Tickets for the 2013 American Dance Festival (ADF) 80th Anniversary Season will go on sale Monday, May 13 at 10:00am. The 2013 ADF celebrates 80 years of presenting, preserving, and promoting modern dance with six and a half weeks of performances that feature some of the most celebrated artists making work today. The season includes 47 captivating performances by 25 companies and choreographers, including the return of festival favorites Shen Wei Dance Arts, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Pilobolus, as well as the ADF debuts of LeeSaar The Company, Camile A. Brown & Dancers, Canada’s The 605 Collective, Ireland’s ponydance, and many more. In all, this season features 11 ADF debuts, 9 ADF commissioned world premieres, 2 reconstructed classic works, and 1 US premiere.

Tickets for ADF@DPAC performances will be on sale through the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) Ticket Center; tickets for ADF@DUKE and ADF@OFFSTAGE performances will be on sale through the Duke University Box Office. Performances will be presented at DPAC, Reynolds Industries Theater, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, and Motorco Music Hall from June 13-July 27. Tickets will be available for purchase in person, by phone, by mail, and online for each venue.

Please visit www.americandancefestival.org for information on performing
companies, schedules, ticket prices, discounts, parking, and seating.

How to Order:

For ADF@DPAC performances:                                  
919-680-ARTS (2787)                                                  
www.americandancefestival.org
Durham Performing Arts Center Ticket Center            
The American Tobacco District                                     
123 Vivian St.                                                                
Durham, NC 27701                                                        
Tuesday-Friday: 10am-5pm                                          
Saturday: 10am-2pm

For ADF@DUKE and
ADF@OFFSTAGE performances:
919-684-4444   
www.americandancefestival.org
Duke University Box Office  
Bryan University Center
Duke University West Campus
Durham, NC 27708
Monday-Friday: 11am-6pm                                     

video still from CHOROS (a film by Michael Langan & Terah Maher, 2012 ISF Selection)

AMERICAN DANCE FESTIVAL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 18TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SCREENDANCE FESTIVAL

CELEBRATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON JUNE 13-JULY27

Durham, NC, February 13, 2013 – The American Dance Festival (ADF) is now accepting submissions for the 18th Annual International Screendance Festival (ISF) that will take place during the Festival’s 80th anniversary season, June 13-July 27, in Durham, NC. Since its inception the ISF has played a significant role in investigating and promoting the relationship between dance and cinematography.

“ADF‘s International Screendance Festival has played a key role in legitimizing dance for the camera. By including screendance alongside live dance as a vital part of its summer programming, ADF has opened the door for dance’s newest collaborator, the camera, and all the possibilities that flow from the creativity of choreographers and filmmakers exploring their visions for the screen,” said ISF Director, Douglas Rosenberg.

The ISF seeks work of highest artistic quality that challenges the boundaries where film and dance collide. All entries will be adjudicated by an international panel of filmmakers and choreographers, and selected works will be screened during the 2013 ADF season (specific ISF screening dates TBA). Certificates of Distinction may be awarded to works of exceptional merit.

NEW THIS YEAR: All applications and video submissions must be made online. Applications can be submitted at www.regonline.com/ISF2013, and links to YouTube, Vimeo, or other video hosting sites should be provided within the application. Applicants may also pay the entry fee online.

Entries should be submitted in one of the following categories:

• Choreography for the Camera-original work made specifically for video or film or re-staged for the camera;
• Documentaries-productions that include interviews or other educational elements in addition to choreography;
• Experimental and Digital Technologies-work that extends the boundaries of dance and can exist only in video, film, or new technologies.
• Student Work-submissions produced while the filmmakers were students or by current students.

The early deadline for submissions is March 15, 2013, and has a discounted entry fee of $30. The final deadline for all submissions is April 12, 2013, and the entry fee is $40. Questions should be directed to Jenny Fornoff at ADF@americandancefestival.org or 919-684-6402.

Classic Ballets from the Company’s Repertoire Highlight the Roster for 16^th Season

RALEIGH, NC – - – Carolina Ballet is pleased to announce the line-up of programs for the 2013-2014 season. With an extensive repertory, after fifteen seasons, Carolina Ballet is showcasing several its most popular works, choreographed by artistic director Robert Weiss. Weiss will also create a new ballet to add to the near fifty ballets that he has choreographed on the company since 1998. The schedule for the 16^th season is as follows:

Balanchine Celebration – October 10-27, 2013, A. J. Fletcher Theater (AJF)

Messiah – November 29-December 1, 2013, Raleigh Memorial Auditorium (RMA)

Nutcracker – December 20-29, 2013, RMA

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (World Premiere) – February 13-March 2, 2014, AJF

Romeo and Juliet – March 13-30, 2014, AJF

Sleeping Beauty – May 15-18, 2014 RMA

During the company’s fifteen seasons, Carolina Ballet has presented 22 ballets choreographed by Robert Weiss’ mentor and founder of New York City Ballet, the incomparable George Balanchine. One of the most popular Balanchine ballets (and often requested by audience members) is Rubies to music of Igor Stravinsky from a larger work titled Jewels. Robert Weiss was a dancer at New York City Ballet when Balanchine choreographed Rubies in 1966 and he says “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Here was something really new – a totally classical ballet that really incorporated jazz in a seamless manner.” Carolina Ballet last performed Rubies in 2004 to commemorate George Balanchine’s 100^th birthday. A selection of other Balanchine ballets will accompany Rubies.

During Thanksgiving weekend, November 29-December 1, Carolina Ballet is presenting Messiah to officially start the holiday season. It has been four years, since Carolina Ballet last presented Messiah to the Triangle area audiences and there are many people new to the area who haven’t experienced this artistic tradition for Raleigh. In a review in 2004, the News & Observer critic said “Weiss’ Messiah is a lovely example of dance as praise…a stunning reminder of the power of art and music, and the miracle of the human body and imagination.” Robert Weiss’ Messiah to Handel’s magnificent score is accompanied by live music and 130 voices of the North Carolina Master Chorale. In 2002 Carolina Ballet took Messiah to Hungary and presented it in Budapest and Gyor as part of an international dance festival. A critic for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeiting, praised Messiah as “choreography Europe needs to see.” The story of Christ is played out in brilliant images through mesmerizing dancing, lighting and tableaux. Marija Jankovic wrote for Ballet Review, “the ballet’s essence is deeply ethical. It is a celebration of human dignity, human generosity, freedom of thought, and tolerance, both religious and political.” Pennsylvania Ballet in Philadelphia has presented Weiss’ Messiah in two different seasons at the Academy of Music where it received rave reviews. The Philadelphia Inquirer said it was one of Pennsylvania Ballets’ “largest and most ambitious productions.”

The two full-evening story ballets on the roster for the season are Romeo and Juliet to Sergei Prokofiev’s powerful score; and Sleeping Beauty to the beloved ballet music of Tchaikovsky. When Weiss premiered Romeo and Juliet on his new company at the end of its first season, in May 1999, the ballet was called “a triumph on several levels” (News & Observer). And when the ballet opened in 2001, the week after the events of 9/11, a critic at the News and Observer wrote “in these unsettled times, it was a tonic to walk into a theater and find it still possible to experience vicariously some form of clean emotion.” Weiss’ ballet captures the essence of Shakespeare’s play with action packed dancing in the streets of Verona, dramatic sword fights between the feuding families, and tender love scenes for the two young lovers. The late Frances Mason, editor of Ballet Review, said on WQXR, the Radio Station of the New York Times that Weiss’ Romeo and Juliet was “stunning, dramatically engrossing and beautifully danced.”

One of Carolina Ballet’s biggest undertakings has been Robert Weiss’ new Sleeping Beauty presented in 2010. Weiss knew that he couldn’t improve upon Petipa’s choreography for this iconic classical ballet so he kept all the signature pieces in place – the Rose Adagio, the Lilac Fairy solos, the wedding pas de deux and the Blue Bird pas de deux – while creating new choreography for the corps numbers and adding a giant dragon that the Prince must slay to reach the Princess Aurora. He also expanded the role of Carabosse, the evil Fairy Godmother, who becomes even more menacing with her familiar, a Raven, another addition by Weiss. The critic for the News & Observer wrote “the production successfully delivers this revered choreography and received tradition.” The scenery and costumes were new for this production in 2010 and they match Tchaikovsky’s score in grandeur.

The new ballet for the 16th season is Robert Weiss’ choreography to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Weiss says “even if you have never heard The Four Season, you will readily recognize each season in the music – the chill of winter, the languor of summer, the freshness of spring and the melancholy of fall.” This ballet will express the cycle of life through the emotions the seasons evoke.

And of course, the season would not be complete without the annual run of Carolina Ballet’s “magical” Nutcracker. Once again Carolina Ballet will present Nutcracker in all three Triangle cities – Chapel Hill at Memorial Hall on the UNC campus, December 7 & 8; Durham at DPAC, December 15 & 16; and Raleigh at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, December 20-29.

Subscription packages may be purchased now by calling the Carolina Ballet box office at 919 719-0900. A sales representative will assist patrons to put together the package, with their preferred seating choices, that best fits their schedule and budget. Subscribers also get the first opportunity to purchase Nutcracker tickets.

Now into the fifteenth season, Carolina Ballet, Inc. has taken its place among America’s premier arts organizations. Under the innovative direction of artistic director Robert Weiss, a talented company, fiscally responsible management and community support, Carolina Ballet continues to expose audiences to traditional ballet by legendary masters and new works of contemporary choreographers. The company reflects the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and ever-increasing quality of life experienced in North Carolina.

Cmdc Dance Gallery

The boards of directors of The ArtsCenter and the Carrboro Modern Dance Company have announced an agreement by which Carrboro Modern Dance Company has become an independent component of The ArtsCenter. “The arrangement will permit Carrboro Modern Dance Company to become part of The ArtsCenter while retaining its own brand and board,” ArtsCenter Executive Director Art Menius explained.

“This is a wonderful marriage of one of Carrboro’s oldest cultural institutions with one of its newest,” said Menius. “The ArtsCenter wanted to upgrade our modern dance programming while Carrboro Modern Dance Company needed an institutional home. This provides an important part of The ArtsCenter’s leadership of the arts in our town.”

“This is Carrboro Modern Dance Company’s first step to becoming an integral part of dance and arts in the state of North Carolina,” explained Carrboro business owner and Carrboro Modern Dance Company executive director Beven Ramsey, who serves on The ArtsCenter board.

Mary Norkus, co-founder of Carrboro Modern Dance Company and one of the Triangle’s most respected dance teachers, echoed Ramsey’s thoughts. “We are very excited and grateful for this opportunity to support and represent our local dance community through our partnership with The ArtsCenter. There is often a lack of space, time and connectivity for our area dancers, choreographers, and teachers to study, collaborate, produce, and perform. The ArtsCenter is the perfect place to accomplish this mission, as an icon for arts instruction and performance. In our November 2011 ArtsCenter concert, ‘Coming Home’, we explored the aspect of returning and appreciating community. In this January’s ‘Forward’ we celebrated our future goal for nurturing dance and dancers in our community.”

Betsy James, chair of The ArtsCenter board, shared their enthusiasm. “Better serving our community through comprehensive arts programming is what The ArtsCenter is all about. We are thrilled that this collaboration has provided another opportunity,” she said.

Carrboro Dance Company, founded in 2011, has already presented two major events at The ArtsCenter, an ongoing series of Sunday dance open houses, and classes within The ArtSchool.

Programs at The ArtsCenter are supported in part by Brooks Pierce, Chapel Hill Restaurant Group, Giorgios Hospitality Group, The North Carolina Arts Council, The Orange County Arts Commission, and Tony Hall and Associates.

The ArtsCenter is a non-profit teaching and presenting organization founded in 1974. The largest employer of artists in Orange County, NC, it serves more than 80,000 people annually, through classes, studios, concerts, theatre, spoken word, gallery displays, more than 80 school shows, and more. The ArtsCenter exerts a local economic impact exceeding $3,200,000 which generates the equivalent of 103 full time jobs and $301,000 in state and local tax revenue.

Lydia Bevan

I visited the beautiful and spacious Carolina Ballet studios during the 2012 Ruth S. Shur Summer Intensive where serious ballet students come to study with top professionals. On my visit I watched advanced students and company trainees sharpening skills in class with guest teacher Judith Fugate, former New York City Ballet principal dancer and co-artistic director of Ballet NY. When I arrived, dancers were gathering in the hall outside a studio, wrapping toes, tying pointe shoes and stretching. They often glanced from their feet into the studio to watch Carolina Ballet principal dancers Margaret Severin-Hansen and Gabor Kapin in an impromptu rehearsal of the White Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake.

Getting to see professional dancers at work is one of the things that makes Carolina Ballet’s summer intensive unique, according to Tyler Walters, director of the summer program. While aspiring ballerinas have their pick of summer study programs with companies all over the country, dancers in most professional companies are on hiatus during those months. The students at the Carolina Ballet have the benefit of seeing the company’s principal dancers preparing for performances in open rehearsals, and even taking classes from the professionals in the height of their stage careers.

Laura Polin

Summer intensive students spend up to 6 hours a day with top names in the ballet world, including Carolina Ballet’s impressive permanent faculty such as ballet masters Debra Austin and Marin Boieru and Artistic Director Robert Weiss. Dancers also study with Walters and assistant director Julie Janus Walters, who were both, among other professional credits, chosen by Robert Joffrey for Joffrey Ballet.

Judith Fugate instructs dancers

Guest teachers in 2013 are Susan Jaffe, former principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre and current Dean of Dance at UNC School of the Arts, and Michael Vernon, who among other notable undertakings, was commissioned to choreograph a pas de deux for the American Ballet Theater by Mikhail Baryshnikov.

They’ll have finished up with the 11 city audition tour for the increasingly competitive program after stops in Washington D.C. and Boston early in February. There is one audition remaining at the Carolina Ballet studios on February 16th.

Erin Norris and Kate Webb

The session ends with a performance at the Fletcher Opera Theater in the Progress Energy Center. I have attended this remarkable concert each summer so far, and it has always been a professional ballet production of the high standards Carolina Ballet patrons have come to expect. The show features students of each level for the 5-week program presenting original choreography from faculty members along with some classic variations. This end-of-season celebration helps to define Carolina Ballet as a company committed to education, preservation and innovation in ballet.

