Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company to Celebrate 15th Season with Virtual Film Festival, BAM Performance

Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, sought after for their impactful and virtuosic works, presents its first multi-performance season since 2009 in celebration of their 15th Anniversary. DGDC will be hosting a total of 14 film events: Five dance films made for the camera, five new dance films made in Brazil in 2013; and four films of never-released performance footage from the Company's repertory. These fifteen weeks' worth of events will culminate in the world premiere of The Oracle, May 30-June 1, 2014, at BAM Fisher. The one-of-kind 15th Anniversary performance will feature a robust cast of dancers and will be simultaneously live-streamed.

The first round of dance films will kick off on Friday, February 14 with the premiere of Encounter, a meditative and humorous portrait of love between two strangers. The abstract film, shot in New York City's Grand Central Station and edited by Gwirtzman, features actor Jim Fletcher and DGDC dancer Chloe Campbell. Fletcher, a founding member of the New York City Players, received a 2012 Obie award for sustained excellence and was most recently recognized for his role as Gatsby in Elevator Repair Service's Gatz.

Encounter will be available for viewing at http://www.gwirtzmandance.org/fifteen, beginning at noon, as will the following films.

DGDC's Virtual Season finale at BAM Fisher in Brooklyn, provides fans the opportunity to experience Gwirtzman's new evening-length work, The Oracle, across two mediums - live and online. Configuring the space in a way that has not yet been done at The Fisher, a pure in-the-round, the company brings its A-list of dancers and longtime collaborators to create an intensely-focused, dynamic and intimate work.

Tickets for BAM Fisher performances are available for purchase with early-bird pricing of $25-$30 until March 1, 2014. General ticket price is $30-$35. Tickets can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets by calling 1-800-838-3006 or on line at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/581494

15th Anniversary Virtual Season Schedule:

February 14 - Encounter | Premiere

Obie-winning guest actor Jim Fletcher and dancer Chloe Campbell star in Gwirtzman's newest dance film, shot in NYC's Grand Central Station. Unconventionally structured, the film plays with time and memory, challenging the viewer to make narrative sense of the multiple encounters of the couple.

February 21 - Joffrey Does Encore: A Look Behind the Curtain | Premiere

This film is a behind-the-scenes look at The Joffrey Ballet School students as they learn DGDC's Encore and prepare for its performance.

February 28 - No Trespassing

Filmed in an abandoned barn in the northern California mountains, this site-specific film features Gwirtzman in an extended solo, shot in one take. This film was screened at the 2013 International Screen Dance Festival during the American Dance Festival's 80th anniversary.

March 7 - Sisyphus | Premiere

This film is a modern take on the Greek myth of Sisyphus, as a metaphor for the endless difficulty of making art and living as artists. This film was previously screened at Abrons Arts Center, April 2013.

March 14 - Life Coach Danny

Gwirtzman's alter ego is back by popular demand, guaranteed to make you laugh with his life-coach tips.

MADE IN BRAZIL DANCE FILMS:

March 23 - Chegada | Premiere

"Chegada" means "arrival" in Portuguese, and this film chronicles Gwirtzman's return to Brazilian soil after ten years.

March 30 - Pier | Premiere

This film features Gwirtzman on a pier, barefoot, with water lapping at his heels on three sides amidst a perfect symbiosis of a clear day with good light at high tide.

April 6 - Into the Streets | Premiere

Gwirtzman, joined by a large cast of Brazilians, created this film as a peaceful response to the then-current violent uprisings in Salvador. Into the Streets takes place in the streets of Brazil's former capital.

April 13 - Crab World | Premiere

Watch Gwirtzman imagine life from a crab's perspective. This film was created after Gwirtzman was inspired by the innumerable crabs in the sand.

April 20 - Rock the Boat | Premiere

This film crosses into classical, improvisational and hip-hop dance forms as Gwirtzman interacts with empty wooden boats left stranded during low tide on the beach.

REPERTORY CLASSICS DANCE FILMS:

April 27 - Scenarios

This piece depicts a family both harmonious and abusive. The work premiered at Joyce SoHo in 2002 and is Gwirtzman's self-professed favorite dance.

May 4 - Clue

This 2010 piece distills the glamour, suspense and mystery of a gathering of friends and is inspired by the board game and movie of the same name.

May 11 - Tribe Part I

Tribe premiered in 2009, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, and is an evening-length piece inspired by the human body as a source of reflection, community, struggle and celebration. The full dance, including Part II, will be available on DVD, by order only, and will not be shown online.

May 18 - The Road to The Oracle

This film will go behind-the-scenes to give a first glimpse into the choreographic process behind The Oracle, Gwirtzman's world premiere at BAM Fisher.

May 30 - The Oracle | World Premiere

Live performance and live stream from BAM Fisher

Everyone has a front seat in Gwirtzman's newest partner heavy and dynamically high-energy work. The Oracle unites a large cast for this special 15th Anniversary premiere - spotlighting classic DGDC components such as virtuosity, stamina, and innovation.