Spectrum Dance Theater to Continue Rambunctious Series with THE IMMIGRANTS

Spectrum Dance Theater announces the eagerly anticipated return of the Rambunctious Series, now in its third iteration titled "The Immigrants" - this time focusing on works by Immigrant-American classical composers.

Set to play Cornish Playhouse March 2-5, 2017, tickets for Rambunctious #3 "The Immigrants" are on sale now and information is available at SpectrumDance.org. (Please note all ticketing is managed through the Seattle Repertory Theatre box office and the Spectrum website will redirect to SeattleRep.org.)

The Rambunctious Series returns by popular demand as the second show in Spectrum Dance Theater's 2017 Season titled AMERICAN - Race, Identity, or Culture?. The Series premiered in Seattle in 2014 and was inspired by The New York Times senior dance critic Alastair Macaulay's statement, 'American music! What's its stylistic range, and what's its dance potential?' This season, in response to this statement as well as in his continued quest to "Make the Invisible Visible," Mr. Byrd will look to the works of American composers whose countries of origin are ones that America has historically been at odds with, or are part of the current debate on immigration: Mexico, Iran, Cuba, Russia, and China.

"Our program will focus not on the usual immigrant composers many of us think of -- those who arrived during the 1930's and 1940's from Europe; those who helped shape the American classical music profile in the last Century," Byrd commented. "Rather, we are directing our attention away from Europeans and towards a New Group of immigrants." Rambunctious #3 - The Immigrants seeks to expose the rich artistic and cultural contributions to the American landscape of this particular group of immigrant artists.

Rambunctious #3 will include four World Premiere pure dance works with choreography from Mr. Byrd. The composers and their countries of origin are Tania León (Cuba),Tan Dun (China), Gity Razaz (Iran), Yevgeniy Sharlat (Russia), and Max Lifchitz (Mexico); with musical guests Judith Cohen, Piano, Brian Yarkosky, Percussion, and Rajan Krishnaswami, Cello.

Coming on the heels of the Company's critically-raved season opening production SHOT, Spectrumwill follow RAMBUNCTIOUS #3 "The Immigrants" with a season closing world premiere production (IM)PULSE this summer. Details at SpectrumDance.org.

Donald Byrd, the enfant terrible of the New York dance scene of the 1980s and 90s, achieved international visibility for the creation of the The Harlem Nutcracker. Byrd is aBessie Award winner for The Minstrel Show and was nominated for a Tony Award for his choreography for the Broadway production of The Color Purple. Byrd's body of work is varied and impressive, spanning more than four decades, pushing the boundaries of movement and message. The work may be purely an aesthetic experience or it may wrap itself around a compelling civic issue, encouraging a community to examine ideas and attitudes that it may impact.

Under Donald Byrd's artistic leadership since 2002, Spectrum Dance Theater has become the foremost contemporary modern dance organization in the Pacific Northwest, gaining recognition nationally and abroad. For over thirty years, Spectrum Dance Theater has brought dance of the highest merit to a diverse community working to make dance accessible to all through contemporary dance performances and high quality dance training in a variety of dance styles. Three components comprise the organization: the professional Company, the School and Outreach programs. With Donald Byrd's visionary artistic leadership, the organization has embarked on an exhilarating transformation that has attracted world class dancers, produced some of the most avant-garde works in contemporary dance, and generated local and national praise. Visit www.spectrumdance.org for more.