For more information about the Ruth S. Shur Summer Intensive visit http://www.carolinaballet.com/the-company/education-outreach/summer-intensive/

Katie Johnson prepares her shoes with jet glue

See more pictures from the class here.

The North Carolina Dance Alliance (NCDA) is celebrating 30 years of serving and supporting the development of dance in North Carolina at its Annual Event on October 20-21, 2012. “Moving Forward, Looking Back” is the theme for at this year’s Annual Event, featuring over 30 different classes in a variety of dance forms, scholarship auditions, the annual NCDA Choreographers Showcase and Annual Award Presentation, a 30^th Anniversary Gala, and an adjudicated performance featuring works by North Carolina dance students. This year’s Annual Event will be held at the School of Music, Theatre and Dance at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro (UNCG). Registration will be available on site at the event. For more information about the Annual Event, visit the NCDA website.

“We are honored to be celebrating 30 years of serving the dance community of North Carolina,” said Christine Kiernan Fisher, NCDA board president. “The NCDA has been a catalyst for the strength and proof of stability of dance in our state by providing programs and services for professional dance companies, artists, students and educators.”

The state’s two prestigious annual dance awards will be presented at the NCDA Annual Event. The 2012 NCDA Annual Award recipient is Alyson Colwell-Waber of Raleigh and the 2012 NCDA Choreography Fellowship recipient is Natalie Marrone of Chapel Hill. The NCDA Annual Award honors an individual who has made significant lifetime contributions to the growth and development of dance in North Carolina. Recipients of the Annual Award receive a $500.00 honorarium to be used toward their work, or to designate as a one-time scholarship in their name. The NCDA Choreography Fellowship is awarded to North Carolina choreographers to support the creation and performance of new work. Fellowship recipients receive a stipend of up to $1,000 to cover the cost of a new work, from inception to premiere performance at the NCDA Annual Event.

Alyson Colwell-Waber, the 2012 NCDA Annual Award recipient, has been a strong presence in the NC dance community since joining the faculty of Meredith College in 1984. There, she developed the school’s dance program and founded Meredith Dance Theatre. Alyson earned her MFA in dance at Arizona State University and has trained with Hanya Holm, Daniel Nagrin, Clay Taliaferro, Betty Jones, Liz Lerman, and Douglas Nielsen. As a performing artist, Alyson performed several solo and duet concerts including Soloflight, an evening of solos by Jack Arnold, Liz Lerman, Mark Taylor, and Jan Van Dyke. She’s received two Dance Artist Project Grants from the NC Arts Council, a Raleigh Arts Commission Emerging Artist Award, and a Perry Artistic Achievement Award. Alyson served as board member, officer, and President of NC Dance Alliance from 1989-1994 and more recently, as a board member for Raleigh Dance Theatre and Even Exchange Dance Theater.

Natalie Marrone, the 2012 NCDA Choreography Fellowship recipient, received her MFA in choreography from The Ohio State University in 1998, where she also created the Dance Cure to showcase her choreographic fusion of Italian folk traditions and contemporary dance. Her choreography and research have been featured in national commercials, live television events and presented throughout the USA, Italy and Taiwan. Marrone’s research and choreography has been presented both nationally and internationally by the North Carolina Dance Festival, the international Congress on Research in Dance, the National Dance Educators Organization, The Greater Columbus Arts Council, The Italian Folk Art Federation, The World Dance Alliance, The American Italian Historical Association and Ohio Dance. She has served on faculty for ten years in higher education dance programs and as a guest choreographer and master teacher all over the United States for several universities, public schools, national commercials, live television and professional academies. She currently serves on faculty at Elon University and Meredith College.

Dance work by Ms. Marrone, as well as Sarah Wildes Arnett, Virginia Freeman Dupont, Ashley Lindsey, Heather Tatreau and Sara Ruth Tourek will be showcased in the NCDA Choreographers Showcase during the NCDA’s Annual Event. For the full event schedule, registration and other event information, visit http://ncdancealliance.org/AE_12/Welcome.html

This project is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, and by the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation and the Capezio/Ballet Makers Dance Foundation. This project is sponsored by the Duke University Dance Program.

About the North Carolina Dance Alliance

The North Carolina Dance Alliance (NCDA) is the nonprofit state service organization established in 1982 to serve and support the development of dance in North Carolina. NCDA offers programs and services that address the changing needs of the state’s dance community, including events, awards, scholarships, communications, and artist services. For more information, visit www.ncdancealliance.org.

A day of dance: this introduction to the workings of the newly formed Carrboro Modern Dance Company will include dance classes for adults by instructor William Commander and for children by Mary Grady Norkus of Dancentre in Chapel Hill and co-founder with Beven Ramsey of Carrboro Modern Dance.  The open house will also feature a structured improvisational  movement piece based on the current exhibit in the Gallery by artist Sarah Goetz and a preview of choreography from the upcoming Carrboro Modern Dance concert, “Forward/Forward”,  at the Art’s Center on Saturday, January 19th.

Dance classes for both children and adults will begin at 3:15pm, followed by the preview of choreography at 4:30 in the West End Theater. At 5:00pm there will be introductions of the dancers and teachers, followed by a Q&A session about the programs. Local food truck vendor “The Humble Pig” will be on-site for delicious refreshments following the event at 5:30pm.

The classes are as follows:

“Watch Me Dance!”

Instructor: Mary Grady Norkus

Creative Movement for children ages 3-5. A  fun-filled class that is very active, with little to no emphasis on waiting in line, perfection of steps or big recitals. All children need to move daily, to express, watch, listen and process. Join us for an adventure and exploration of movement that includes music of all genres, use of props and costumes, storytelling and games, to build confidence, to support imaginative play and to foster an appreciation of self and others. Class size limit: 10. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing, bare feet.

“Introduction to Modern Dance”

Instructor:  William Commander

Come join us and be a part of a community experience that will allow you to move with others! This class aims to encourage creative expression through movement, investigation and development of artistic ideas through improvisation and understanding of dance technique, as well as performance—regardless of previous experience. Students will use whole body movements, strength, flexibility, endurance and proper alignment to understand and develop dance technique. Utilizing time, space, weight, flow, momentum and breath, students will learn how to move safely and naturally. Most importantly, it is an opportunity to establish a community in dance and a safe place to explore new or familiar ideas. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing, bare feet.

The American Dance Festival (ADF) is proud to announce the official grand opening of the Samuel H. Scripps Studios, located at 721 Broad Street, Durham, NC.  The opening of the studios marks the first time in the Festival’s celebrated 79-year history that the organization will own real estate and be able to provide year-round programming at its own facilities. The ADF will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, July 2 at 12:00 pm to celebrate the grand opening with the Durham community. Durham Mayor Bill Bell, as well as ADF Director Jodee Nimerichter, SHS Foundation President and ADF Board Member Richard Feldman, building developer Arthur Rogers of Eno Ventures, LLC, building architect Sasha Berghausen of BLOK Architecture, and ADF’s design consultant Oswald Nagler, among others, will be present to cut the ribbon.

As part of Ms. Nimerichter’s vision to expand the ADF’s reach into the community and dance world at large, and through an incredibly generous donation from the SHS Foundation, the ADF will begin providing year-round dance classes and workshops to the community and will have the opportunity to host choreographic residencies in the new beautifully designed studios.

“As a long time supporter of ADF, the SHS Foundation saw the importance of supporting this initiative by providing the lead gift to take advantage of this incredible space. This space will allow ADF to continue the invaluable work they do within the dance world, as well as in the Durham community. This is another example of new ADF Director Jodee Nimerichter’s leadership and vision, and commitment to the organization’s overall mission,” said SHS Foundation President, Richard Feldman.

Classes will be offered for all ages and ability levels, taught by distinguished faculty that have been hand selected by the ADF. The classes and workshops provided through this new studio will play an integral part in supporting the ADF’s continued commitment to providing a sound scientific/aesthetic base for professional education and training of dancers. Additionally, the ADF is excited to be able to use these studios to mark their commitment to Durham and to build an even larger dance community in the Triangle.

Marking her place in ADF’s history, new ADF Director Jodee Nimerichter is delighted to head this expansion of the ADF’s renowned programming.

“Having a permanent space has been one of our longtime dreams. It will allow ADF to expand and reaffirm its commitment to making Durham its home and to provide the community with the very best in modern dance training. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have a space so close to Duke University’s East Campus and our current offices presented itself and we had to take it. We are indebted to our board member Richard Feldman and the SHS Foundation for providing the initial support we needed to take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity for the ADF, and hope that the community is as excited as we are,” said Nimerichter.

ADF expects to launch a capital campaign in the coming months to complete the funding for this initiative, as well as sustain and support the ADF Educational Programs and Endowment. Community members are invited to walk through the new studios following the ribbon cutting. For detailed information on fall class registration, please visit our website at www.americandancefestival.org.

Carolina Ballet’S THIRD SUMMER PROGRAM WITH SAINT MARY’S SCHOOL RESUMES JUNE 18

The Ruth S. Shur Summer Intensive Program for young dancers will begin its third season on Monday, June 18, 2012. Once again Carolina Ballet and Saint Mary’s School are collaborating on this summer intensive which attracts young dancers to the Raleigh area from all around the country. “Our partnership with Saint Mary’s has been terrific,” says artistic director Robert Weiss. “We are so lucky to have their beautiful campus be home to the dancers for the five weeks they are here.”

Carolina Ballet will enroll 130 students for a five week period, June 18 to July 21, with approximately two-thirds of the students living on campus. Of those students there are 40 dancers returning from the previous summer. The program culminates Saturday, July 21 with two performances of work choreographed on the students, at 2:00 and 7:30pm, at the Fletcher Opera Theater at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh.

Last season, Carolina Ballet added a “young dancer” segment to the summer intensive which allows young local dance students, who are not yet dancing on pointe, an opportunity to work on their technique. These students are ages 9 to 11; and for the older ones in the group, emphasis is put on strengthening their legs to get them ready for the pointe classes they will start at their regular ballet schools in the fall.

The summer intensive offers an additional benefit to the professional dancers of Carolina Ballet, providing them with two extra weeks of work on their contract July 2-14. Classes and rehearsals for the students will be held at Saint Mary’s School and also at Carolina Ballet’s studios on Atlantic Avenue affording the students the opportunity to observe the professional dancers during open rehearsals as a new ballet is created on the company. Several of the professional dancers will perform during the performances with the students on July 21 as well.

The classes and rehearsals for the students are held Monday through Saturday and include up to six hours of instruction and rehearsal time each day. The dance instructors include such notable names in the dance world as Michael Vernon, chair of the Jacobs School Ballet Department at Indiana University (and a former teacher to Robert Weiss); Judith Fugate, former New York City Ballet principal dancer and stager of George Balanchine ballets; Marin Boieru and Debra Austin, ballet masters with Carolina Ballet; Melissa Podcasy, principal dancer and ballet master at Carolina Ballet; Artistic Director Robert Weiss; and several Carolina Ballet dancers, along with the program directors Tyler and Julie Walters. Further information about the Ruth S. Shur Summer Intensive Program may be found at www.carolinaballet.com.

Tyler Walters and his wife Julie Janus Walters, are former principal dancers with the Joffrey Ballet, and are currently on the dance faculty at Duke University. Tyler has been seen in Carolina Ballet’s productions of Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, and Sleeping Beauty; and he has choreographed several ballets on the company, most recently I Mobile on “The Calder Project” in April 2012. Julie Janus Walters has also appeared in Carolina Ballet productions – Robert Weiss created the role of the Stepmother in Cinderella on Julie and she also danced the role of the Queen in Swan Lake among others. Each winter Tyler and Julie make a 12-city nationwide audition tour to attract students from across the country to the program. The more advanced students have the opportunity to take class with the Carolina Ballet dancers twice a week. From this group several dancers in the past have been selected to be trainees with the company for the following season.

Saint Mary’s School in Raleigh, North Carolina, is an independent, college-preparatory, girls boarding and day school dedicated to academic excellence and personal achievement for grades 9-12. Founded in 1842 in the Episcopal tradition, Saint Mary’s School is the seventh-largest girls boarding and day school in the country. The historic, residential 23-acre campus is located within walking distance of the state capitol and within easy driving distance of world-renowned Research Triangle Park and the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

After fourteen seasons, Carolina Ballet, Inc. has taken its place among America’s premiere arts organizations. Under the innovative direction of artistic director Robert Weiss, a talented company, fiscally responsible management and community support, Carolina Ballet exposes audiences to traditional ballet by legendary masters and new works of contemporary choreographers. The company represents the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and ever-increasing quality of life experienced here in North Carolina.

The 2012 American Dance Festival opens this Thursday and will present four incredible performances each weekend during the month of June at DPAC.

The 2012 season opens on Thursday, June 14 at 7 pm with an exciting one-night-only performance of Doug Elkins & Friends’ Fräulein Maria, a hilarious rendition of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s timeless musical, The Sound of Music, that has delighted audiences across the globe with its brilliant humor and imagination.

As a company of widly talented dancers, Stephen Petronio Company presents powerfully provocative dance works that synthesize new music, visual art, and fashion. They make their ADF debut Friday and Saturday, June 15 & 16 at 8 pm with Petronio’s breathtaking UNDERLAND, a vividly surging dance inspired by the bittersweet songs of Australian songwriter, Nick Cave.

Following a rave reviewed performance at the 2011 ADF Gala, Scottish Dance Theatre returns to the ADF for their US full company debut Friday and Saturday, June 22 & 23 at 8pm. They will present 2 US premieres, DOG and Lay Me Down Safe*, along with a 2011 ADF audience favorite, Drift.
*Mature audiences recommended due to language

As a repertory company with unparalleled versatility, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago remains one of the most original and forward-thinking contemporary dance companies. On Friday and Saturday, June 29 & 30 at 8pm they will present an incredible repertoire of works including Twyla Tharp’s Scarlatti, William Forsythe’s Quintett, and Sharon Eyal’s Too Beaucoup.

Additionally, Hubbard Street 2 will present Harold and the Purple Crayon: A Dance Adventure on Saturday, June 30 at 1pm as part of ADF‘s Children’s Saturday Matinee series.

For more information please visit www.americandancefestival.org.

