Dance Out East Festival To Present Work-in-Progress Preview At The Church In Sag Harbor

The second annual Dance Out East festival will present a weekend of dance programs in Sag Harbor, produced by The Church, Guild Hall, and The Watermill Center in partnership with Works & Process. The festival will include previews of new works developed through Works & Process residencies that are expected to continue into future programs at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

The Sag Harbor program will feature dancers Kristine Bendul and Abdiel, whose work spans Broadway and Off-Broadway musical theatre as well as ballet and modern dance. The duo is known for a gender-neutral approach to ballroom partnering that allows both artists to alternate leading and following roles.

During a weeklong Works & Process residency at The Church, choreographer Ron De Jesús will create a new duet for Bendul and Abdiel that blends Adagio partnering with contemporary movement. De Jesús previously danced with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and with the company of Twyla Tharp, and his choreographic work spans both concert dance and musical theatre.

Set to “Black Cream” by The Harold Wheeler Consort, the new work reexamines traditional Adagio forms through contemporary movement, exploring new transitions, lifts, and expressive structures. The presentation will offer an early look at the piece followed by a moderated discussion with the artists.