Texas Performing Arts Center Essential Series presents BLACK GRACE

Black Grace performs exciting, high-octane dance that is bruising and punishing in its physicality - an explosive combination of Samoan ritual, martial arts and daredevil risk-taking. - Globe and Mail, Toronto

In 2010, Black Grace delivered an unforgettable high-octane performance to an enthusiastic Bass Concert Hall crowd. We are excited to present the Austin return of New Zealand's premiere contemporary Dance Company!

Black Grace was founded in 1995 by celebrated choreographer Neil Ieremia, with ten male dancers of Pacific, Maori and New Zealand heritage. Since then it has changed the face of contemporary dance in New Zealand and turned Black Grace into one of the most recognizable and iconic cultural brands. The company embodies an explosive mix of rhythm, spirit and energy. The New York Times says, "[Neil Ieremia] has spread his artistic roots in several rich pasts and grown up and out into a sunlight of his own making."

Neil Ieremia is in the vanguard of New Zealand's most accomplished choreographers. His many accolades include a 2005 Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award and the 2009 Paul D. Fleck Fellowship in the Arts from The Banff Centre, Canada.

In addition to $10 tickets for primary, secondary, and college students, Texas Performing Arts is now offering a limited number of $12 tickets to active and retired military personnel for all 2016-2017 Essential Series performances (excludes Broadway and special engagements). A military ID is required. For a schedule of upcoming 2016-2017 season performances, please visit www.TexasPerformingArts.org.

PROGRAM:

Minoi (premiered 1999)

Minoi fuses a traditional Samoan dance style known as Fa'ataupati (slap dance) and western contemporary dance. It also utilises live singing and vocalisations based on an old Samoan nursery rhyme.

Pati Pati (premiered 2009)

Pati Pati is a ritualistic dance made from the bones of older works dating back to the beginning of Black Grace and drawing on elements of traditional Pacific dance.

Crying Men - Excerpt (premiered 2017)

Filtered through a Pacific lens, this excerpt is the beginning of what will become a new full-length work exploring some of the challenges we face as males living in today's world, struggling with the expectations of what it means to be a "real man".

Mother Mother (premiered 2013)

Mother Mother was originally choreographed for a music video, on request of popular New Zealand band Fat Freddy's Drop.

As Night Falls (premiered 2016)

While the creative process started with news stories from around the world, often dark and at times overwhelming, As Night Falls is essentially a dance about hope.

The raw material included images of broken bodies littering the streets of war torn countries, terrorist attacks on innocent civilians, protests against police brutality and the aftermath of more natural disasters.

For more information on this performance, please visit:

http://texasperformingarts.org/season/black-grace-bass-concert-hall-2017