David Parsons News

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's two-week spring engagement at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater kicks off in an exceptional way on Wednesday, June 11th with a free workshop - Revelations Celebration on the Plaza - followed by The Ailey Spirit Gala, a one-night-only benefit performance and party.

Joe's Pub has announced their lineup of events for May 14-25. There is sure to be some thing for everyone - check out all the details below!

Linda Shelton, Executive Director of The Joyce Theater, announced today the organization's programming for its 2014-2015 fall/winter season, launching September 9 with the New York premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's extravagant production of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, danced by the magnificent dancers of the National Ballet of Canada at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.

A singer-songwriter, dancer and actress, Sabrina Wender has a true passion for the arts. She has recorded a CD of pop music in Italy and also has an in-depth knowledge of American Jazz and Swing music of the 30s and 40s. As a teenager, Sabrina attended summer courses at the High School of Performing Arts in New York and has continued to further her musical studies both in Europe and the U.S. She has composed original ballad songs and soundtracks for documentaries about Italy which she produced and edited herself.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, beloved as one of the world's most popular dance companies,will return to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with four different programs for a two-week 15-performance engagement at the David H. Koch Theater June 11 - 22, 2014. Today, Artistic Director Robert Battle announced repertory for the season, highlighted by a world premiere from Robert Moses - a first-time collaboration with the Company - new productions of Hans van Manen's Polish Pieces and David Parsons' signature work Caught, along with the company premiere of Asadata Dafora's groundbreaking 1932 solo Awassa Astrige/Ostrich. Ailey's acclaimed dancers will perform in diverse repertory including encore performances of 2013-14 season premieres and new productions such as Wayne McGregor's Chroma and an "Ailey/Ellington" program, as well as favorites like Alvin Ailey's American masterpiece Revelations.

The popular Musical Mondays series continues at Le Cirque with Jazz & Cabaret performer Sabrina Wender. A singer-songwriter, dancer and actress, Sabrina Wender has a true passion for the arts. She has recorded a CD of pop music in Italy and also has an in-depth knowledge of American Jazz and Swing music of the 30s and 40s. As a teenager, Sabrina attended summer courses at the High School of Performing Arts in New York and has continued to further her musical studies both in Europe and the U.S. She has composed original ballad songs and soundtracks for documentaries about Italy which she produced and edited herself. As a dancer, Sabrina studied ballet at the Royal Academy of Dance and jazz at the California Club in Milan and currently attends The Steps School in New York. She has performed in music videos for Sting and Zucchero in collaboration with choreographers Momix and David Parsons. Sabrina has appeared on various television programs, including the Italian TV Network RAI where she was the female lead performer on the Saturday evening variety program "Rido." She also studied acting at Thomas G. Waites Acting Studio in New York.In her performances, Sabrina loves to sing Italian "La Dolce Vita" music, American Jazz Standards and Bossanova, all accented by her dancing and passion for the rhythm.

Gotham Chamber Opera, in collaboration with the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, presents the U.S. Premiere of The Raven as part of the NY PHIL BIENNIAL, on May 28, 2014 at 7:30pm and May 30 and 31, 2014 at 8pm, at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater, 524 West 59th Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues), New York City. Tickets are $30-$175 and will be available at www.ticketcentral.com or 212-279-4200. For more information visit www.gothamchamberopera.org.

Met Museum Presents and Gotham Chamber Opera presents a double bill co-produced with and staged at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, consisting of Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Monteverdi, and a newly commissioned work, I Have No Stories to Tell You, by Gotham Chamber Opera Composer-In-Residence Lembit Beecher, tonight, February 26 and tomorrow, February 27, 2014 at 7pm at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street), NYC.

Balanchine once said, "See the music, hear the dance". The audience at the Koch Theater on the afternoon of February 22nd 2014 had the opportunity to do exactly that when the works of three very different choreographers brought treasured violin concertos to life. Kudos to Concertmasters Arturo Delmoni and Kurt Nikkanen, who offered admirable solo violin performances.

Rolex presents NEW YORK NEW YORK - Career Transition For Dancers' 29th Anniversary Jubilee on Monday, October 6, 2014 at 7:00 pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (btwn. 6th & 7th Aves) NYC followed by dinner at The Grand Ballroom at The Hilton New York. From Broadway to the Battery, NEW YORK NEW YORK will take you on a rockin' ride through the most inimitable, iconic entertainment capital of the world - a mecca for arts and culture. Dance with us around our town, the most diverse city alive! This one-night-only entertainment event of the season features the best talent in theatre and dance performing with the Jubilee Orchestra. The show is produced and directed by Ann Marie DeAngelo.