JUNE 14-JULY 28

CELEBRATING NEW FESTIVAL DIRECTOR JODEE NIMERICHTER’S INAUGURAL SEASON

7 ADF Commissions     7 Company Debuts     6 World Premieres     2 US Premieres

The American Dance Festival (ADF), recognized as “an international destination for modern dance,” is pleased to announce its 79th season of presenting the world’s most dynamic and innovative modern dance. The 2012 season, which runs Thursday, June 14-Saturday, July 28 in Durham, North Carolina, will feature seven ADF Commissions, seven Company Debuts, six World Premieres, and two US Premieres that exemplify the place where ingenuity and tradition merge.

“It is with great excitement that I look forward to carrying on ADF’s tradition of supporting new work while presenting both the debuts of many talented companies never before seen at the Festival, as well as the beloved Festival favorites who we are committed to supporting over time. With companies that encompass the unbelievable breadth of the modern dance field, there is undoubtedly something for everyone this season. We invite you to join us for a summer of beautiful dancing and inspiring choreography,” says ADF Director, Jodee Nimerichter.

In total, 16 companies and choreographers will take the stage this summer with an incredible line-up of both distinguished favorites and cutting edge works. Dance enthusiasts will be glad to welcome back favorites including Keigwin + Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Pilobolus, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Mark Morris Dance Group. In keeping with ADF’s lifelong tradition of presenting the world’s newest works before they can be seen elsewhere, historic firsts will include, among others, two works by Pilobolus in collaboration with Michael Moschen and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, as well as a Festival favorite program, Footprints (previously called Past/Forward), which will feature premieres by Jodi Melnick, Helen Simoneau, and Reggie Wilson, set on the ADF dancers.

Along with the ADF debuts of the Footprints choreographers, the season will also host the Festival debuts of the Stephen Petronio Company, Vertigo Dance Company (Israel), Ragamala Dance, and Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion, who was recently acclaimed by OUT Magazine as the “best and brightest creative talent to emerge in New York City in the age of Obama.”

In one of the most exciting collaborations of the summer, the ADF and the North Carolina Museum of Art will co-present Shen Wei’s newest work, Undivided Divided, among the galleries of the Museum’s award-winning West Building. A limited amount of tickets will be sold for this exclusive event.

The 2012 Festival performances take place at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC), Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University, and the North Carolina Museum of Art. All performances will begin at 8:00 pm unless otherwise noted. Single tickets and subscriptions to ADF performances go on sale Monday, May 14th and can be purchased through the ADF website at www.americandancefestival.org. Prices range from $18 to $60, with many savings options available. More detailed information about ticket prices and performing companies, including photos, videos, and press reviews will be available on the ADF website on April 1, 2012.

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ADF @ DPAC

Doug Elkins & Friends
Thursday, June 14 at 7:00 pm
The 2012 season will open with an exciting one-night-only performance of Doug Elkins & Friends’ Fräulein Maria. Last seen at the ADF in 2009 and celebrated with rave reviews, Elkins’ rendition of Rogers and Hammerstein’s timeless musical, The Sound of Music, has delighted audiences across the globe with its brilliant humor and imagination. From Graham to Balanchine, hip hop to voguing, and much more, Elkins’ masterful wit and skillful craftsmanship effortlessly blend dance styles of every kind with the original score of this cinema classic. Having created over 40 original dances in his career, Elkins will delight audiences again with this heartwarming deconstruction of one of the world’s most famous love stories.

Stephen Petronio Company
Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16
Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike from around the globe, Stephen Petronio is widely recognized as one of the leading dance-makers of his generation. Over the past 25 years, he has built the Stephen Petronio Company into an explosive troupe of wildly talented dancers with powerfully provocative dance works that synthesize new music, visual art, and fashion. Making their ADF debut, they bring Petronio’s breathtaking work Underland, originally created in 2003 for the Sydney Dance Company. Petronio visits the dark side in this vividly surging work inspired by the bittersweet songs of Australian songwriter, Nick Cave. Powerfully startling solos, duets, and ensemble work are danced with perfection as Underland unravels a fractured world filled with hope and despair.

Scottish Dance Theatre (Scotland)
Friday, June 22 and Saturday, June 23
Following a rave reviewed performance of James Wilton’s electric duet, Drift, at the 2011 ADF Gala, the Scottish Dance Theatre returns to the ADF for their first US full company debut. Along with an encore performance of Drift, the evening will feature the US premiere of DOG, choreographed by one of Europe’s most original and exciting artists of this time, Hofesh Shechter. Created specifically for the company, this honestly raw yet sophisticated work delves into Darwin’s essentials for survival through a satirical lens, while remaining a treat for the mind and the senses. The company will also present the US premiere of Lay Me Down Safe by Kate Weare, a tender foray into the human conflict when faced with desire and loss.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Friday, June 29 and Saturday, June 30
Children’s Saturday Matinee at 1:00 pm by Hubbard Street 2
As a repertory company with unparalleled versatility, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago remains one of the most original and forward-thinking contemporary dance companies.  They continue to present the works of numerous choreographers and styles and will do just that this summer at the ADF.  The company will present Twyla Tharp’s new work, Scarlatti (2011), created specifically for Hubbard Street and set to seven sonatas and one fugue by Domenico Scarlatti. The company will also perform 2012 Scripps/ADF Awardee William Forsythe’s 1993 work, Quintett, a joyously complex and contemplative contemporary ballet that shines with Forsythe’s choreographic genius. This quiet masterpiece is set to Gavin Bryars’ Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet as it explores themes of loss, hope, fear, and joy. Additionally, the company will present Too Beacoup by Sharon Eyal, Batsheva Dance Company’s House Choreographer.

William Forsythe will be presented with the 2012 Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award prior to the performance on Saturday, June 30th.

Pilobolus
Thursday, July 5-Saturday, July 7
Children’s Saturday Matinee at 1:00 pm
As one of the pioneering American arts organizations of the 21st century, Pilobolus continuously brings audiences brilliant and thought-provoking works full of imagination, wit, and choreography that puts audiences on the edge of their seats. Along with a program that includes some of their timeless repertory, the company will present two ADF commissioned world premieres that feature collaborations. Their first partnership, with MacArthur “Genius” and award-winning master juggler, Michael Moschen, turns the art and act of juggling into an investigation of a geometrical universe where gravity defying dancers must find harmony with the celestial machine. Their second premiere features a collaboration with internationally renowned Belgian choreographer, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. This cyborg of dance takes place in a mirrored world between Tron and Metropolis and examines the penetrating and emotional journey through a time that is seemingly yet to come. The company will also perform Sweet Purgatory (1991), originally commissioned by the ADF for the company’s 20th anniversary, and The Transformation (2009).

Vertigo Dance Company (Israel)
Friday, July 13 and Saturday, July 14
Founded in Jerusalem in 1992 by Artistic Directors Noa Wertheim and Adi Sha’al, acclaimed Israeli dance troupe Vertigo Dance Company makes their ADF debut with their beautiful and dynamic work, Mana. Choreographed by Wertheim, Mana brings to the stage a quiet and restrained strength as it explores an individual’s struggle to reconnect with himself and the transformation that happens subsequently from within. Their movement teems with energy, momentum, and fluid athleticism while the dramatic moving set and costumes bring audiences to a place where the dancers boundaries are set, pushed, and broken throughout the journey developing onstage.

Paul Taylor Dance Company
Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 21
Children’s Saturday Matinee at 1:00 pm
As an artist whose career has spanned over five decades, Paul Taylor remains one of the world’s most prolific and praised choreographers of all time. He continues to challenge and mystify audiences with new repertory while his classic works remain just as powerful and relevant. In a program slated with classics, the Paul Taylor Dance Company will present one of his most famous works, Aureole, originally commissioned by the ADF and now celebrating its 50th anniversary. Set to baroque music by George Handel, this lighthearted dance shows the timelessness of Taylor’s romantic and stunning choreography. His 1970 work Big Bertha, not seen at the ADF since 1979, follows a happily married couple and their daughter through their visit to an amusement park. Yet as with many of Taylor’s works, beyond the surface level of this comedy lies a hair-raising exploration of life’s deepest tragedies. The company will also perform Gossamer Gallants (2011), a hilarious glimpse into the mating rituals of insects, and Piazzolla Caldera (1997), a sizzling view of the social identities and attitudes found in the passionate tango.

Mark Morris Dance Group
Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28
Children’s Saturday Matinee at 1:00 pm
Since 1980, Mark Morris Dance Group has been creating dance works that defy the boundaries between modern and ballet. Heralded for their commitment to live music, their performances at ADF will all be accompanied by the Mark Morris Dance Group Music Ensemble. With one of his most exciting programs of work to be seen on the ADF stage, the company will present an evening comprised almost entirely of dances never before seen at the Festival. The company will perform Festival Dance (2011), a beautiful piece set to a tender and graceful piano trio by Nepomuk Hummel. In an homage to some of Morris’ earlier days, this lighthearted and charming work is a masterful blend of folk elements, intense musicality, and Morris’ signature movement aesthetic. The performance will also feature the waltz inspired work Canonic ¾ Studies (1982), Rock of Ages (2004), and Silhouettes (1999).

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ADF @ DUKE

Keigwin + Company
Tuesday, June 19-Thursday, June 21
Under the direction of Larry Keigwin, this electrifying contemporary dance company brings a bold and refreshing vision of dance that seethes with sensibility, wit, style, and heart. Keigwin + Company bridges the gap between artistry and entertainment, creating works that continue to engage dance audiences of all kinds. They will perform their newest work, Contact Sport, commissioned by the ADF, which premieres in New York City just before coming to ADF. With Keigwin’s signature athletically charged and vigorous movement, this work explores the continuously evolving and sometimes tumultuous relationships between four brothers. Originally commissioned by the ADF in 2004, Natural Selection navigates the theory of evolution from within a miniature world. The company will also perform 12 Chairs (2012) and Megalopolis (2009), a hyper-kinetic synthesis of hip hop and contemporary dance inspired by both fashion and the social behaviors of insect colonies, with Steve Reich’s Sextet for Six Marimbas and M.I.A.’s World Town and XR2 propelling it in all directions onstage. Additionally, Mr. Keigwin will perform his newest solo, Panic, that examines the tension and anxiety that builds within repetition and pattern.

Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion
Tuesday, June 26-Thursday, June 28
Having made a splash in the world of dance with an evocative interdisciplinary body of work that examines humanity’s identity and diversity as it relates to personal history, Kyle Abraham is quickly establishing himself as one of today’s most innovative and provocative artists. He, along with his company, Abraham.In.Motion, will make their ADF debut this summer with his 2010 smash hit, The Radio Show. This evening length work investigates the effects of the loss of communication within a community, from the discontinuation of a radio station, to the onset of Alzheimer’s and aphasia within a family unit. His luscious, bold, and fearless movement vocabulary is driven by a score that fuses smooth soul, hip hop, and contemporary classical music, making for an evening of unforgettably breathtaking dance.

Monica Bill Barnes & Company
Sunday, July 1-Tuesday, July 3
Described as “one of the wittiest young choreographers around,” Monica Bill Barnes returns to Durham for her company’s first solo concert on the ADF stage. Her all female company, Monica Bill Barnes & Company, has been celebrated for her hilarious works that celebrate the joys of individuality, comedy, and the idea that “all the world’s a stage.” Barnes & Company will perform an ADF commissioned world premiere, a duet between Anna Bass and Monica Bill Barnes, as well as two works from her repertoire. Inspired by the beauty and mystery of vaudeville and silent films, Mostly Fanfare (2010) is a poignant and intoxicating examination of the hardships of life onstage. Everything Is Getting Better All the Time (2010) explodes with heart and tenacity as four women, dressed in men’s suits, take an inquisitive look into the complexities of their characters’ onstage relationships.

Ragamala Dance
Tuesday, July 10-Thursday, July 12
Heralded as one of the Diaspora’s leading Bharatanatyam companies, Ragamala Dance has broken the bounds of the traditional South Indian classical dance form and seamlessly carried it into the 21st century. Born and raised in South India, Artistic Directors Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy bring together the culture’s unique sensibility of mysticism, myth, and sanctity onto the contemporary dance stage, creating a captivating experience that is unlike any other. Their ADF debut will feature Sacred Earth (2011), a work inspired by two transient art forms: kolam floor drawings and Warli wall paintings. This collage of the senses uses the visual beauty onstage along with the live musical accompaniment to develop and explore the interconnectedness of humans and the vast landscapes that shape them.

Brian Brooks Moving Company
Monday, July 16-Wednesday, July 18
Since 2002 the Brian Brooks Moving Company has been presenting mesmerizing dance works throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. Artistic Director Brian Brooks has developed a rigorous and versatile movement vocabulary that builds momentum through his brilliantly intuitive use of space, motion, and music, establishing him as one of today’s most riveting choreographers. The company will present it’s newest work, Big City, that examines the emotional and physical rebuilding that takes place after destruction. Intricate phrase-work and musicality bring a subtle grace to this unfolding story of despair and hope. Brooks himself will perform his 2007 solo, I’m Going to Explode, a hybrid of dance techniques, sports, parkour, street dance, and physics that investigates the body’s intrinsic use of force when compelled by its surroundings. The performance will also feature Descent (2011), a work that explores the dependent relationship between bodies, and the mesmerizing duet from his 2010 work Motor.

Footprints
Monday, July 23-Wednesday, July 25
Noted as one of the most exciting Festival performances each year, the Footprints program (formerly called Past/Forward) brings renewed energy to ADF’s ongoing mission to support the skillful work of groundbreaking choreographers through commissions. With three world premieres happening in one evening, audience members will get to experience the ADF debuts of three innovative choreographers as they set works on the talented ADF Six Week School students. Canadian born choreographer and ADF/MFA graduate Helen Simoneau has won numerous accolades for her solo and ensemble work over the past five years including winning The A.W.A.R.D. Show! 2010 in New York City. Her choreography has been presented in Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland. Drawing upon the blend of movement languages of the blues, slave and spiritual rituals, and contemporary dance, 2012 Joyce Award recipient Reggie Wilson has created a potent and energizing style all his own. He is currently the artistic director for his Brooklyn based company, Reggie Wilson/Fist & Heel Performance Group. Former Trisha Brown dancer and assistant director Jodi Melnick has had a vast career in dance, theater, and opera. Her dance language is created from an investigation of nuance, gesture, and the emotion that emanates in the human form. She recently collaborated on a new solo with Ms. Brown entitled One of Sixty Five Thousand Gestures.

