Dance Heginbotham Films to Screen at University of Akron

The National Center for Choreography-Akron (NCCAkron) will partner with the University of Akron School of the Performing Arts (SOPA), to screen two dance films from Dance Heginbotham's 24 Caprices series, November 5. These dance film screenings include Caprice #1: Jump Rope and Caprice #12: Goodyear, the latter having been filmed in Akron. Caprice #1: Jump Rope will feature a live performance by UA Saxophone Faculty member, Dr. Justin Evangelist. Caprice #12: Goodyear will include a live performance from UA dance students, choreographed by UA Professor Christine Howe at SOPA's annual performance, Collage 2026.

NCCAkron has collaborated with Dance Heginbotham (Brooklyn, NY) in numerous ways over the past decade, including research residencies, creative residencies, the UA collaboration Ideas in Motion: 21st Century Dance Practices, and public events including Dancing Conversation talks and dance classes. Most recently, acclaimed Broadway, TV, and opera choreographer John Heginbotham's Dance Sonata was performed by UA dance and music students in spring 2024.

In spring 2020, Dance Heginbotham launched 24 Caprices, as an ambitious video project driven by the desire to continue to collaborate, connect, and advance John Heginbotham's creative vision at a time of physical isolation. Using composer Niccolo Paganini's 24 Caprices for Solo Violin as a launching point, Heginbotham joined forces with violinist Colin Jacobsen to explore the caprices' delightful, dark, and melancholic turns in short dance films. Each caprice is a captivating jewel, rhythmically intricate and varied in range, capturing a moment in time.

Choreographed in collaboration with dancer/jumper Lindsey Jones, Caprice #1: Jump Rope was filmed in May 2020. This short film will be screened silently for the November 5 Collage show with the Caprice #1 performed by Dr. Justin Evangelist, saxophone soloist. Caprice #12: Goodyear was filmed in Akron in October 2023 with violinist Colin Jacobsen atop the former Goodyear headquarters on East Market Street, below the Goodyear Wingfoot sign. This short film will be screened for the November 5 Collage show, with UA dance students performing choreography by UA Professor Christine Howe in front of the film.