Martha Graham News

Ars Nova, under the leadership of Founding Artistic Director Jason Eagan and Managing Director Renee Blinkwolt, has announced 18 months of boundary-pushing world premiere productions, all commissioned and developed by Ars Nova at their West 54th Street home.

RIOULT Dance NY presents a preview of Pascal Rioult's work in progress set to 1970's progressive rock music at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center on December 2, 2016.

New York Live Arts presents Sonya Tayeh, Obie and Lucille Lortel award winner and Drama Desk and two-time Emmy award nominated choreographer, in her New York City debut of an evening-length original work, you'll still call me by name, an emotionally charged dance-symphony that explores a mystifying, complex and jagged relationship between a mother and daughter.

The Martha Graham Dance Company's two-week season at The Joyce Theater, February 14-26, 2017, will feature three diverse programs organized under the season theme Sacred/Profane. Classics by Martha Graham and works by four contemporary choreographers, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Annie-B Parson, Pontus Lidberg, and Nacho Duato, will be presented, highlighting the mystical, spiritual, and humorous aspects of magical thinking.

The Clive Barnes Foundation has announced the nominees for the seventh annual Clive Barnes Awards. 

THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, PURCHASE COLLEGE (PAC) is gearing up for November, which begins with a World-Premiere from one of their own, Purchase alum and professor in the Conservatory of Dance, Doug Varone and Dancers celebrating their 30th Anniversary season with a new co-commissioned piece by The PAC.

In 1931, Imogen Cunningham was considered to be one of the most important experimental photographers in the United States, and Martha Graham, ten years her junior, was at the forefront of the modern dance movement in New York. The auspicious encounter of these two distinct artists resulted in a significant series of photographs. Ann Daly, an essayist of women's history and culture in the arts, writes of what followed that meeting in Santa Barbara, California, “They worked outside, in front of the barn at Graham's mother's home. The afternoon was hot, the smell unpleasant and the flies bothersome, but together they managed to produce a collection of nearly 90 images, an extraordinary double-portrait of both photographer and choreographer.”  As the sun illuminates a gradation of contours along the dancer's face, limbs and dress, the light suddenly drops out behind her body creating a vast darkness.

CHOP SHOP:  Bodies of Work celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2017 with a retrospective of artists from the festival's history - plus one new to Seattle.

In her last New York City solo concert of 2016, neo-retro cabarettist Molly Pope celebrates her birthday with a brand new show, comprised entirely of the music of Jerry Herman tonight, November 2 at 9:30 PM at The Duplex.

In her last New York City solo concert of 2016, neo-retro cabarettist MOLLY POPE celebrates her birthday with a brand new show, comprised entirely of the music of Jerry Herman on Wednesday, November 2 at 9:30 PM at The Duplex.

Urban Land Interests and Custer Financial Services presents, Martha Graham: [R]evolution in Black & White November 11-13, 2016. Masterwork re-staging will include Martha Graham's iconic 'Heretic' (1929).

The Theater 14th Street Y & Bearded Ladies Productionspresent Y Cabaret, as part of the Theater/Dance Series curated at The Theater at The 14th Street Y, 344 E. 14th Street, NYC from October 31-November 1, 2016 at 7:30pm. Y Cabaret features: Abrakus, Bryn Cohn + Artists, Brendan Drake, Jenn Freeman, LoudHoundMovement and shawnbibledanceco., Jenn Freeman. Tickets are $20 in advance ($22 at the door) and are available atwww.14streety.org/ycabaret.

New York Live Arts and The Dauphine of Bushwick present PRETTY BALL, November 6, 2016, 6pm to 10pm, a closing night dance party celebrating the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company's presentation of Analogy Trilogy Parts I and II at The Joyce Theater.

Hackensack artist Ruth Bauer Neustadter returns for a second time to the Pine Gallery of the Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library in Fair Lawn, New Jersey to present a new exhibition, Go Figure, from Sunday, November 6 to Friday, December 30.  The exhibition will feature expressionistic, bold, highly textured and sensual figurative work, many created from recyclable materials, over the last 15 years.

The word "legend" is almost too modest a word in describing Twyla Tharp. Over her storied career, Twyla Tharp has created over 160 dances across genres, choreographed for film (from Miloš Forman to James Brooks) and Broadway (with music ranging from Billy Joel to Bob Dylan). She's received a Tony Award, 19 honorary doctorates, a MacArthur Fellowship, among other honors (see below).

THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, PURCHASE COLLEGE (PAC) is gearing up for November, which begins with a World-Premiere from one of their own, Purchase alum and professor in the Conservatory of Dance, Doug Varone and Dancers celebrating their 30th Anniversary season with a new co-commissioned piece by The PAC.

Baruch Performing Arts Center (BPAC) will host award-winning choreographer Gabrielle Lamb'sPigeonwing Dance in the premiere of an ensemble work that includes a new solo created for guest artist PeiJu Chien-Pott, a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company. The program also includes Lamb's Tessellations (2016), performed by the Joffrey Ensemble. The one-night-only performance, presented in association with the CUNY Dance Initiative, will take place on Friday, November 18, at 7pm, at Mason Hall at the Baruch Performing Arts Center.

The American Dance Guild Fall Performance Festival will return October 14-16 to the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center, 1395 Lexington Avenue, NYC, in a weekend tribute to legendary modern dancer, choreographer and avant-garde theater director Jean Erdman in honor of her centenary.

THE AYE SHOW is adapted from Ana Isabel Ordonez's THE EXTRAORDINARY LOVE STORY OF AYE AYE AND FEDOR. A sparkling fusion of music, dance and narration, the show was performed last week in Cape Town. Before the event, Before the event author Ana Isabel Ordonez discussed elements of the show for our readers.

Melding all forms of the arts into a cohesive program is never an easy task. Former New York City Ballet dancer Damian Woetzel is trying to do this with a series called Demo, which brings artists from the worlds of theatre, dance and opera together on one stage.