Tom Gold Dance Cancels 2020 Fall Season And Fall Update

Due to ongoing concerns related to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, New York City-based classical dance company Tom Gold Dance has cancelled its 2020 fall season, which was to have been held Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14 at Florence Gould Hall at the French Institute Alliance Française.

"After a thorough review of our options with respect to the size of the venue, audience spacing, and general guidelines around gathering indoors, we have made the difficult, but also unavoidable decision to cancel our third annual fall season," says Tom Gold Dance founder and director Tom Gold. "The health, safety, and wellbeing of our audiences, artists, and staff will continue to be our highest priority across all of our planning."

"Since we launched our fall program in 2018, it has emerged as a unique platform to explore the traditional classical dance vocabulary in greater depth around a single composer or concept," adds Gold. "While we are deeply disappointed we won't have the chance to present new work before a live audience this fall, we continue to develop ways to remain connected to anyone seeking to experience high quality work."

This is the second self-produced season Tom Gold Dance has cancelled, following the cancellation of its 2020 spring season this past April.

Earlier this summer, Tom Gold Dance appeared in the 39th Annual Battery Dance Festival, filming Tom Gold's Plan & Elevation-to a string quartet of the same title by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw-on location at Wagner Park in Battery Park City for this year's virtual program. Originally planned for the Company's 2020 spring season, the online presentation, between August 22 and September 2, of Plan & Elevation represented its World Premiere.

On Saturday, September 12, Tom Gold Dance will take part in a benefit program for Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA, marking the Company's return to the Berkshires following a two-year hiatus, with the first live performance of Plan & Elevation to accompaniment by musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

The Company is also planning a live-streaming event with the Church of the Heavenly Rest on Fifth Avenue in October. Additional details, including a confirmed date, will be announced.

"For a performing arts organization still establishing itself within the rich landscape of the performing arts in New York City, the cancellation of our spring and fall seasons and suspension of other activity through the fall and spring has been challenging as we attempt to fulfill ambitious goals for our growth," says Tom Gold Dance executive director Alexander Zaretsky. "We are inspired, however, by the many people who continue to support our work, and have encouraged us to identify new avenues of expression while we await the day when we can be together again for live performances."

The 2021 spring season of Tom Gold Dance is currently scheduled for Wednesday, April 7 and Thursday, April 8 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College.

Due to outdoor gathering restrictions, tickets to the September 12 Shakespeare & Company benefit are extremely limited. For more information, write to info@tomgolddance.org.Additional details about the live-streaming collaboration with the Church of the Heavenly Rest will be announced at a later date.