Mark Morris Dance Group Returns to Meany Hall This Weekend

Seattle native Mark Morris brings his Dance Group and Music Ensemble for program that includes the company's West Coast premiere of Pacific, and the Seattle premieres of Jenn and Spencer, Crosswalk and Words, today-Saturday, March 5-7, 2015 at 8pm at Meany Hall for the Performing Arts.

Returning to the University of Washington's Meany Hall for the first time in nearly a decade, the Mark Morris Dance Group enthralls critics, dance enthusiasts, and novices alike with its amazing technical expertise, unique artistry, and signature use of live music. Proclaimed "the most prodigiously gifted choreographer of the post-Balanchine era" by Time Magazine, Mark Morris has had a profound impact on the dance world ever since he burst onto the scene in 1980, and continues to create important new works with a singular ability to combine beautiful music, graceful movement, and delicious wit.

For the Meany Hall program, the Dance Group will perform their West Coast debut of Pacific, the first of Morris's ballets to be set on his own company. As Morris explains, "Pacific is a dance that I made up for San Francisco Ballet a long time ago. I wanted to keep things intimate and clear, so I used chamber music (by my beloved Lou Harrison) and a small ensemble of dancers. The piece turned out to be an unusual hybrid that I could immediately imagine being performed by my own company. So anyway, after all these years, I am eager to present Pacific as performed by the marvelous dancers and musicians of the Mark Morris Dance Group." The program also includes the Seattle premieres of Jenn and Spencer, Crosswalk, and Words. All works will feature live musical accompaniment by the MMDG Music Ensemble.

Mark Morris Dance Group performs Thursday-Saturday, March 5-7, 2015 at Meany Hall on the University of Washington campus at 8pm.

Related Event

Danz Lecture: Mark Morris: Dancing Beyond Boundaries
Wednesday, March 4, 2015, 6:30 pm
University of Washington, Kane Hall 120
Free admission; RSVP required

In a moderated conversation, dancer, choreographer, opera director, conductor and one of the most gifted creative minds of our time, Mark Morris, will focus on the vital role of music in his work. He will discuss his collaborations with innovative artists in music, fashion and visual arts, and will share information about his current and upcoming projects.

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