Carolyn Dorfman Dance Celebrates 35 Years

Carolyn Dorfman Dance, whose bold and dramatic works connect life and movement, invites audiences to be "part of the movement" during its 35th Anniversary 2017-2018 Season. Fall highlights include being presented by Jersey City Theater Company in excerpts of KEYSTONE, WAVES and The Klezmer Sketch with special guest artist Grigory Gurevich, along with performances of Dance/Stories, Sextet and Unfolding at the Bickford Theatre in the Morris Museum. Spring highlights include reprise performances of SEXTET, WAVES and Traces at Florida's Aventura Arts & Cultural Center on February 8th, the inaugural year of the Carolyn Dorfman curated Dance Union Festival March 16-18 with Hamilton Stages, and a world-premiere collaboration between Carolyn Dorfman Dance and Pilobolus in April at New Jersey Performing Arts Center(NJPAC).

Dorfman's yearly performance and gala benefit on April 14th, 2018 will premiere the collaboration of choreography with Dorfman and Renee Jaworski, Co-Artistic Director of Pilobolus, which is co-commissioned by NJPAC. This celebratory milestone will mark the first time both companies will participate in a choreographic collaboration. Premiering in the spring, and performed by Carolyn Dorfman Dance's ensemble, the new work will later be added to the Pilobolus repertory. The evening will also showcase Dorfman's repertory pieces, a re-creation of, Lifeline and Cercle D'Amour and will bring the company and its audience together for a celebration of the company's 35th-anniversary festivities.

"In 35 years, the company and the body of work has kept true to making connections," explains Carolyn. "Bridging ideas and experiences through dance, sharing perspective, and contributing to the creation of a well-informed community, have been the pillars of this company's legacy," she continues. "To co-choreograph with another dance maker this season, that also personifies connection, marks a significant personal milestone for me as an artist and director."

In its 35th year Dorfman continues to deepen their Arts Education workshops and performances through its continued partnerships with NJPAC Arts Education, East Brunswick school district, Union County Academy of the Performing Arts, McKinley school (New Brunswick), Link Community Charter School, Rutgers University, and new relationships with PS 27 (Paterson), All Saints Day School (Hoboken), and Monmouth University.

The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation has supported the company for at least 31 years and considers Carolyn Dorfman Dance "the gold standard for dance in the state," stated by Sharnita Johnson, Arts Program Director for Dodge. "We honor the company's focus on performance excellence and community outreach and congratulate Carolyn Dorfman and dancers on reaching yet another milestone. The company truly exemplifies our motto-imagine a better New Jersey."

The anniversary season will feature an ensemble of 11 artists-returning dancers - Caroline Dietz, Justin Dominic, Lara Friedman, Jenny Gillan-Powell, Quinton Guthier, Brandon Jones, Elise Pacicco, Marie Lloyd Paspe, and Katlyn Waldo and new dancers - Eric Parra and Terri Wright.

Dorfman 35th Season Highlights

· October 22-Performance presented by Jersey City Theater Company with special guest artist Grigory Gurevich

Performing excerpts of Keystone, WAVES and The Klezmer Sketch

· November 16th-Bickford Theatre Morris Museum

Performing Dance/Stories, Sextet, Unfolding

· January 11th-LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC) Backstage Pass Performances

Performing Dance/Stories

· February 8th-Aventura Arts & Cultural Center Performance

Performing Sextet, WAVES and Traces

· February 25th-Monmouth University Performance

Performing The Legacy Project: A Dance of Hope, The Klezmer Sketch, Cat's Cradle, American Dream, special performance in recognition of Jacob Landau in the Art Gallery in the Pollak Theater

· March 16th-18th - Dance Union Festival

Performing excerpts of WAVES and Sextet

· April 14th-35th Anniversary Performance and Gala Benefit at NJPAC

Performing world premiere of choreographic collaboration with Pilobolus, with Lifeline and Cercle d'Amour