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ADF @ NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART

Shen Wei Dance Arts
Wednesday July 18-Thursday July 19 at 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm
Having received critical acclaim around the world for his captivating work, Shen Wei continues to challenge audiences to experience his work in a new and unconventional way. This summer, the ADF and the North Carolina Museum of Art will present Shen Wei’s newest work, Undivided Divided, in a special engagement at the Museum’s new West Building. During the 45 minute site-specific piece, traditional performer-viewer relationships are reconfigured as viewers are invited to stroll amongst moving “displays” of painted dancers and interactive installations. The piece is inspired by conscious and unconscious human impulses and interactions with the environment and set to a shifting electronic score by So Percussion.

NEW THIS SUMMER
In collaboration with dance writer and critic, Nancy Wozny, and filmmaker, Steve Milligan, ADF’s newest video project, Inside Insights, gives patrons a deconstructed look into the 2012 performing companies and choreographers. Each video includes information on who the companies are, what they are performing, how each company fits into the modern dance world, and why they are a must see this season. Videos will be available on the ADF website by May 14th, 2012.

On Saturday, June 30 at 2:00 pm, following an exciting Children’s Matinee performance based on the beloved children’s story Harold and the Purple Crayon at DPAC, ADF will hold its first ever Durham Dances Day! ADF invites all community members to enjoy a FREE exciting afternoon of music, dance, a parade with Paperhand Puppet Intervention, arts and crafts with Scrap Exchange, activities with Angelina Ballerina, and much more! Parents are invited to bring their little ones for a meet-and-greet with the Hubbard Street 2 dancers, including photos and other interactive activities to go along with the story of Harold. Music will be provided by The Gravy Boys on the ATC stage, so community members are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and enjoy the sunshine while grabbing their favorite beer and snacks from one of the many ATC restaurants. Durham Dances Day is sponsored by American Tobacco, The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, and the City of Durham.

Each summer a talented staff of musicians works within the studio to inspire students daily as they study. For the first time, the ADF Musicians Concert will be held as part of the American Tobacco Music on the Lawn series on Friday, July 13 at 6:00 pm. Join them as they share their immense talent with the whole community in a free concert that features music of various genres and with something for everyone.

2012 AWARDS
The 2012 Samuel H. Scripps/ADF Award for Lifetime Achievement will be presented to acclaimed choreographer William Forsythe by Jill Johnson on June 30th prior to the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performance at DPAC. The company will perform Forsythe’s 1993 work, Quintett. The award carries a $50,000 prize and is given yearly to a choreographer who has made a significant contribution to the field of modern dance.

Mr. Forsythe will give a community talk on Sunday, June 31st at 4:00pm at White Lecture Hall at Duke University. The talk will be free and open to the public.

The 2012 Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching Award will be presented to Ana Marie Forsythe for her enormous contribution to dance education in a special ceremony on Saturday, June 16 at 5:00 pm. The ceremony will take place at White Lecture Hall at Duke University.

SEASON DEDICATION
The 79th ADF Season will be dedicated to fervent arts advocate and ADF supporter, Mary Regan. Ms. Regan has worked tirelessly to promote the arts within the state of North Carolina and has been an ardent voice for the ADF. The dedication will be presented to Regan immediately prior to the Doug Elkins and Friends performance at DPAC on Thursday, June 14th at 7:00 pm.

ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES/EVENTS TO NOTE
On Sunday, July 8 at 2:00 and 8:00 pm, the ADF Faculty Concert will take place at Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University. The concert will feature the choreography of the ADF School’s renowned faculty members, with dancing by ADF dancers as well as faculty. The Hollins University/American Dance Festival MFA performances will feature thesis projects and new works created by the students who are currently enrolled in this collaborative degree program. Two different performances will take place on Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28 at 8:00 pm at Reynolds Industries Theater.

The 17th annual International Screendance Festival, directed and curated by Emmy nominated filmmaker Douglas Rosenberg, will take place Friday-Sunday, July 6-8. The festival will feature chosen films that explore the ever-evolving relationship between the screen and dance. All screenings take place at White Lecture Hall and the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

FOR THE KIDS
As part of the incredible tradition of presenting world-class performances, the ADF presents four one-hour matinees throughout the summer designed especially for children. The 2012 Children’s Saturday Matinee series takes place at the Durham Performing Arts Center at 1:00 pm on June 30 (Hubbard Street 2), July 7 (Pilobolus), July 21 (Paul Taylor Dance Company), and July 28 (Mark Morris Dance Group). In addition to the performances, a free Kids’ Party on the outdoor DPAC plaza will immediately follow the July 7, 21, and 28 matinees, complete with music, snacks, and additional entertainment. The ADF will also continue its Kids Night Out program, where all youth ages 6–16 receive one complimentary ticket to any evening performance with the purchase of a regular-priced adult ticket.

ADF IN THE COMMUNITY
All year long, ADF Project Dance brings the world of dance and performance to local youth through free creative movement classes, workshops, and more. This summer the Festival is proud to collaborate with UNC Television to bring dance and the special story of Angelina Ballerina to the community. Inspired by the award-winning children’s book series by author Katharine Holabird and illustrator Helen Craig, 8-year-old Angelina Ballerina celebrates music and brings to life many forms of dance including ballet, modern, tap, jazz, classical, and ethnic. The ADF and UNC-TV will offer 3 workshops and activities for children throughout Durham during May and June. For more information on workshop locations, dates, and times, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.

DEDICATION TO EDUCATION
As part of ADF’s lifelong commitment to education, the 2012 summer will be the international home to over 450 students, teachers, choreographers, and dance professionals wishing to immerse themselves in the world of dance. The ADF School hosts numerous programs including the Six Week School (June 14-July 28), the Three Week School for Young Dancers (July 7-28), and the Dance Professionals Workshop (various dates available). Additionally, students in the Hollins University/American Dance Festival MFA Program will study at the ADF throughout the course of the summer and present their thesis projects at the end of the season.

INTERNATIONAL REACH
This year, numerous international choreographers from countries including China, Germany, Taiwan, Russia, and Denmark will visit the ADF to participate in the International Choreographers Residency Program (ICR). Originally established in 1984, this six-week program is designed to foster a vibrant exchange of ideas among artists from around the world, encourage the creation of new dance works, provide immersion into American modern dance, and forge new collaborations. To date, 463 choreographers from 88 countries have participated.

A LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Throughout the summer, ADF Festival Tours offer individuals, families, and community groups the special opportunity to witness modern dance in the making by going behind the scenes of the ADF. Led by ADF staff, visitors will experience ADF students and faculty in class and rehearsal as they demonstrate what makes the ADF summer a thriving creative laboratory. Tours can be scheduled by calling 919-684-6402.

Now a vital piece of the ADF puzzle, the ADF video blog May we have this CyberDance? provides everyone with an exclusive window into all the facets of the Festival. Multiple times each week the blog will be updated with special interviews, sneak-peaks, and unique glimpses into the daily lives of ADF students, performers, faculty, and staff.

Post Performance Discussions (PPDs) provide a unique opportunity for patrons to meet the Festival artists, ask questions, and gain insight into the creators’ work and vision. PPDs take place after select evening performances throughout the summer. Please see the official ADF calendar (available on the ADF website) for PPD dates.

ADF ARCHIVES AND EXHIBITS
In collaboration with Duke University’s library system, the ADF Archival Collection houses a multitude of film, videos, photographs, and records dating from the early 1930s. This summer an exhibit of vintage ADF t-shirts and their special back-stories will be on display in the Reynolds Industries Theater lobby at Duke University.

TICKET INFORMATION
Single tickets and subscriptions to ADF performances will go on sale to the general public May 14, 2012 and may be purchased via one of the methods listed below.  Tickets range in price from $18 to $60.

For ADF@DPAC performances:
www.americandancefestival.org
919.680.ARTS (2787)
Durham Performing Arts Center Ticket Center
The American Tobacco District
123 Vivian St.
Durham, NC 27701
Tuesday-Friday 10 am-5 pm
Saturday 10 am-2 pm

For ADF@DUKE performances:
www.americandancefestival.org
919.684.4444
Duke University Box Office
Bryan University Center
Duke University West Campus
Monday-Friday  11 am-6 pm

For ADF@NCMA (Shen Wei Dance Arts) performance:
www.americandancefestival.org
919-715-5923
North Carolina Museum of Art East Building
2110 Blue Ridge Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27607
Tuesday–Thursday: 10 am–5 pm
Friday: 10 am–9 pm
Saturday–Sunday: 10 am–5 pm

During the upcoming 2012-2013 season Carolina Ballet, the Triangle area’s professional ballet company, will celebrate yet another milestone, its 15^th anniversary. The season could be subtitled “The Best of…” as it will highlight works of artistic director Robert Weiss, principal guest choreographer Lynne Taylor Corbett, Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine – including favorites from the repertory and several premieres. The productions will be performed in the AJ Fletcher Opera Theater (AJF) and Raleigh Memorial Auditorium (RMA) both located at the Progress Energy for the performing Arts in downtown Raleigh. The schedule for the season is as follows (please note an asterisk (*) is next to the two programs that have been changed, the rest of the season remains as previously announced):

• An Evening of Robert Weiss, September 13-30, 2012 (AJF)
• *A Balanchine Celebration, October 11-28, 2012 (AJF)
• Nutcracker, November 23-25 & December 14-23, 2012 (RMA)
• An Evening of Lynne Taylor-Corbett, February 7-24, 2013 (AJF)
• *The Rite of Spring, March 7-24, 2013 (AJF)
• Fancy Free & Carolina Jamboree, April 18-21, 2013, (RMA)
• Giselle, May 16-19, 2013 (RMA)

In 1999, at the start of Carolina Ballet’s second season, with no repertory of its own to pull from, Robert Weiss presented An Evening Direct from New York, focusing on work by choreographers all closely associated with New York City Ballet where Robert Weiss had been a principal dancer. Now fourteen years later, the company is in a far different place with 90 new works under its belt – 45 of which were created by Robert Weiss. It seems only fitting that the anniversary season should open with An Evening of Robert Weiss featuring his acclaimed Symposium choreographed in 2004 to Leonard Bernstein’s “Serenade.” When Weiss premiered this ballet the News & Observer wrote “Weiss ballet rivals master.” The review stated that “Symposium is one of Weiss’ best creations…lovely, moving and perfectly matched to the music.” Robert Weiss will also create a new ballet to premiere on this program.

*A Carolina Ballet season would not be complete without paying tribute to Robert Weiss’ mentor George Balanchine. Not only was Balanchine the founding artistic director and choreographer of New York City Ballet, he choreographed on Broadway and in Hollywood as well. Robert Weiss has chosen Who Cares? as the centerpiece for this Balanchine program, as it always proves to be a crowd pleaser, and the dancers particularly enjoy performing it. Balanchine had a long standing personal relationship with George and Ira Gershwin; Who Cares? is his homage to their work. According to Weiss, Balanchine challenged anyone leaving the theater after a performance of Who Cares? “not to be walking on air.” Other Balanchine favorites will round out the program, October 11-28, 2012.

The second half of the season opens February 2013 with an Evening of Lynne Taylor-Corbett, featuring several of her ballets created on Carolina Ballet and a ballet she choreographed on New York City Ballet in 1992. When Lynne Taylor-Corbett was named principal guest choreographer in 1999, the Herald-Sun wrote “to witness such a mind at work is a tremendous thing; that it is here, available to all, is nothing short of miraculous.” Her work never fails to satisfy and engage the audience; the diversity of her ballets ranges from Dracula to The Ugly Duckling to Carmina Burana. On this program, Carolina Ballet will reprise Code of Silence (“nothing short of a masterpiece,” News & Observer); December Songs, a song cycle of love songs by Maury Yeston, sung by Raleigh native Lauren Kennedy on stage with the dancers; and the Raleigh premiere of Mercury to music of Joseph Haydn, her first ballet created for New York City Ballet.

*An exciting addition to Carolina Ballet’s season is Christopher Stowell’s The Rite of Spring, March 7-24, 2013. This is a fairly new version of the ballet (choreographed in 2009) to Igor Stravinsky’s ground breaking music which premiered May 29, 1913 in Paris with Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe. Robert Weiss explains that after nine performances of the original ballet, choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky, it was never performed again. However, since then there have been at least 60 versions of The Rite of Spring choreographed and performed by many ballet companies world wide. Weiss says he has seen a number of the productions but has never been as impressed as he was after viewing Christopher Stowell’s ballet. He admits to being “blown away by the work’s exciting images, sustained power and incredible musicality.” Before completing the orchestral score, Stravinsky composed The Rite of Spring for two pianos, four-hands. The two-piano score will be performed live for Carolina Ballet’s production.

Christopher Stowell, who is the artistic director of Oregon Ballet Theatre in Portland Oregon, grew up in a ballet family – his parents, Francia Russell and Kent Stowell, were both dancers with New York City Ballet and then directors for many years of Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, Washington. After graduating from Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Christopher Stowell joined San Francisco Ballet where he was a principal dancer.

In April 2013, Carolina Ballet presents a program that offers a breath of fresh air for the spring season with the pairing of Jerome Robbins Fancy Free, and Lynne Taylor-Corbett’s Carolina Jamboree accompanied by The Red Clay Ramblers. Fancy Free was choreographed by Jerome Robbins in 1948 on American Ballet Theater. It is a very American look at ballet using classical technique but in a very clever, jazzy way. The ballet was so popular that the following year it was made into a movie called “On the Town” with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Carolina Jamboree with The Red Clay Ramblers is one of Carolina Ballet’s most popular programs with the dancers “strutting their stuff” from blues to blue grass to swing.

The 15^th anniversary season will close with a “new” Giselle. As he did with his productions of Coppelia and Sleeping Beauty, Weiss will use the ballet’s original choreography, that of Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli, modifying it only when necessary for the size of his company. “If there were one ballet that would be considered by balletomanes to be more important than all the others it would be Giselle,” says Weiss. “There has been a running debate since ballet’s early history among critics, the audiences and practitioners of the art about whether ballet should tell a story or just be about the dance. Giselle (to the music of Adolphe Adam) combines both of these points of view into one of the greatest works in western civilization.” In 1972 dance critic Peter Williams reviewed Giselle at the Royal Ballet in London saying “Giselle is probably the most deceptive role in all classical dance since sheer dancing ability is not enough to make it work. The ballerina has to be totally convincing as a human and, later, as a supernatural being.”

