Bill T. Jones News

In the summer of 2014, as Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Touré passed through New York, he got together with American vocalist Julia Easterlin for an impromptu studio session. Though this was the first time the two had met, in that session something divine happened, transcending what each was capable of on their own. Thus their collaboration was born and an entire album project, Touristes, conceived; to examine their respective musical roots and passions together and transform what they find into something entirely new and unique.

The rumors are true -- stage producer Garth Drabinsky, who served time in Canada for fraud and forgery, is aiming for a Broadway comeback.

Using Richard Brautigan's novella In Watermelon Sugar as a guide and the lens through which material is developed, director/choreographer Steven Reker collaborates with Ryan Seaton, Matt Evans, and Eliot Krimsky to form the experimental noise rock band Open House. At The Kitchen, Open House will premiere an evening of songs, compositions and performance work, this week, June 25-27.

This August, Emily Johnson/Catalyst returns to ODC Theater in the Bay Area premiere of SHORE, the final work in a trilogy that began with Bessie Award-winning The Thank-You Bar, presented at ODC in 2011.

Lincoln Center Out of Doors one of the country's longest-running, free, summer outdoor festivals opens its 45th season on July 22, 2015. A range of concerts, dance performances, family events, related film screenings, talks, and an exhibition will be presented across three weeks, from July 22 - August 9.

tra-mon-tane adjective r?-'man-. t?n, . tra-m?n-' 1. Traveling to, situated on, or living on the other side of a mountain; latin transmontanus 'beyond the mountains' Analogy/Dora: Tramontane is based on an oral history Bill T. Jones conducted with 94-year-old Dora Amelan, a French Jewish nurse and social worker during World War II. Analogy began twelve years ago, simply, as a gift Jones created for his longtime partner and collaborator, Bjorn Amelan and his family. Dora Amelan's harrowing, touching and inspirational story is broken into 25 episodes that become the basis for choreography, narrative and music. These episodes chronicle her early family life, her mother's death as the Germans were marching into Belgium, her journey onwards to France and the loss of further family members during the war. Arriving in Vichy France she encounters the internment camps of Gurs and Rivesaltes, where she devotes herself to working for a Jewish underground organization. Dora currently lives in Paris and will attend the premiere.

Harlem Stage is pleased to present the world premiere of Notes of a Native Song, a new work by Tony and Obie award-winning playwright, singer-songwriter Stew (Passing Strange), co-composed with his long-time collaborator Heidi Rodewald, who also performs.

Using Richard Brautigan's novella In Watermelon Sugar as a guide and the lens through which material is developed, director/choreographer Steven Reker collaborates with Ryan Seaton, Matt Evans, and Eliot Krimsky to form the experimental noise rock band Open House.

Uncork the Champagne and raise a glass. La MaMa Moves! dance festival is readying itself for its 10th anniversary festivities while its artists are busily preparing a dozen world, U.S. and New York premieres to celebrate its decade of dance.

New York Arts Executive Jean Davidson, who has been affiliated with some of the country's most innovative and successful arts organizations, has been named President & CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC), the nation's largest professional chorus and Walt Disney Concert Hall resident chorus led by Artistic Director Grant Gershon and heralded around the globe for its unparalleled artistry, announces LAMC Chair David Gindler. She assumes the post on August 31, 2015. Davidson has served since 2011 as Executive Director & CEO of New York Live Arts, an internationally acclaimed interdisciplinary performing arts center under the artistic direction of Bill T. Jones. Guiding its phenomenal growth and success since its inception, she was instrumental in leading the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company through its merger with Dance Theater Workshop to create New York Live Arts, a new model of artist-led, producing and presenting arts organization unique in the United States. Today New York Live Arts, noted for commissioning cutting-edge new works, its vibrant community partnerships and as home base for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, presents more than 100 performances annually in its theater and studios inside its 20,000-square-foot facility in Chelsea, operating with a $5.8 million budget. Davidson is cited for her forward-thinking management style, fostering artistic innovation, developing and expanding creative partnerships with disparate educational and cultural organizations, and overseeing tremendous revenue development and programmatic growth. She previously served as Executive Director of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company in New York City for six years prior to the merger, when the company launched two successful initiatives entitled Partners in Creation and Partners in Education; Managing Director of The Silk Road Project, Inc., a non-profit arts and cultural organization founded by cellist Yo-Yo Ma which during her tenure commissioned 25 chamber works, launched a worldwide tour, released three recordings; and Production Administrator for the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. Davidson replaces LAMC President & CEO Terry Knowles, who steps down at the end of the season following a tremendously successful 15-year tenure with the chorus, during which time the Chorale experienced unsurpassed financial and artistic growth, toured around the world to critical acclaim, released six commercial CDs, created a recording partnership with Decca Classics, and twice received the ASCAP/Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming as well as Chorus America's prestigious Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, the nation's highest choral music award. Davidson's appointment comes at a critical time in the Chorale's history, as it is poised to launch its 52nd season and a new period of strategic growth. The national executive search for Knowles' successor was led by Arts Consulting Group, the leading provider of executive search and other services for the arts and culture industry.

