Mikhail Baryshnikov News

Juilliard Dance, under the direction of Lawrence Rhodes, opens its 2015-16 season this month with 'New Dances: Edition 2015' featuring four world-premiere dances by innovative choreographers Helen Simoneau (First-Year Dancers); Aszure Barton (Second-Year Dancers); Zvi Gotheiner (Third-Year Dancers); and Kyle Abraham(Fourth-Year Dancers).

Robin Tunney (CBS's THE MENTALIST) and Julia Garner (GRANDMA) will join Zachary Quinto for MCC Theater's produciton of SMOKEFALL in 2016.

The Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) continues its 10th anniversary celebratory year, presenting Celebrating Misia Sert, two BAC Salon concerts featuring baritone Michael Kelly and pianists David Fung and Roman Rabinovich in music by Satie and Ravel on Wednesday, December 16 and Thursday, December 17 at 7:30pm. This is the second in two sets of concerts in December which honor renowned arts patrons from early 20th century Paris - De Noailles' Bal Masque will be presented by BAC on Wednesday, December 2 and Friday, December 4 at 8pm, featuring baritone Tyler Duncan and a world premiere by Mark Applebaum (www.bacnyc.org/performances/performance/masked-ball).

(Boston) Celebrity Series of Boston will present poet Billy Collins and singer-songwriter Aimee Mann tonight, November 21, 2015, at 8:00pm at Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall, Harvard University, 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge. 

The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) today announced its 2016 YoungArts Winners. From more than 12,000 applications-the largest number to date-819 young artists from 42 states have been selected for their outstanding work and accomplishments across the literary, visual, design and performing arts. Winners receive cash awards of up to $10,000, validation by renowned mentors, opportunities to participate in YoungArts programs, a strong professional network, and guidance in taking important steps toward achieving their goals.  A complete list of the 2016 Winners is available online at http://youngarts.org/winners.  

This month, one of New York's most iconic hotels celebrates one of New York's most iconic artists in a unique art installation. The Algonquin Hotel Celebrates The Hirschfeld Century, will be presented in the legendary lobby of the Algonquin Hotel today, November 19, 2015 through March 31, 2016.

Break The Floor Productions and Portland Ovations are pleased to announce that North America's hottest new dance show --  SHAPING SOUND -- will perform one night only at Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine, Today, November 13th at 8PM.  Tickets are on sale now. Experience the exhilarating collaboration of North America's newest dance visionaries as they mash-up music genres and dance styles in an explosive dance theater experience perfect for all ages.

National YoungArts Week will culminate with the organization's largest annual fundraiser, the YoungArts Backyard Ball Performance and Gala, presented by MaxMara and emceed by Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor, singer and director, YoungArts Alumnus Billy Porter (1987 Winner in Theater). During the event, YoungArts will honor director and actress Rosie Perez and director Robert Wilson with the Arison Award, as well as performer, Tony Award nominee, YoungArts Master Teacher and 1997 YoungArts Winner in Theater Tony Yazbeck with the Arison Alumni Award, for their outstanding contributions and indelible impact on the arts.

Peggy Baker Dance Projects announces the world premiere of PHASE SPACE, a rich and surprising full-evening work choreographed by Peggy Baker, one of Canada's most acclaimed dance artists. Playing with time, memory and transformation, PHASE SPACE features six extraordinary dancers in a surreal and elegant fusion of contemporary dance, live music, and stage design that runs January 22 -January 31, 2016 at Toronto's Betty Oliphant Theatre.

Daniel Fish, the innovative director of theater, opera, and film, collaborates with designer Jim Findlay to create WHO LEFT THIS FORK HERE, a new interdisciplinary work inspired by the psychological and emotional themes of aging and mortality in Anton Chekhov's The Three Sisters. WHO LEFT THIS FORK HERE is set for four performances only, Wednesday, December 9, through Saturday, December 12, at 7:30pm at Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC)'s Howard Gilman Performance Space, 450 West 37th Street.