Carolina Ballet’s “magical” Nutcracker will return next season over Thanksgiving weekend and December 14-23 at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. The company will also perform Nutcracker at DPAC in Durham, for two shows on December 27. After the opening of Carolina Ballet’s “new” Nutcracker earlier this season, the News & Observer wrote the “gasps after each eye-popping illusion, the applause for the handsome new sets and the rapt attention from all the children confirmed the changes were worth it.”

Subscription packages may be purchased now by calling the Carolina Ballet box office at 919 719-0900. A sales representative will assist patrons in putting together the package, with their preferred seating choices, that best fits their schedule. Subscribers also get the first opportunity to purchase Nutcracker tickets.

Carolina Ballet, Inc. has taken its place among America’s premier arts organizations. Under the innovative direction of artistic director Robert Weiss, a talented company, fiscally responsible management and community support, Carolina Ballet exposes audiences to traditional ballet by legendary masters and new works of contemporary choreographers. This fourteenth season represents the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and ever-increasing quality of life experienced here in North Carolina.

THE ROCKETTES SUMMER INTENSIVE ANNOUNCES UPCOMING AUDITION CITIES AND DATES FOR THE 2012 SUMMER TRAINING PROGRAM AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL

Dancers Across The Country Will Have The Opportunity To Audition For The Chance To Become Part Of The Rockettes Summer Intensive And Train Alongside The World-Famous Rockettes

NEW YORK, NY, October 31, 2011 – Madison Square Garden Entertainment announces the 2012 audition cites and dates for the Rockettes Summer Intensive summer training program at Radio City Music Hall for all local area aspiring dancers.  Now entering its eleventh year, the Rockettes Summer Intensive offers aspiring dancers the unique opportunity to train with the world-famous Rockettes as well as a Rockettes Director/Choreographer and learn their signature precision dance technique.  Acceptance into the Rockettes Summer Intensive is a crucial stepping stone for Rockette hopefuls who aspire to one day dance with the legendary company.  Since the inception of the Summer Intensive in 2001, 47 dancers who have gone through the program have gone on to become world-famous Rockettes.  Auditions begin November 6, 2011 in Myrtle Beach, SC and run through January 2012 in 13 different cities across the country.

“The Rockettes Summer Intensive is a pivotal program for serious dancers who want to gain the training and technique of the Rockettes precision dance style,” said Eileen Grace, Rockettes Director and Choreographer. “Our dance education programs are invaluable for dancers and one of the best training tools for these talented Rockette hopefuls who strive to become part of the legendary dance company.”

“It has always been my dream to become a Rockette and being accepted into the Rockettes Summer Intensive last summer gave me the confidence I needed,” said Audrey Thelemann, now a first-year Radio City Rockette.  “The knowledge I gained during my training was invaluable in helping to prepare me for my Rockette audition.  I can’t wait to perform at Radio City Music Hall this season, and will always be grateful to the Rockettes Summer Intensive for helping me make my dream a reality.”

The Rockettes Summer Intensive is a weeklong program, running June 24 – August 3, 2012, and hosted at Radio City Music Hall in the actual studios where the Rockettes rehearse for their starring roles in the annual production of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.  Dancers accepted into the program rehearse daily from 9:30am to 5:30pm, with group education seminars in the evenings.  This distinctive style transcends a multitude of dance disciplines including jazz, tap, musical theater, lyrical and of course the legendary Rockettes kick line.  The curriculum focuses on original choreography and formations from the Rockette repertoire that will culminate in a student showcase.  To be considered for the Rockettes Summer Intensive, dancers must be at least 14 years of age (by June 22, 2012) with a minimum of 5 years training in tap, jazz, and ballet.

Audition Cities and Dates for the 2012 Rockettes Summer Intensive:

• Myrtle Beach, SC – November 6, 2011
• Durham, NC – November 13, 2011
• Nashville, TN – December 4, 2011
• Boston, MA – December 27, 2011
• Chicago, IL – January 8, 2012
• Orlando, FL – January 8, 2012
• Austin, TX – January 14, 2012
• Miami, FL – January 15, 2012
• Pittsburgh, PA – January 15, 2012
• Detroit, MI – January 22, 2012
• Los Angeles, CA – January 22, 2012
• Washington, D.C. – January 22, 2012
• NYC – January 28 & January 29, 2012

For audition times and locations, as well as more information on the Rockettes Summer Intensive, please visit Rockettes.com.

About MSG Entertainment

MSG Entertainment (MSGE) is one of the country’s leaders in live entertainment.  MSG Entertainment creates, produces and/or presents a variety of live productions, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes.  MSG Entertainment also presents or hosts other live entertainment events such as concerts, family shows and special events in MSG’s diverse collection of venues.  These venues include Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theatre, the Chicago Theatre and the Wang Theatre.  More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com.

The North Carolina Dance Alliance (NCDA) is pleased to announce the 2011 recipients of two of the most prestigious honors in North Carolina’s dance community. Betsy Ward-Hutchinson of Raleigh will receive this year’s NCDA Annual Award, presented at the Annual Event to those who have made significant lifetime contributions to the growth and development of dance in the state. Renay Aumiller, also of Raleigh, has been granted the 2011 NCDA Choreography Fellowship, a stipend which supports the creation and performance of a new work.

Performer, educator, and choreographer Betsy Ward-Hutchinson has long been known as a champion for North Carolina’s modern dance scene. As a faculty member of Arts Together in Raleigh, Betsy is a founding member of the organization’s Rainbow Dance Company, the area’s only multi-generational dance company. She has also performed with the modern dance group Even Exchange Dance Theater.

With three dance degrees to her name (B.A. in Dance, Meredith College; B.S. in Dance Education, UNC-Charlotte; M.A. in Dance Education, UNC-Greensboro), Betsy has been instrumental in the development of North Carolina’s dance education curriculum. After helping establish the Enloe Dance Ensemble at Enloe High School in Raleigh, she now oversees dance instruction at Cary Academy.

Betsy’s choreography has been featured at numerous dance events in North Carolina and beyond. In May 2004, she founded NC Dances, an annual showcase of modern dance choreographers from around the state. “I wanted to…give the community an opportunity to see the work these choreographers were making,” Betsy told NCDA in 2006. “An event of this kind is a gift to the students we are trying to involve in modern dance, and to the choreographers and dancers who want to share their work, and to the dance audience in general.”

Independent dance artist and Choreography Fellowship recipient Renay Aumiller (http://renayaumiller.webs.com) is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Dance at Elon University, and facilitates dance classes at North Carolina State University and Arts Together in Raleigh. She graduated with a B.A. in Dance Technique and Performance from UNC-Greensboro, and in 2009 received her M.F.A. in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Renay has been a guest artist/instructor at several colleges and universities in southeastern and midwestern states, and has been on faculty at Beloit College and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In her as-yet brief career as a professional dancer and choreographer, Renay has already seen her dances performed at various arts venues and universities in Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, New York City, Taiwan, Cambodia, and Italy.

Dance works by both Ms. Ward-Hutchinson and Ms. Aumiller will be presented at NCDA’s Annual Event, held October 14-16 in Durham, North Carolina. For the schedule, registration and other event information, visit http://ncdancealliance.org/AE11.

About the North Carolina Dance Alliance
The North Carolina Dance Alliance (NCDA) is the nonprofit state service organization established in 1982 to serve and support the development of dance in North Carolina. NCDA offers programs and services that address the changing needs of the state’s dance community, including: events, awards, scholarships, communications and artist services.

For more information, visit: www.ncdancealliance.org.

Choreography by Petipa, Weiss and Balanchine

Carolina Ballet will give a nod to the great Russian choreographer, Marius Petipa, when it presents Black and White Swan to open its 14^th season September 15-October 2, 2011 at the AJ Fletcher Opera Theater of the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh. Also on the program is Robert Weiss’ Time Gallery to music by Pulitzer Prize winning composer Paul Moravec, and The Prodigal Son choreographed by George Balanchine to a score by Serge Prokofiev.

The schedule of performances is as follows:

• Thursday, September 15 at 8pm
• Friday, September 16 at 8pm
• Saturday, September 17, 24 & October 1 at 2pm & 8pm
• Sunday September 18, 25 & October 2 at 2pm

Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov created Swan Lake to the magnificent score of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky in 1895. It had its premiere at the Maryinsky Theater in St. Petersburg and has since become the quintessential romantic story ballet, so much so that George Balanchine is said to have stated that if you name every ballet Swan Lake people will be sure to attend. Artistic Director Robert Weiss explains that his decision to present Petipa’s choreography of the “Black Swan and White Swan pas de deux” came out of all the renewed interest in ballet generated by the movie Black Swan. Carolina Ballet dancers have never danced the Petipa choreography so Weiss thought “let’s give these dancers a shot and get these new ballet fans into the theater. Let’s take advantage of the publicity while we can get it.”

Except for when the Bolshoi Ballet was in Chapel Hill in June 2009, Triangle audiences have had little opportunity to see Petipa’s classical choreography from Swan Lake. Weiss created his own Swan Lake in 2005 but steered clear of “imitation” of Petipa’s choreography knowing all too well that it couldn’t be improved upon.

This opening program of the 2011-2012 season also includes George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son, based on the parable from The Bible. The ballet is one of Balanchine’s early works, choreographed in 1929 to music by Serge Prokofiev commissioned by Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes. It was first presented in America by New York City Ballet in 1950. Carolina Ballet presented Prodigal Son on a program celebrating the 100^th anniversary of Balanchine’s birth in 2004. Roy Dicks in The News & Observer wrote “Prodigal Son is a vigorous, stage filling spectacle in which Balanchine tells the biblical story with humor and pathos combining ballet with circuslike acrobatics.”

The third ballet on the program is Weiss’ Time Gallery created in 2008 during the company’s summer residency on the campus of UNC Wilmington. When asked during an open rehearsal as he was creating the ballet, what it is about, Robert Weiss said “it’s about time, a day in the life of mankind, a day experienced through time keeping devices – heartbeat, bells, clocks…” All of this he feels is embodied in Paul Moravec’s music. It wasn’t the first time Weiss used music by Moravec, in 2006 he created a ballet to Moravec’s 2004 Pulitzer Prize winning score Tempest Fantasy. Orla Swift wrote of Time Gallery in the News & Observer “you’ll see the simplicity of Benedictine monks, the glow of sunrise and sunset, hints of sundials, the varied rhythms of blood pumping through veins, the seemingly infinite stretch of stars and galaxy, and the precise interactions of clock machinery. You will also see, and hear, the way time sometimes seems to morph according to our emotions.”

Ticket prices for Black and White Swan range from $25-65 and are available by calling the Carolina Ballet box office at 919 719-0900 or Ticketmaster at 800 982-2787.

After thirteen seasons, Carolina Ballet, Inc. is recognized among America’s premier arts organizations. Under the innovative direction of artistic director Robert Weiss, a talented company, fiscally responsible management and community support, Carolina Ballet exposes audiences to traditional ballet by legendary masters and new works of contemporary choreographers. The company represents the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and ever-increasing quality of life experienced here in North Carolina.

Week Four Features a Reconstructed Classic by Eiko & Koma and a US Premiere by Emanuel Gat Dance

The American Dance Festival (ADF) continues its 78th season exploring Something New, Something Treasured with an ADF commissioned reconstruction by Eiko & Koma, Tuesday-Wednesday, July 5-6 at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. The week will close with a US Premiere by Emanuel Gat Dance from France at the Durham Performing Arts Center Thursday-Saturday, July 7-9. Additionally, Eiko & Koma will host a panel discussion on Wednesday, July 6 at 4:00pm in White Lecture Hall.

Eiko Koma, River, photo by Bruce R Feely

Eiko & Koma (Reconstructed Classic)

Tuesday, July 5-Wednesday, July 6 at 9:15pm

Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Duke University

Known internationally for their exquisitely meditative dances that resonate with strength and intensity, Eiko & Koma have created a theater of movement all their own. This summer they will celebrate their 40th anniversary with the reconstruction of River (1995) at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum Pond. Through their journey downstream in serene waters, their small nuances of movement will transcend your previous notions of life and time and challenge the relationship of audience to artist.

Emanuel Gat, Dance, photo by Emanuel Gat

Emanuel Gat Dance (US Premiere)

Thursday, July 7-Saturday, July 9 at 8pm

Durham Performing Arts Center

Artistic Director Emanuel Gat has gained international recognition for his high artistic standards and unprecedented voice in modern dance. His company will make its fourth appearance at the ADF with the US premiere of Brilliant Corners. Set to an original score created by Gat himself, this “choreographic playground” investigates the human and mechanical forces that create what is seen onstage.

ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES

Join the incredibly talented staff of musicians that inspire students daily as they showcase their craft at the ADF Musicians Concert Sunday, July 3rd at 7:30 pm.  On Wednesday, July 6 at 4:00pm Eiko & Koma will host a free panel discussion in White Lecture Hall at Duke University. Participants have the opportunity to hear about the creative process behind their work, River, as well as ask questions in this open forum. They will also sign copies of their newest book, Eiko & Koma: Time Is Not Even, Space Is Not Empty, which is available for purchase in the ADF Store. The ADF Faculty Concert, happening Friday-Saturday, July 8-9 at 8:00pm will present the choreography of the ADF School’s renowned faculty members, performed by ADF dancers as well as faculty.

WAYS TO SAVE

The ADF is pleased to provide several opportunities to save while still enjoying the performances and programs of this world-renowned Festival. ADF PICK4+ buyers can save up to 25% when purchasing 4+ tickets at either ADF@DPAC or ADF@Duke performances. PICK4+ buyers also enjoy other benefits such as easy ticket exchange, ticket insurance, a tax deduction receipt for unused tickets, and free tickets to the ADF Faculty and Musicians concerts. Groups of 10 or more save 20% off regular-priced tickets and seniors receive a $3/ticket discount. Area students may take advantage of the ADF Student Rush program and save 50% on all tickets purchased one hour before each performance. *ADF@DPAC and ADF@Duke orders cannot be combined to secure the PICK4+ rate.

