The Dance Complex to Present 2nd Annual CATALYSTS This January

For a second year, 2016-17 CATALYSTS! artists-in-residence will perform at The Dance Complex for three weekends in January.

This year's artists, Ryan P. Casey, Lorraine Chapman, Junichi Fukuda, Yosi Karahashi, and Doppelgänger Dance Collective (DDC): Danielle Davidson and Shura Baryshnikov, represent classic and hybrid forms including tap, modern, and flamenco.

CATALYSTS performances, which will run in repertory and highlight 4 - 5 performers per night, are Saturday, January 14, 8 pm; Sunday, January 15, 7 pm; Friday, January 20, 8 pm; Saturday, January 21, 8pm; Sunday, January 22, 7pm; Friday, January 27, 8pm; and Saturday, January 28, 8pm. Tickets are general admission $30 cabaret tables, $24 regular, and $18 student, BDA members, and military. For tickets and more information visit, dancecomplex.org.

This year's CATALYSTS selections reflect both expansive and unique talent, as well as demonstrating individual self-motivation in making dance a reality. Now halfway through their rehearsal process, each artist's work will reflect dynamic themes, approaching their subject matter as a starting point for inspiring dance presentations:

Ryan P. Casey will perform excerpts from a piece titled "Unbound." It follows a high school student reluctantly attempting his summer reading assignment: an essay on Little House on the Prairie. When the book fails to capture his interest, his imagination takes over, and the words and characters leap from the page to the stage.

Lorraine Chapman's "Big In The Big Top" is a study, in several working sections, composed of raw material. By no means trying to make a political statement, the material in itself is a catalyst for the performers to explore their feelings about the state of current events in our country today. The role that duality plays in society is also examined - the putting on of one face over another.

Doppelgänger Dance Collective with Danielle Davidson and Shura Baryshnikov will perform a piece by Alissa Cardone. Her work for Doppelgänger Dance Collective is inspired by the collages of Dadaist photomontage artist Hannah Höch. Exploring this source material, Cardone uses image-based movement as a jumping off point to explore vocabularies and approaches found in butoh, release technique, and physical theater. With the physicality and theatricality of the dancers uncovered, two distinct characters emerge and move in relationship to self, other, present and past.

Junichi Fukuda is choreographing No More Mendacity. Set around Boston Conservatory students, the piece reflects on the physical and emotional states of being truthful to yourself. The work concentrates on discovering honesty and rawness of being truthful. No more rounding, avoiding and hiding.

Yosi Karahashi's piece shares her personal dream of being a Flamenco dancer through a musical movement journey from Japan to Spain to the United States.

Click here for more about the 2016-17 CATALYSTS! artists.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

JANUARY 2017
CATALYSTS!
January 14 & 15; January 20 - 22; January 27 & 28

FEBRUARY 2017
Tiny & Short: A Drop in the Bucket
February 11 & 12; February 18 & 19
Two weekends of performances will celebrate experimentation in dance making by challenging our participants to limit their use of space by performing on a 4' X 4' stage or to limit their use of time by performing in under 10 minutes. Choreographers will be announced soon.

MARCH 2017
Christal Brown: Residency & Performances
"The Opulence of Integrity"
March 31 - April 2, 2017
"The Opulence of Integrity" effortlessly integrates dance, theater, a cast of diverse male dances, and multimedia elements. The cast will personify aspects of Muhammad Ali's boxing career and social activism efforts. Residency activity includes artistic exploration with the Boston dance community and students of Boston Arts Academy, Brookline High School and Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School

APRIL 2017
PENTACLE Roster Performances
April 20 & 21, 2017
with aMaSSiT pre-shows
The New York-based arts service and management organization brings dance companies from around the country to Boston with new and experimental works; with pre-shows, aMaSSiT, from our own region's vibrant dance-makers with works in progress

Done Waiting
April 28 - 30, 2017
Saturday's performance features the only local evening of Prometheus Dance Company this season, with Friday and Sunday's program featuring work by Lorraine Chapman with her Lorraine Chapman The Company and pre-professional dance students from the Boston Conservatory perform original dances set to the music of Tom Waits. Peter DiMuro/Public Displays of Motion and others perform as well.

MAY 2017
From the Horse's Mouth
A combination dance and storytelling work, devised by co-creators Tina Croll and Jamie Cunningham. A uniquely staged improvisation that brings all ages, genres and all intents around dance to the stage. The Boston edition will be a 90-minute performance celebrating the daily life of The Dance Complex.

JUNE 2017
Festival of Us, You, We & Them
We will literally be dancing in the street!
At least for 25 minutes- a minute for each year of The Dance Complex's existence.