Almanac Dance Circus Theatre Brings Back COMMUNITAS

Communitas, the founding production of the award winning Almanac Dance Circus Theatre, returns to Philadelphia for the first time since its premiere -- reimagined and re-envisioned for changed bodies and a changed world. In Communitas, wordless acrobatic encounters tell the story of the founding of society in which all members are equals. Communitas: Five Years Later will run for 10 performances at Funicular Station (416 West Coulter Street) in Germantown from May 16-May 25, with a special encore presentation on May 26th in Penn Treaty Park. Tickets available at almanac.ticketleap.com/communitas-5yl.

Communitas is a full-length evening of acrobatic dance and live music, in which acrobatic effort becomes a language of storytelling in action. As four performers encounter each other, they tumble and fly across the stage, pushing themselves to reach new levels of trust, strength, and risk-taking. Starkly simple in its design, Communitas is a meditation on balance through human structures, and a deep exploration of individuality and cooperation. Taking the concept of a "communitas" -- an unstructured society in which individuals are equals -- as a provocation and starting place, Almanac's ensemble indexes the experience of their relationships across over 6 years of collaboration. The show will feature performances by Almanac Company Members Nicole Burgio, Ben Grinberg, Lauren Johns, and visiting company member Adam Kerbel (Los Angeles), with live original music by Ill Doots drummer and multi-instrumentalist Jordan McCree.

Originally created and premiered in 2014 with the support Bill T. Jones and a New York Live Arts Fresh Tracks residency, Communitas launched Almanac to international tour and critical acclaim. Since the first production, Almanac has created 11 full-length works, and toured them across 11 states, and internationally in Mexico, and Canada.

"We had said that Communitas was about the formation of society," says company member Adam Kerbel. "Five years later it feels like a re-formation of boundaries and trust. We wanted our dancing to reflect changes in our friendships. Would our friendships keep pace with our dancing?"

Almanac is a movement-based performing arts ensemble, fusing acrobatics, storytelling, dance, and physicality. We believe in the artful sharing of stories and the creation of original work through unique methods of ensemble practice. Together we create thrill and heartbreak from where we are and where else we want to go.