PURCHASING TICKETS

Tickets range in price from $23 – $51. Single tickets can be purchased online at www.americandancefestival.org, or in-person at the Duke University Box Office (ADF@Duke performances) and/or the DPAC Box Office (ADF@DPAC performances). ADF@DPAC PICK4+ discounted tickets are available through the online order form, in person, or by phone. To receive the PICK4+ prices online using Ticketmaster, you must purchase 4 tickets to one performance. ADF@Duke PICK4+ tickets are available through the online order form, in person, by phone, or online. *facility & processing fees may apply.

ADF@DPAC performances:

• www.americandancefestival.org
• 919.680.ARTS (2787)
• DPAC Ticket Center
• The American Tobacco District
• 123 Vivian St.
• Durham, NC 27701
• Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm
• Saturday 10am-2pm

ADF@DUKE performances:

• www.americandancefestival.org
• 919.684.444
• Duke University Box Office
• Bryan Center, Duke University
• West Campus
• Box 90940
• Durham, NC 27708
• Monday-Friday 11am-6pm

For additional information about ADF performances, free community outreach activities, or the ADF School, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.

Week Three Features a World Premiere by Rosie Herrera and Three World Premieres and One Reconstruction by Pilobolus

The American Dance Festival (ADF) continues its third week of the Festival with two ADF favorites performing exciting world premieres and reconstructed classics. Recently named by Dance Magazine as one of the top emerging artists, Rosie Herrera brings her vibrantly diverse and talented company of dancers back to Durham with an ADF commissioned world premiere at Reynolds Industries Theater Monday- Wednesday, June 27-29. Wrapping up week three with their 38th visit to the ADF, Pilobolus will present a remarkable program of three world premieres, including an ADF commission, and an ADF reconstruction of their classic work Untitled from Thursday- Saturday, June 30-July 2 at the Durham Performing Arts Center, which will also include a Saturday Children’s Matinee. As part of the Festival’s community activities, Pilobolus will host a free panel discussion on Wednesday, June 29 in Nelson Music Room on Duke University’s East Campus.

Rosie Herrera by Eric Madrid

Rosie Herrera (World Premiere)

• Monday, June 27-Wednesday, June 29 at 8pm
• Reynolds Industries Theater

After receiving rave reviews nationwide, the unstoppable Rosie Herrera returns to the ADF to remind Durham why she was named the “Top Choreographer of 2010.” (Miami Herald) Dining Alone, an ADF commissioned world premiere, deconstructs various cultural attitudes around loneliness, age, and voyeurism while incorporating the humor and powerful sincerity that have come to be expected in her work. Also on the program is an exciting new version of her brilliantly introspective 2010 hit Pity Party, originally commissioned by and premiered at the ADF.

PILOBOLUS photo courtesy of John Kane

Pilobolus (Three World Premieres and One Reconstruction)

• Thursday, June 30-Saturday, July 2 at 8pm
• Saturday Children’s Matinee at 1pm

Known for its imaginative and athletic exploration of creative collaboration, Pilobolus will celebrate its 40th anniversary with three world premieres and two of their classic works. They will present the reconstruction, with support from the ADF, of Untitled (1975), a work that examines the profound relationship between men and women, and another classic, Day Two (1980), which depicts the second day of creation. First of the three world premieres on this remarkable program is an ADF commissioned world premiere, Korokoro, in collaboration with Japanese Butoh artist, Takuya Muramatsu. Seraph, created in collaboration with the engineers, programmers, and pilots of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) under the direction of Daniela Rus, investigates the relationship between human and machine. The third is a collaboration between Pilobolus, the Grammy-winning band OK Go, and Trish Sie entitled All Is Not Lost. *program contains nudity

ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES

The ADF will host a one-hour Saturday Children’s Matinee on July 2 at 1pm performed by Pilobolus. These hour-long, family friendly performances are specially designed to delight the imaginations of children. Immediately following the performance, families are invited for a free Kids Party outside on the DPAC Plaza, complete with snacks, activities, face painting, and Daisy Cupcakes. Join ADF Director Charles L. Reinhart, Pilobolus Artistic Director Robby Barnett, Executive Director Itamar Kubovy, and Associate Artistic Director Matt Kent for an insightful panel discussion on Wednesday, June 29 from 11:00-12:00 in the Nelson Music Room on Duke University’s East Campus. The discussion is free and open to the public. As part of its US debut and ADF residency, TAO Dance Theater will participate in Raleigh’s First Friday celebrations at artspace, located downtown at 201 East Davie Street, on July 1. They will present two informal showings at 7:00 and 8:30.

TAO Dance Theater by Jin Hai

WAYS TO SAVE

The ADF is pleased to provide several opportunities to save while still enjoying the performances and programs of this world-renowned Festival. ADF PICK4+ buyers can save up to 25% when purchasing 4+ tickets at either ADF@DPAC or ADF@Duke performances. PICK4+ buyers also enjoy other benefits such as easy ticket exchange, ticket insurance, a tax deduction receipt for unused tickets, and free tickets to the ADF Faculty and Musicians concerts. Groups of 10 or more save 20% off regular-priced tickets and seniors receive a $3/ticket discount. Area students may take advantage of the ADF Student Rush program and save 50% on all tickets purchased one hour before each performance. *ADF@DPAC and ADF@Duke orders cannot be combined to secure the PICK4+ rate.

PURCHASING TICKETS

Tickets range in price from $23-$51. Single tickets can be purchased online at www.americandancefestival.org, or in-person at the Duke University Box Office (ADF@Duke performances) and/or the DPAC Box Office (ADF@DPAC performances). ADF@DPAC PICK4+ discounted tickets are available through the online order form, in person, or by phone. To receive the PICK4+ prices online using Ticketmaster, you must purchase 4 tickets to one performance. ADF@Duke PICK4+ tickets are available through the online order form, in person, by phone, or online. *facility & processing fees may apply.

ADF@DPAC performances:

www.americandancefestival.org

• 919.680.ARTS (2787)
• DPAC Ticket Center
• The American Tobacco District
• 123 Vivian St.
• Durham, NC 27701
• Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm
• Saturday 10am-2pm

ADF@DUKE performances:

www.americandancefestival.org

• 919.684.444
• Duke University Box Office
• Bryan Center, Duke University
• West Campus
• Box 90940
• Durham, NC 27708
• Monday-Friday 11am-6pm

For additional information about ADF performances, free community outreach activities, or the ADF School, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.

Opens with ADF Gala, Two Company Debuts, Reconstructed Masterpiece, Award Ceremonies, and Season Dedication

The American Dance Festival (ADF) will launch its 78th season on June 9th at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) with the 2011 ADF Gala, a one-night-only performance by five companies celebrating the career of ADF Director Charles L. Reinhart. Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s Rosas will make its ADF Debut with her 1983 classic work Rosas danst Rosas Friday-Sunday, June 10-12 at Reynolds Industries Theater, and Israel’s newly coined “choreographers to watch,” Yossi Berg and Oded Graf, will bring a US Premiere to Reynolds Industries Theater Tuesday-Wednesday, June 14-15. The exhilarating Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company will round out the first week with a reconstruction of his masterpiece D-Man in the Waters at the DPAC Thursday-Saturday, June 16-18, featuring live accompaniment by the Durham Symphony. Additionally, former ADF Dean, Donna Faye Burchfield, will be presented with the Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching on June 10th, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker will be presented with the prestigious $50,000 Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award on June 11th at Reynolds Industries Theater prior to her company’s performance, and on June 16th the season dedication will be given to acclaimed visual artist Alex Katz prior to the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company performance at DPAC.

ADF GALA

Thursday, June 9 at 7:00pm

Durham Performing Arts Center

The 2011 season will commence with a special Gala performance celebrating Charles L. Reinhart’s incredible career and final season as ADF Director. The evening will feature works by five choreographers and companies, along with special speakers including Mayor Bill Bell, Duke’s Vice President Tallman Trask, African American Dance Ensemble’s Artistic Director Dr. Charles R. “Chuck” Davis, and ADF Co-Director Jodee Nimerichter. All gala proceeds will benefit the newly established Charles L. and Stephanie Reinhart Fund, which will support future tuition scholarships, commissions, and other special projects.

Gala performances include: North Carolina native Mark Dendy will channel modern dance giant and one of the ADF’s founders, Martha Graham, for a unique impersonation. The Scottish Dance Theater will perform the US premiere of Drift (2010), an intense and highly physical duet that examines loneliness and the risk of full commitment. Reconstructed with support from the ADF, Martha Clarke’s Pagliaccio (1980) celebrates humor and wit and will be performed by acclaimed performance artist John Kelly. Durham’s own African American Dance Ensemble will celebrate traditional African dance, music, and culture with the first section of Celebration, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago will present an excerpt of Ohad Naharin’s THREE TO MAX, a collage of Naharin’s works from the past decade.

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s Rosas (ADF DEBUT)

Friday, June 10-Sunday, June 12 at 8:00pm

Reynolds Industries Theater

Heralded as one of the most original and profoundly influential European choreographers working today, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s Rosas will make their ADF debut this summer with their acclaimed 1983 classic Rosas danst Rosas. Performed to a score created simultaneously with the movement, five physically intense “chapters” will unravel the relationship between music and choreography and explore the complex interactions between uniformity and individuality. In addition to the company’s performances, a talk with be held with De Keersmaeker on Saturday, June 11 from 10:30-11:30am in White Lecture Hall on Duke University’s West Campus, offering a rare and special opportunity to speak with one of the worlds most influential choreographers. The discussion is free and open to the public.

Yossi Berg and Oded Graf  (ADF DEBUT)

Tuesday, June 14 at 8pm-Wednesday, June 12 at 2pm & 8pm

Reynolds Industries Theater

Since the beginnings of their partnership in 2005, the dynamic Israeli duo Yossi Berg and Oded Graf have built a reputation for creating supremely physical, sometimes provocative, and always poignant dance works. With an evening that is sure to stir audiences, their ADF debut will feature the US premiere of Animal Lost (2010), a wildly imaginative and, at times, comical exploration of stereotypes and social clichés.Their exceptionally technical dancers challenge the line between fantasy and reality, investigating relationships and self- discovery through compelling text, gestures, movement, and even song.

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Compnay (Reconstructed Masterpiece with Live Music)

Thursday, June 16-Saturday, June 18 at 8pm

Durham Performing Arts Center

Multi-talented choreographer, dancer, theater director, and writer Bill T. Jones will once again inspire ADF audiences with his company’s athleticism, grace, and beauty from June 16-18 at DPAC. The program will feature the reconstruction, with support provided by ADF, of his masterpiece, D-Man in the Waters (1989), a living memory of Jones’ firsthand experience with death and the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of tragic loss. The company will also perform Spent Days Out Yonder, an excerpt from Jones’ work You Walk? (2000), which explores Latin cultural influence on America, and a duet originally choreographer and performed by Jones and his late partner, Arnie Zane, entitled Continuous Replay (1977). The Durham Symphony will provide live musical accompaniment for D-Man in the Waters and Spent Days Out Yonder.

AWARDS AND DEDICATIONS

SCRIPPS/ADF AWARD: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker will be presented with the 2011 Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award by Stuart Hodes, former member of the Martha Graham Dance Company and partner of Martha Graham. The $50,000 honors lifetime achievement in dance. The presentation will occur at the beginning of her company’s performance on June 11th at 8pm at Reynolds Industries Theater.

TEACHING TRIBUTE: The Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching Award will be presented to Donna Faye Burchfield, former ADF Dean and Director of the Hollins University/American Dance Festival MFA program. A ceremony will take place on Friday, June 10th at 4:00pm in White Lecture Hall on Duke University’s West Campus. ADF Dean Emeritus Martha Myers will present the award. The award honors educators who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of dance.

SEASON DEDICATION: The 78th ADF Season will be dedicated to acclaimed visual artist, Alex Katz. Katz has been a longtime friend and supporter of the ADF, creating 9 season posters since 1979, including the 2011 season poster. The dedication will be presented immediately prior to the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company performance on Thursday, June 16 at DPAC. An exhibit of the season posters he created for the ADF from 1979-2011 will be on display throughout the season in the Durham Performing Arts Center and will be free and open to the public.

WAYS TO SAVE

In light of the current economy, the ADF is pleased to provide several opportunities to save while still enjoying the performances and programs of this world-renowned Festival. ADF PICK4+ buyers can save up 25% when purchasing 4+ tickets at either ADF@Duke or ADF@DPAC performances. PICK4+ buyers also enjoy other benefits such as easy ticket exchange, ticket insurance, a tax deduction receipts for unused tickets, and free tickets to the ADF Faculty and Musicians concerts. Groups of 10 or more save 20% off regular-priced tickets and Seniors receive a $3/ticket discount. Area students may take advantage of the ADF Student Rush program and save 50% on all tickets purchased one hour before each performance. *ADF@DPAC and ADF@Duke orders cannot be combined to secure the PICK4+ rate.

PURCHASING TICKETS

Tickets range in price from $23 – $51. Single tickets can be purchased online at www.americandancefestival.org, or in-person at the Duke University Box Office (ADF@Duke performances) and/or the DPAC Box Office (ADF@DPAC performances).

ADF@DPAC PICK4+ discounted tickets are available through the online order form, in person, or by phone. To receive the PICK4+ prices online using Ticketmaster, you must purchase 4 tickets to one performance. ADF@Duke PICK4+ tickets are available through the online order form, in person, by phone, or online. *facility & processing fees may apply.

ADF@DPAC performances:

www.americandancefestival.org

919.680.ARTS (2787)

DPAC Ticket Center

The American Tobacco District

123 Vivian St.

Durham, NC 27701

Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm

Saturday 10am-2pm

ADF@Duke performances:

www.americandancefestival.org

919.684.444

Duke University Box Office

Bryan Center, Duke University West Campus

Box 90940

Durham, NC 27708

Monday-Friday 11am-6pm

For additional information about ADF performances, free community outreach activities, or the ADF School, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.

The American Dance Festival 2011 Season Celebrates “Something New, Something Treasured”

JUNE 9-JULY 23

Season celebrates remarkable 43-year career of dance impresario and ADF Director Charles L. Reinhart

2011 Gala Featuring Exclusive Performances

8 World Premieres 5 US Premieres 5 Reconstructions 5 Company Debuts

The American Dance Festival (ADF), hailed as the nation’s premier modern dance festival, is pleased to announce its 78^th season celebrating the past and present of modern dance with Something New, Something Treasured from June 9^th-July 23^rd. With eight ADF Commissioned World Premieres, five US Premieres, five Reconstructions, and five Company Debuts, the 2011 season will explore works that honor Festival’s mission of encouraging the creation of new and innovative modern works by both emerging and seasoned choreographers while preserving the vital modern dance heritage through the continued presentation of timeless dance classics.