The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, New York Live Arts' Resident Dance Company, today announced the launch of a new partnership with Loyola Marymount University (LMU). The partnership with the Los Angeles based university marks the first of its kind, adding to the Company's existing collegiate education programs. Spanning a total of four years, the partnership will bring the Company's works and their pedagogical and performative philosophy to LMU's campus and the Los Angeles area.

tra-mon-tane adjective r?-'man-. t?n, . tra-m?n-' 1. Traveling to, situated on, or living on the other side of a mountain; latin transmontanus 'beyond the mountains' Analogy/Dora: Tramontane is based on an oral history Bill T. Jones conducted with 94-year-old Dora Amelan, a French Jewish nurse and social worker during World War II. Analogy began twelve years ago, simply, as a gift Jones created for his longtime partner and collaborator, Bjorn Amelan and his family. Dora Amelan's harrowing, touching and inspirational story is broken into 25 episodes that become the basis for choreography, narrative and music. These episodes chronicle her early family life, her mother's death as the Germans were marching into Belgium, her journey onwards to France and the loss of further family members during the war. Arriving in Vichy France she encounters the internment camps of Gurs and Rivesaltes, where she devotes herself to working for a Jewish underground organization. Dora currently lives in Paris and will attend the premiere.

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival announces today that Andrea Sholler, former Associate Director of The Tow Foundation and Executive Director of Dance Theater Workshop, will join the organization as General Manager. Sholler will assume the position on May 18, 2015, returning to the institution where she began her career from 1983 to 1985 as the Pillow's first Development Associate. Jacob's Pillow, located in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, is a National Historic Landmark, National Medal of Arts recipient, and home to America's longest running dance festival.

Uncork the Champagne and raise a glass. La MaMa Moves! dance festival is readying itself for its 10th anniversary festivities while its artists are busily preparing a dozen world, U.S. and New York premieres to celebrate its decade of dance.

In a rare stage appearance, Bill T. Jones narrates personal stories in this captivating multidisciplinary work Saturday, Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 East Atherton Street, Long Beach, California.

This year's Jacob's Pillow Dance Award, a prestigious honor carrying an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize, will be presented to contemporary choreographer Liz Gerring in recognition of her talent and outstanding contributions to the dance field. Active in the dance world for nearly 20 years, Gerring regularly garners acclaim for her 'enthralling and important' works (Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times) that also 'reveals the dancers as the splendid athletes that they are' (dance critic Deborah Jowitt). Gerring will accept the Award and members of Liz Gerring Dance Company will perform at the Pillow's Season Opening Gala on Saturday, June 20 in the Ted Shawn Theatre. The company will return to perform the evening-length work glacier in the Doris Duke Theatre August 19-23. Previous recipients of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award include tap artist Michelle Dorrance, the legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham, 2013 MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abraham, and Tony Award winner and director of New York Live Arts Bill T. Jones, among others.

Heidi Latsky's Triptych makes its World Premiere at Peak Performances this weekend, April 16 - 19 with two live works, Somewhere and Solo/Countersolo, and the debut film of Dance for Film on Location at Montclair State University.

New York Live Arts recently announced the schedule of its third annual Live Ideas festival, S K Y - Force and Wisdom in America Today, taking place today, April 15 - 19, 2015.

Cultural partners Jacob's Pillow Dance and MASS MoCA present KEIGWIN + COMPANY, this weekend, April 11 at 8pm and April 12 at 3pm at the Hunter Center.

Northern Illinois University (NIU) proudly presents The Northern Stars of Dance Concert at the Ruth Page Center for the Performing Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., this weekend, April 10 - 12. Showcasing the talent of alumni, students and faculty from the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, the performance will center on Spent Days Out Yonder, a piece choreographed by internationally renowned choreographer Bill T. Jones. Performances take place Today, April 10 and Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the dancers in action!