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with actress Cece Suazo-Augustus. Ms. Cece is many things: an Honduran/Cuban adoptee, transgendered, driven. 'I won't stop until I win a TONY. If you can perfect theatre, everything else comes easily.' She goes down a list of African-American TONY award winners. It's this goal, she says, that keeps her in theatre and keeps her humble.

This month, one of New York's most iconic hotels celebrates one of New York's most iconic artists in a unique art installation. The Algonquin Hotel Celebrates The Hirschfeld Century, will be presented in the legendary lobby of the Algonquin Hotel November 19, 2015 through March 31, 2016.

The iconic Twyla Tharp is celebrating the 50th anniversary of her 1965 choreographic debut of Tank Dive with an American tour that includes one special stop in Toronto at the Sony Centre For The Performing Arts.  It has been over two decades since Twyla Tharp Dance last performed in Toronto.

The Ruth Page Civic Ballet is proud to present its annual production of The Nutcracker, choreographed by Ruth Page and co-directed by Victor Alexander and Dolores Lipinski Long. This production, celebrating its 50th anniversary this holiday season, will be performed at Northeastern Illinois University, 3701 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue in Chicago, Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6 at 1 and 5 p.m. and at the Ravinia Festival, 200 Ravinia Park Road in Highland Park Dec 13 at 3 and 6 p.m. Tickets for NEIU are $25 for general admission, $20 for seniors and children under the age of 12 and $10 for NEIU students, faculty and staff, one ticket per I.D. card. Also available is 'Tea with Clara,' a delightful tea party which patrons can enjoy with their favorite The Nutcracker characters from 3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. Tickets for 'Tea with Clara' include admission to the tea party and either 1 or 5 p.m. show, are $85 for adults and $50 for children under the age of 12. Tickets for the Ravinia performances are $10 reserved seating. Performance tickets are now on sale and may be purchased at www.ruthpage.org. 'Tea with Clara' tickets may also be purchased at www.ruthpage.org.

Producers Daniel Nardicio and Andy Brattain will honor Edith Piaf, the iconic French songstress on her actual 100th Birthday with PIAF: A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION with stars from Broadway, London's West End, Jazz, Cabaret and Rock 'n' Roll. Starring Elaine Paige, Christine Ebersole, Marilyn Maye, Vivian Reed, Little Annie, Gay Marshall, Molly Pope, Amber Martin, Aaron Weinstein and Meow Meow, the concert will take place on Saturday, December 19, 2015 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall(123 West 43rd Street).

Break The Floor Productions and Portland Ovations are pleased to announce that North America's hottest new dance show --  SHAPING SOUND -- will perform one night only at Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine, Friday, November 13th at 8PM.  Tickets are on sale now. Experience the exhilarating collaboration of North America's newest dance visionaries as they mash-up music genres and dance styles in an explosive dance theater experience perfect for all ages.

According to a 1998 review of ABT by Jack Anderson in The New York Times, publicists for the company in the early days used to call the troupe 'a museum of the dance.' Anderson commented that this is a good phrase to describe the company 'provided one realizes that great museums can encourage new art as well as preserve old'. I heartily concur. As I've mentioned before, I always remind my ballet students that we can hang a Rembrandt or a Picasso on a museum wall for posterity, but each generation of dancers must be capable performing both the old and the new if we are to keep our history alive. Fortunately, true to ABT's founding mission 'to develop a repertoire of the best ballets from the past and to encourage the creation of new works by gifted young choreographers,' this national treasure continues to present accurate historical reconstructions as well as new works by today's choreographers.

On October 23 & 24, Persona, a new opera from composer Keeril Makan and adaptor / librettist / director Jay Scheib, will make its world premiere at National Sawdust. Commissioned by Beth Morrison Projects and National Sawdust, and adapted by Scheib from Ingmar Bergman's film of the same name, Persona is a provocative, highly cerebral, and artistically complex depiction of human frailty, cruelty and identity. These world premiere performances—which represent the first opera staged at National Sawdust—feature music direction by Evan Ziporyn and music by the ensemble Either/Or.