The 2011 Festival also marks the final season of ADF Director Charles L. Reinhart, who has played a key role in the evolution and proliferation of modern dance during his 43-year career. To honor his continued vision and commitment to the field, a very special Gala will open the Festival season. The event will feature works by five artists and companies including Durham’s own African American Dance Ensemble, Martha Clarke, Mark Dendy, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and the Scottish Dance Theater.

This season will encompass the breadth of the modern dance genre with a dramatically varied program featuring ADF commissions and reconstructions by Twyla Tharp, Martha Clarke, and Rosie Herrera. Paul Taylor will also present an ADF commissioned World Premiere entitled The Uncommitted, while Pilobolus will present an ADF commissioned World Premiere in collaboration with Japanese Butoh artist, Takuya Muramatsu, in celebration of their 40^th anniversary. Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company will reconstruct their masterpiece D-Man in the Waters, accompanied by the Durham Symphony, and Eiko & Koma will celebrate their 40^th anniversary with the reconstruction of River at Sarah P. Duke Gardens.

The season will also feature five international companies/choreographers making their ADF debuts this summer including Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s Rosas (Belgium), TAO Dance Theater (China), Yossi Berg and Oded Graf (Israel), Scottish Dance Theater (Scotland), and Bulareyaung Pagarlava (Taiwan).

“We must preserve our great masterpieces as well as encourage new work from the talented, both young and established, “ said Charles L. Reinhart.

The 2011 Festival performances will again take place at two venues*. Monday-Wednesday performances will be held at the Reynolds Industries Theater, located on Duke University’s West Campus, and Thursday-Saturday performances** will take place at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC). All performances will begin at 8:00pm unless otherwise noted. Tickets for all performances go on sale Monday, May 9^th, and can be purchased through the ADF website at www.americandancefestival.org. Prices range from $23-51, with many savings options available. More detailed information about ticket prices and performing companies, including photos, videos, and press reviews can also be found on the ADF website.

*Eiko & Koma will perform at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.

**Rosas will perform Friday-Sunday at Reynolds Industries Theater.

***Yossi Berg and Oded Graf will perform Tuesday-Wednesday at Reynolds Industries Theater.

ADF @ DPAC

Gala

Scottish Dance Theater photo by James Wilton

Thursday, June 9

Time: 7:00pm

The ADF will open its season with a special Gala performance in celebration of Charles L. Reinhart’s incredible career and final season as ADF Director. The evening will feature works by five choreographers and companies, followed by a reception held in the DPAC Star Terrace Lobby and Skyline Lounge. North Carolina native Mark Dendy, known for his dramatic impersonations, will channel modern dance giant and one of the ADF’s founders, Martha Graham. The Scottish Dance Theater will perform the US premiere of Drift (2010), an intense and highly physical duet that examines loneliness and the risk of full commitment. Reconstructed with support from the ADF, Martha Clarke’s Pagliaccio (1980), a candid and witty solo, will be performed by acclaimed performance artist John Kelly. Durham-based African American Dance Ensemble will perform the first section of Celebration, a highly energetic work that celebrates traditional African dance and drumming, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago will present an excerpt of Ohad Naharin’s THREE TO MAX. All gala proceeds will benefit the newly established Charles L. and Stephanie Reinhart Fund, which will support future tuition scholarships, commissions, and other special projects.

Bill T Jones, D Man In The Waters, photo by Lois Greenfield 1989

Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company

Thursday, June 16-Saturday, June 18

Multi-talented choreographer, dancer, theater director, and writer Bill T. Jones will once again inspire ADF audiences with his company’s athleticism, grace, and beauty. The program will feature the reconstruction, with support provided by ADF, of his masterpiece, D-Man in the Waters (1989), a living memory of Jones’ firsthand experience with death and the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of tragic loss. The company will also perform Spent Days Out Yonder, an excerpt from Jones’ work You Walk? (2000), which explores Latin cultural influence on America. The Durham Symphony will provide live musical accompaniment for both works.

Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and EVIDENCE, A Dance Company

Thursday, June 23-Saturday, June 25

Children’s Saturday Matinee at 1:00pm

Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Rainbow Round My Shoulder, photo by Jay Anderson

EVIDENCE, Grace

These two exciting companies will present a shared program of new and classic works. DCDC will perform Donald McKayle’s masterpiece Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulder (1959), a sorrowful glimpse into the lost hope and frustrations of men on a chain-gang as they yearn for their freedom and lost loves, and Ulysses Dove’s Vespers (1986), created specifically for the company, which captures the soul and deep spirituality of the women in Southern churches and their ability to allow faith to lead them through life’s obstacles. Ronald K. Brown’s company EVIDENCE brings its seamless fusion of traditional African dance, contemporary and social choreography, and spirituality to the program with the performance of his captivating work Grace (1999) and his newest work, On Earth Together (2011), set to the soulful songs of Stevie Wonder.

Pilobolus

Pilobolus photo by John Kane

Thursday, June 30-Saturday, July 2

Children’s Saturday Matinee at 1:00pm

Since its inception in 1971 Pilobolus has quickly become a cultural institution known for its imaginative and athletic exploration of creative collaboration. Celebrating its 40^th anniversary, Pilobolus will present three world premieres and one of their classic works. The reconstruction, with support from ADF, of Untitled (1975) examines the profound relationship between men and women as they encounter life’s most undeniable experiences with love, violence, childbirth, and old age. For an ADF commissioned world premiere, Pilobolus, will collaborate with Japanese Butoh artist Takuya Muramatsu for a work that will indulge the visual fantasies and stark realities that mark the work of these two innovators.  Seraph, created in collaboration with the engineers, programmers, and pilots of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) under the direction of Daniela Rus, explores the relationship between human and machine, presenting a powerful commentary on the fundamental nature of movement. The live companion to Pilobolus’ video collaboration with the Grammy-winning band OK Go, All Is Not Lost, explores perspectives, gravity, and dimensionality through a kaleidoscopic view of human connection.

Emanuel Gat Dance, photo by Emanuel Gat

Emanuel Gat Dance

Thursday, July 7-Saturday, July 9

Artistic Director Emanuel Gat has gained international recognition for his high artistic standards and unprecedented voice within the modern dance genre. Just two weeks after the world premiere of Brilliant Corners in Venice, this extraordinary troupe of dancers will make their fourth appearance at the ADF with the US premiere of this work. Set to an original score created by Gat himself, this “choreographic playground” investigates the human and mechanical forces that create what is seen onstage.

Shen Wei, photo by Sara D Davis

Shen Wei Dance Arts

Thursday, July 14-Saturday, July 16

Acclaimed for his synthesis of Eastern and Western art forms, choreographer, designer, and director Shen Wei continues to awe audiences as he infuses his riveting and timeless movement vocabulary with the use of new artistic mediums. Since his company’s founding at the ADF in 2000, they have continued to perform yearly at the Festival while also establishing its presence on a global scale. This summer, the company will perform an ADF commissioned world premiere that will show a new and undoubtedly captivating side of Shen Wei’s artistic skill.

Paul Taylor, Promethean Fire, photo by Lois Greenfield

Paul Taylor Dance Company

Thursday, July 21-Saturday, July 23

Children’s Saturday Matinee at 1:00pm

As one of dance history’s most celebrated artists, Paul Taylor’s prolific choreography is renowned the world over for its power, relevance, and vibrancy. Having premiered 15 works at the ADF, Paul Taylor will return again with an ADF commissioned world premiere entitled The Uncommitted. His company will also present Promethean Fire, originally commissioned by the ADF in 2002, which examines the kaleidoscope of emotional colors within the human condition and the way that they weave themselves through life. Also on the program is Company B (1991), a timeless work that juxtaposes the jubillant rhythms of the Andrews Sisters with the eerily turbulent reality of war. Always exciting and thought-provoking, this final show of the 2011 ADF season is one not to be missed.

ADF @ DUKE

Rosas, photo by Jean Luc Tanghe

Rosas

Friday, June 10-Sunday, June 12

Heralded as one of the most original and profoundly influential European choreographers working today, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker founded her dance troupe, Rosas, in 1983. They will make their ADF debut this summer with their acclaimed classic Rosas Dance Rosas. Performed to a score created simultaneously with the movement, five physically intense “chapters” will unravel the relationship between music and choreography and explore the complex interactions between uniformity and individuality. Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker will be presented with the 2011 Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award at the beginning of the Saturday performance.

Yossi Berg and Oded Graf

Yossi Berg and Oded Graf, photo by Christoffer Askman

Tuesday, June 14-Wednesday, June 15

Wednesday Matinee at 2:00pm

Since the beginnings of their partnership in 2005 this dynamic Israeli duo has built a reputation for creating supremely physical, sometimes provocative, and always poignant dance works. With an evening that is sure to stir audiences, their ADF debut will feature the US premiere of Animal Lost (2010), a wildly imaginative and, at times, comical exploration of stereotypes and social clichés. Their exceptionally technical dancers challenge the line between fantasy and reality, investigating relationships and self- discovery through compelling text, gestures, movement, and even song.

TAO Dance Theater

Monday, June 20-Wednesday, June 22

TAO Dance Theater, photo by Jin Hai

Having performed in every modern dance festival throughout China since its founding in 2008, TAO has rapidly become the country’s most sought after dance company. With the highest level of technical virtuosity, these dancers challenge all previous conceptions of modern dance through the exploration of form as content and the body’s unbeknownst possibilities. They make their US debut at the ADF this summer with the premiere of two works that capture the scope of their artistic skill and creativity. Traditional in style and composition, Weight X 3 (2009) is permeated with concepts of physicality and humanity. Their newest work, 2 (2011), is set to a score developed from the rhythms of spoken and written word produced during rehearsal and investigates the natural progression of movement as it abounds without limitations.

Rosie Herrera

Monday, June 27-Wednesday, June 29

Rosie Herrera, photo by Eric Madrid

After receiving rave reviews nationwide, the unstoppable Rosie Herrera returns to the ADF to remind Durham why she was named the “Top Choreographer of 2010” (Miami Herald). She will present Dining Alone, an ADF commissioned world premiere that incorporates the humor, wit, and powerful sincerity that have come to be expected in her work. Also on the program is an exciting new version of her 2010 hit Pity Party. Originally commissioned by and premiered at the ADF, this brilliantly introspective work exudes with undeniable laughter and excitement while exploring the penetrating feelings of loneliness.

Eiko & Koma

Tuesday, July 5-Wednesday, July 6

Time: 9:15pm

Eiko Koma, River, photo by Bruce R Feeley

This summer Eiko & Koma will celebrate their 40^th anniversary with the reconstruction of River (1995) at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Through their journey downstream in serene waters, their small nuances of movement will transcend your previous notions of life and time. Known internationally for their exquisitely meditative dances that resonate with strength and intensity, Eiko & Koma have created a theater of movement all their own. With unmatched power and ingenuity these masters of design create site-adaptable works that challenge the relationship of audience to artist.

Doug Varone and Dancers

Monday, July 11-Wednesday, July 13

Doug Varone photo by Phil Knott

Celebrating their 25^th anniversary this summer, Doug Varone and Dancers command attention with their kinetically thrilling dances that unearth the complexities of the human spirit. Created by Artistic Director Doug Varone, Chapters from a Broken Novel (2011) is an evening length work of 22 vignettes inspired by his collection of phrases, photos, quotes, and overheard conversations. Propelled by a bold cinematic score, Varone’s Chapters is ever-present with purity, spirit, and beauty as it reveals a world teeming with everyday moments exposed for their beauty and rawness.

Past/Forward

Monday, July 18-Wednesday, July 20

Past/forward photo by Bulareyang Pagarlava

With an entire season set to honor the new and classic works of modern dance, the annual PAST/FORWARD program will celebrate both of these in one special evening. The program will include the works of three artists who span the diversity of the field, all utilizing the immense talents of the ADF dancers. Acclaimed director and choreographer Martha Clarke will develop an ADF commissioned world premiere throughout the course of the summer that is sure to leave the audience wanting more. Rika Okamota and Alex Brady will set the reconstruction of Twyla Tharp’s Sweet Fields (1996). Noted as one of her highest achievements, this playful yet poignantly spiritual work was inspired by Tharp’s Quaker upbringing. Rounding out the evening, former ADF International Choreographer in Residence participant Bulareyaung Pagarlava will revisit the Festival for his first ADF commissioned world premiere.

The ADF will continue to engage with the community through a variety of programs that enable patrons to participate in the Festival in numerous ways. Below is a list of several programs and opportunities provided by the ADF in addition to Festival performances. Additional information is available on the ADF website.

2011 AWARDS

The 2011 Samuel H. Scripps/ADF Award for Lifetime Achievement will be presented to Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker by Stuart Hodes on June 11^th at the beginning of her company’s performance at Reynolds Industries Theater. The award carries a $50,000 prize and is given yearly to a choreographer who has made a significant contribution to the field of modern dance.

The 2011 Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching Award will be presented to former ADF Dean Donna Faye Burchfield for her enormous contribution to dance education in a special ceremony on June 10 at 4:00pm. The ceremony will take place at White Lecture Hall at Duke University.

SEASON DEDICATION

The 78^th ADF Season will be dedicated to acclaimed visual artist, Alex Katz. Katz has been a longtime friend and supporter of the ADF, creating 9 season posters since 1979, including the 2011 season poster. The dedication will be presented immediately prior to the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company performance on Thursday, June 16 at DPAC. An exhibit of the season posters he created for the ADF from 1979-2011 will be on display throughout the season in Hanks Lobby at Reynolds Industries Theater and will be free and open to the public.

ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES/EVENTS TO NOTE

Join the incredibly talented staff of musicians that inspire students daily as they showcase their craft at the ADF Musicians Concert, held July 3^rd at 7:30 pm. The ADF Faculty Concert, happening July 8-9 at 8:00pm, will present the choreography of the ADF School’s renowned faculty members, with dancing by ADF dancers as well as faculty. On July 22-23 at 8:00pm the Hollins University/ADF MFA performances will present thesis projects and new works created by the students who are currently enrolled in the degree program offered through this collaborative institute. All performances are held at Reynolds Industries Theater.