Three world premieres by Maurice Causey, Charles Moulton and Artistic Director Charles Anderson headline the spring program of Company C Contemporary Ballet April 25-May 11 at ODC Theater in San Francisco and the Lesher Theater in Walnut Creek. The 12-year-old Company will close its 2014 season with a program featuring the world premiere of a new ballet by Maurice Causey (title to be announced), the world premiere of Charles Moulton's New Country and the world premiere of Charles Anderson's What's Behind Door #3 along with reprises of excerpts from Anderson'sAposiopesis and excerpts from Patrick Corbin's Partly Cloudy. [Editor note: the program has changed since originally announced in August, 2013]. Complete program details are listed below. For more information, visit www.companycballet.org .

Gotham Chamber Opera and the Jarvis & Constance Doctorow Family Foundation announce the inaugural cycle of the Catherine Doctorow Prize for Music, a competitive prize awarded to a composer to support the creation of a new work for voice and chamber ensemble. For more information and to apply for this commissioning award, visit www.gothamchamberopera.org/registration. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2014.

Gotham Chamber Opera, in collaboration with the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, presents the U.S. Premiere of The Raven as part of the NY PHIL BIENNIAL, on May 28, 2014 at 7:30pm and May 30 and 31, 2014 at 8pm, at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater, 524 West 59th Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues), New York City. Tickets are $30-$175 and will be available at www.ticketcentral.com or 212-279-4200. For more information visit www.gothamchamberopera.org.

Gotham Chamber Opera, in collaboration with Opera Philadelphia and Music-Theatre Group in New York, is proud to offer a fourth track in the nation's first comprehensive, operatic Composer in Residence program. Funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the program provides professional development opportunities for today's most promising opera composers, selected on a competitive basis. Applications are being accepted through January 31, 2014.

The choreography of David Parsons has always been a mystery to me. He has ideas and a vision, yet they never gel. This was apparent to my colleague and me when we attended the David Parsons gala on January 14. While not exclusively dedicated to Mr. Parsons-there were tributes to Paul Taylor in whose company Parsons danced, and Robert Battle, who performed in the Parsons company--we came away feeling that if this is what we have to show for modern dance today, it needs some rejuvenation-and thought. Why are these works being done when there is little that they say?

Parsons Dance, one of the nation's most popular and acclaimed modern dance companies, will honor three legends of the dance world -- Paul Taylor, David Parsons and Robert Battle -- at its gala tonight, January 14 at The Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street). The event, a celebration of the company's 30th Anniversary Season, will include a performance at The Joyce, followed by dinner, dancing and a live auction at the nearby Chelsea home of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, 547 West 26th Street (transportation will be provided). For tickets and additional information, please visit http://www.nycharities.org/events/EventLevels.aspx?ETID=6830 or call (212) 869-9275.

Parsons Dance, one of the nation's most popular and acclaimed modern dance companies, will honor three legends of the dance world -- Paul Taylor, David Parsons and Robert Battle -- at its gala on Tuesday, January 14 at The Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street). The event, a celebration of the company's 30th Anniversary Season, will include a performance at The Joyce, followed by dinner, dancing and a live auction at the nearby Chelsea home of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, 547 West 26th Street (transportation will be provided). For tickets and additional information, please visit http://www.nycharities.org/events/EventLevels.aspx?ETID=6830 or call (212) 869-9275.

Met Museum Presents and Gotham Chamber Opera presents a double bill co-produced with and staged at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, consisting of Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Monteverdi, and a newly commissioned work, I Have No Stories to Tell You, by Gotham Chamber Opera Composer-In-Residence Lembit Beecher, on February 26 and February 27, 2014 at 7pm at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street), NYC.

Gotham Chamber Opera presents Marc-Antoine Charpentier's La descente d'Orphée aux enfers, a co-production with Trinity Church, from tonight, January 1- January 5, 2014 at St. Paul's Chapel, Broadway and Fulton, NYC.

Met Museum Presents and Gotham Chamber Opera presents a double bill co-produced with and staged at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, consisting of Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Monteverdi, and a newly commissioned work, I Have No Stories to Tell You, by Gotham Chamber Opera Composer-In-Residence Lembit Beecher, on February 26 and February 27, 2014 at 7pm at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street), NYC. Tickets, including admission to the museum, are $175, and can be purchased at http://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/concerts-and-performances/gotham-opera-1.aspx?eid=4162.