page 2

Although Jessica Lang Dance was founded in 2011, Artistic Director Jessica Lang is no newcomer to the dance scene. Lang, a disciple of Twyla Tharp, is on the faculty of American Ballet Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and has been an active choreographer since 1999. Lang's signature style marries classical movements with a "striking design element." This theme played out through Jessica Lang Dance's performance at George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium, an evening co-presented with Washington Performing Arts and City Dance. The graphic component in particular was inconsistent throughout the evening and did not always further Lang's artistic vision.

The Joffrey Ballet recently made waves by announcing their commission of a brand-new, Chicago-inspired production of The Nutcracker. Choreographed by the buzzy Christopher Wheeldon, this new work will celebrate The Joffrey's hometown of Chicago by setting the story at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. While many were excited by the prospect of a new work from this prominent choreographer, others questioned the move. The Joffrey already has a Nutcracker, so what isn't broken? A new homegrown Nutcracker allows The Joffrey to distinguish its production from the heap of other holiday entertainment options, gives a patron a new reason to return to a familiar story, and appeals to hometown pride.

BRIC House and Evidence are institutions that tell stories. BRIC tells Brooklyn's cultural story through exhibitions, performances, residencies, and community media programs. Evidence tells the story of the African diaspora through a unique mixture of contemporary movement, African dance, and the spoken word. It is no wonder that the two institutions are partnering together through a three-year residency for Ronald K. Brown, Evidence's artistic director (a Brooklyn resident) at BRIC.

American Ballet Theatre is widely recognized as one of the best ballet companies in the world. And much like the United States, ABT is a melting pot of diverse choreography and traditions. This year marks the company's 75th season, providing an ideal opportunity to showcase this varied repertory during their fall season at the David H. Koch Theater. Thursday's program of Twyla Tharp's Bach Partita, Alexei Ratmansky's Seven Sonatas, and Ji?i Kylian's Sinfonietta featured both contemporary and historically celebrated choreographers.

The Public Theater was founded on the idea that “Culture belongs to everyone.” While Fall for Dance Festival is a brainchild of New York City Center and not The Public, this mandate is similarly a founding principle of the festival. Each performance costs $15 and consists of four works from leading dance companies and artists. This year, City Center commissioned three works in addition to four American premieres and four New York City premieres. Last year, at the tenth anniversary of the festival, City Center partnered with The Public to present two free performances at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. It was so successful that Fall for Dance at the Delacorte will become the annual kick off event. This year, the program consisted of works presented by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, New York City Ballet, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and Lil Buck.

Can a man tap dance his way to Nirvana? Many critics, dance patrons, and hoofers have described Savion Glover performances as a "spiritual experience." In Savion Glover's OM, currently in performance at The Joyce, he attempts to create the literal embodiment of that hyperbole.

What does a dance company do when its founder and visionary dies? While some leave with succession plans in place, this question still troubles many prominent dance companies. While they might chose to only perform their namesake's original works, they risk being labeled as irrelevant. If the company chooses to continue to perform new work, they must walk the tightrope of finding choreography that is congruent with the company's repertoire but also new and interesting.

Ballet Hispanico was founded in 1970 by Tina Ramirez in order to "explore, preserve, and celebrate Latino cultures through dance." Through its repertory of over 100 works, Ballet Hispanico attempts to represent the diversity of Latino culture. This range was fully evident during their Saturday matinee performance at the Joyce Theater.

Paul Taylor is the last of the living great modern choreographers of the 20th century. He began creating dances in 1954 and has worked with some of the biggest names of the dance world, including Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, and George Balanchine; he has collaborated with some of today's most important visual artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Ellsworth Kelly, and Jasper Johns. Many, if not all, choreographers cite him as an inspiration for their work. Paul Taylor's repertory should be permanently placed on a syllabus for any dance enthusiast. Saturday night's performance at Lincoln Center's David Koch Theatre showed the highs and the lows of Paul Taylor Dance Company.

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College started off its 2013-2014 season with the bang of Savion Glover's tap shoes. The venue hosted a performance of Savion Glover's STePz on November 2nd. In the program, Glover listed himself simply as "hoofer, father, husband." Nevertheless, it is undeniable that Glover is a living icon. Glover first appeared on Broadway at the age of 12 in The Tap Dance Kid. By his early 20s, Glover was nominated for a Tony Award for his choreography Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk. Many millenials grew up watching Glover as a featured performer on Sesame Street and today's children see him as the man behind the tap-dancing penguin in Happy Feet.

Almost every choreographer attempts to address the relationship between the bedfellows of dance and music. The results of these examinations have had varying degrees of success. Bach Dances with Live Music was presented as a partnership between the two art forms by featuring Rioult Dance New York and students from the Manhattan School of Music. The program consisted of three works, Views of the Fleeting World; City; and Celestial Tides, all set to music by J. S. Bach. This evening, though this program had been performed before, was the first time that it was set to live music in its entirety.

It is the instinctual reaction of an artist to create art from destruction. The Table of Silence Project 9/11 was conceived by Jacqulyn Buglisi and Rossella Vasta as a “public tribute and ritual for peace”—a reaction to the September 11th terrorist attacks and the world that day created.