Directed and curated by Emmy nominated director Douglas Rosenberg, the 16^th annual International Screendance Festival will take place from June 24-26. The festival will feature chosen films that explore the relationship between cinematography and dance. All screenings take place at While Lecture Hall and Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

The ADF School is at the heart of the ADF, serving over 400 students from around the globe each summer on the campus of Duke University. Under the new direction of ADF Co-Deans Dr. James Frazier and Gerri Houlihan, students in the Six Week School, Three Week School, and Dance Professionals Workshop create and work alongside leaders in the dance field. Directed by Jeffrey N. Bullock, the Hollins University/American Dance Festival MFA Degree in Dance is designed for students to study both at the ADF and at Hollins University through two tracks designed specifically to meet the needs of all students. In 2008 the ADF inaugurated two additional educational programs with Hollins, allowing students to receive a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC) and/or a BA/BFA degree in dance. As students complete their undergraduate degrees and prepare for a professional career in dance or graduate study, the PBC offers a year of time, support, and networking. The BA/BFA degree program in dance is the first of its kind in the country. Students are enrolled at both Hollins and the ADF to graduate with a combined BA/BFA in dance. In addition, the ADF offers internships in various areas of arts administration and production, as well as full and partial scholarships.

INTERNATIONAL

Created in 1985, the The International Choreographers Residency Program (ICR) is a six-week program designed to stimulate a vibrant exchange of ideas among artists from around the world, provide immersion in American modern dance, and forge new collaborations. The program runs concurrently with the ADF season, and since its inception has brought 431 choreographers, teachers, and dancers to the ADF. This year over 20 choreographers from countries including China, Taiwan, and Germany will participate in the program.

ADF IN THE COMMUNITY

A continued summer favorite, ADF Community Day celebrates North Carolina audiences with a day of fun for all ages. The free afternoon of activities, dance, and music will be held at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University on Saturday, June 25 from 2:00-4:30pm. At the center of ADF’s community outreach efforts, ADF Project Dance exposes local youth to dance and performance through free workshops, residencies, and classes for various ages. In 2009, ADF Project Dance became a year-round program and has since touched the lives of over 5,000 young people in the Triangle. Stay tuned to the ADF website for ADF Project Dance opportunities.

FOR THE KIDS

Specially designed for children of all ages, the ADF presents three, one-hour matinees throughout the summer. The 2011 Children’s Saturday Matinees will take place at the Durham Performing Arts Center at 1:00pm on June 25 (DCDC and EVIDENCE), July 2 (Pilobolus), and July 23 (Paul Taylor Dance Company). In addition, a free Kid’s Party held at the DPAC outdoor plaza will immediately follow the July 2 and July 23 matinees, complete with treats, music, and additional activities. The ADF also continues its Kids Night Out program in 2011, where all youth, ages 6–16, receive one complimentary ticket to any evening performance with the purchase of a regular-priced adult ticket.

BEHIND THE SCENES

ADF Festival Tours offer individuals, families, and community groups a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes of the ADF to witness modern dance in the making. Visitors of all ages will experience ADF students in class and rehearsal, catching glimpses of the world-renowned faculty and dancers hard at work. Please call 919-684-6402 to schedule your free tour. The ADF video blog May we have this CyberDance? has become a year-round staple, providing a exclusive window into the inner-workings of the Festival. Throughout the summer the blog will be updated daily with special interviews, sneak-peaks, and a behind-the-scenes view into the daily lives of ADF students, performers, faculty, and staff. Post Performance Discussions (PPDs) provide a unique opportunity for patrons to meet the Festival artists, ask questions, and gain insight into the creators’ work and vision. PPD’s take place after select evening performances throughout the summer. Please see the official ADF calendar (attached) for PPD dates.

ADF ARCHIVES AND EXHIBITS

In collaboration with Duke University’s library system, the ADF Archival Collection houses a multitude of film, videos, photographs, and records dating from the early 1930s. The 2011 visual exhibit in the lobby of Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University will highlight the season posters created by famed painter Alex Katz, to whom the 2011 season is dedicated.

TICKET INFORMATION

Single tickets and Pick 4 Packages to ADF performances go on sale on May 9, 2011 and may be purchased via one of the methods listed below. Tickets range in price from $23 – $51.

For ADF@DPAC performances: For ADF@DUKE performances:

www.americandancefestival.org

Durham Performing Arts Center Ticket Center
The American Tobacco District
123 Vivian St.
919.680.ARTS (2787)

Bryan University Center
Duke University Box Office
Duke University West Campus
919.684.4444

About ADF:

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment. The ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects. The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org.

THIS SEASON IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROUS

CONTRIBUTION OF THE SHS FOUNDATION.

The ADF reconstruction of Martha Clarke’s Pagliaccio is supported by the Charles L. and Stephanie Reinhart Fund. The ADF reconstruction of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company’s D-Man in the Waters is supported by the SHS Foundation. Rosie Herrera’s Dining Alone is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation. The ADF reconstruction of Eiko + Koma’s River is supported by the Charles L. and Stephanie Reinhart Fund. The ADF reconstruction of Pilobolus’ Untitled is supported by the American Express Charitable Fund. New Work by Pilobolus is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation and Japan Foundation, New York. New Work by Shen Wei Dance Arts is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation. The ADF reconstruction of Twyla Tharp’s Sweet Fields is supported by the SHS Foundation. New Work by Martha Clarke is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation. New Work by Bulareyaung Pagarlava is commissioned by the ADF with support from the Taipei Cultural Center of TECO in New York. Paul Taylor Dance Company’s The Uncommitted is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation and the Charles L. and Stephanie Reinhart Fund. TAO Dance Theater’s residency at the ADF is supported by the Asian Cultural Council and the Asian/Pacific Studies Institute at Duke University. Support for the ADF’s International Choreographers Residency Program is provided by the Asian Cultural Council, Esther and Otto Seligmann and Arnhold Foundations, and the Taipei Cultural Center of TECO in New York. ADF Project Dance is made possible through the generous support of the SHS Foundation and Enterprise Holdings Foundation.

With heartfelt appreciation, the ADF acknowledges contributions received for the 2011 Season (at press time) from the following sources: ABC 11 WTVD, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, All About Beer Magazine/World Beer Festival, Pete and Lavonia Allison, American Express Charitable Fund, American Party Rentals, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Marcia Angle and Mark Trustin Fund of the Triangle Community Foundation, Applebee’s, Richard and Deirdre Arnold, Asian Cultural Council, Asian/Pacific Studies Institute at Duke University, Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Beskind-Robineau Family Fund of Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, Bernstein-Lipsett Family Fund of Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, Keith and Brenda Brodie, Mimi Bull, Carolina Woman, Carrboro Citizen, Casbah, Classic Graphics, Engaging Dance Audiences: A Program of Dance/USA with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ruth S. Day and Kevin B. Kelly, Duke University, Durham Arts Council, Durham Catering Co., Durham Hilton, Bruce and Rebecca Elvin, Enterprise Holdings Foundation, John M. and Carolyn O. Falletta, Joseph Fedrowitz and Mitchell R. Vann, Alan and Marty Finkel, Jean Fisher matched by IBM, Fox Family Foundation, B. Gail Freeman and Susan Gidwitz, David Milo Fryling, Giorgios Hospitality Group, Guglhupf, Harriet T. Herring, Richard and Ford Hibbits, Hope Valley Bottle Shop, IBM, Japan Foundation of New York, Joe Van Gogh, Emily Kass and Charles Weinraub, Drs. Catherine M. Wilfert-Katz and Samuel L. Katz, Dr. and Mrs. S. Kalman Kolansky through the Julia and Thomas Saltz Philanthropic Fund, Thomas S. Kenan III, Paul and Susan Lancaster, Gene and Diane Linfors, Jacqueline and Richard Morgan, Curt C. Myers, Martha Myers, National Endowment for the Arts, Richard Newell and Bonnie Nevel, North Carolina Arts Council, Our State, Patricia Pertalion, Piedmont Investment Advisors, Progress Energy, Molly Susan Reinhart, Ted Rotante, Judith Sagan, Paul and Ann Sagan through the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian Scripps, The Esther and Otto Seligmann and Arnhold Foundations, SHS Foundation, SunTrust Bank, 3Cups, Taipei Cultural Center of TECO in New York, Jay and Toshiko Tompkins, Triangle Community Foundation, Mary West Water, Widmark Family Fund of Triangle Community Foundation, Allen and Diane Wold, WUNC, Zinfandel Pharmaceuticals Inc., and numerous others.

2011-2012 Season to Feature Many New Works for Triangle

Carolina Ballet is pleased to announce the line-up of programs for the company’s 2011-2012 season, offering many new works for the Triangle audience. Once again there will be seven programs from September 2011 to May 2012 – plus the annual Nutcracker. The productions will be performed at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium (RMA), the AJ Fletcher Opera Theater (AJF) and this year, for the first time, one weekend of Nutcracker at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC). The schedule of productions for Carolina Ballet’s 14^th season is as follows:

• Black & White Swan – September 15-October 2, 2011 (AJF)
  Choreography, Marius Petipa; Music, Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
• Dracula / The Masque of the Red Death – October 13-30, 2011 (AJF)
  Choreography, Lynne Taylor Corbett and Robert Weiss; Music, J. Mark Scearce
• Oblique Dreamscape & Cinderella – November 23-27, 2011 (RMA)
  Choreography, Robert Weiss; Music, Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky & Karl Moraski
• Balanchine Rarities (Raleigh premiere) – February 16-March 4, 2012 (AJF)
  Choreography, George Balanchine; Music Jean Francais, Mikail Glinka & Ludwig Minkus
• The Little Mermaid (world premiere) – March 15-April 1, 2012 (AJF)
  Choreography, Lynne Taylor-Corbett; original score Michael Moricz
• Carmina Burana & a new Robert Weiss Ballet – April 19-22, 2012 (RMA)
  Choreography by Lynne Taylor-Corbett & Robert Weiss; Music, Carl Orff
• Beethoven’s 9^th (world premiere) & Beauty and the Beast – May 17-20, 2012 (RMA)
  Choreography, Robert Weiss; Music, Ludwig van Beethoven & Karl Moraski

As in previous seasons, Carolina Ballet is presenting a mix of new works with favorite ballets from the repertory. For the 2011-2012 season some of the new works are world premieres such as The Little Mermaid and Beethoven’s 9^th and some are Raleigh premieres as in the case of the three George Balanchine ballets. The Petipa “Black Swan and White Swan” pas de deux have only been presented in the Triangle by the famed Bolshoi Ballet when it performed Swan Lake at Memorial Hall in Chapel Hill in 2009. Carolina Ballet has created 87 new works in the company’s first 13 years, more than any other company in the country during that time period other than New York City Ballet. Artistic director Robert Weiss says “it is so important for my dancers to have new choreography created on them. It pushes them artistically to higher levels.”

Carolina Ballet considers its self very fortunate to have Tony Award nominee Lynne Taylor-Corbett as the company’s principal guest choreographer. Over the years she has created such popular programs as Carolina Jamboree with the Red Clay Ramblers, Cabaret featuring Andrea Marcovicci, and The Ugly Duckling. Two of Taylor-Corbett’s most successful productions for Carolina Ballet will be revived next season – Carmina Burana, and Dracula which premiered in October 2010. Both of these programs will be performed to live music, and Carmina Burana will also be accompanied by the North Carolina Master Chorale conducted by Alfred Sturgis. Her new ballet for the company, Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved The Little Mermaid, will be performed to specially commissioned music by Michael Moricz who composed the score for The Ugly Duckling.

The Balanchine program in February 2012 includes three ballets that are rarely performed today but ones that offer examples of Balanchine’s great artistry. They will be staged by Marina Eglevsky, daughter of famed dancer Andre Eglevsky. The ballets are A La Francais, one of Balanchine’s few comic story ballets to the music of Jean Francaix; Glinka Pas de Trois and Minkus Pas de Trois to the music of Mikail Glinka and Ludwig Minkus respectively. This production is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts as part of American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius.

With all the excitement and Oscar buzz over the movie The Black Swan, Robert Weiss thought it would interesting to have his dancers dance the original Marius Petipa choreography for “Black Swan” and “White Swan” pas de deux from Swan Lake. When Weiss premiered his own choreography for Swan Lake in 2005 he rearranged the music for the Black Swan pas de deux so there could be no comparison to Petipa’s choreography which is so well known.

Other ballets to be presented during the season include Weiss’ popular Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. Both ballets have original scores by Karl Moraski, performed live by him on the piano. Oblique Dreamscape was presented during Carolina Ballets’ tenth anniversary celebration in February 2009. Weiss will make a few revisions to this “intriguing” ballet that will be presented with Cinderella during the Thanksgiving holiday at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium.

Perhaps the biggest news regarding the 14^th season will be the changes to Nutcracker that Robert Weiss is planning for December 2011. Carolina Ballet premiered the current Nutcracker in 2001 with the very generous support of Progress Energy. In talking about making the decision to revamp Nutcracker, Robert Weiss explains “over the past ten years (and more than 150 performances) there has been considerable wear and tear on the sets and costumes.” One aspect of this new Nutcracker will be the addition of Las Vegas style magic never before seen or tried in a ballet. Carolina Ballet will present Nutcracker in Durham at the Durham Performing Arts Center December 10 and 11, before opening at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium December 16-24.

Information about becoming a subscriber or choosing the subscription package that best suits one’s schedule may be obtained by calling the Carolina Ballet box office at 919 719-0900. A special family package includes Cinderella, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. There are many benefits to being a subscriber including being able to buy tickets for Nutcracker before they go on sale to the public.

In its thirteenth season, Carolina Ballet, Inc. has taken its place among America’s premiere arts organizations. Under the innovative direction of artistic director Robert Weiss, a talented company, fiscally responsible management and community support, Carolina Ballet exposes audiences to traditional ballet by legendary masters and new works of contemporary choreographers. The company represents the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and ever-increasing quality of life experienced here in North Carolina.

16th Annual International Screendance Festival

The American Dance Festival (ADF) is pleased to announce a call for submissions for the 16th Annual International Screendance Festival. Directed by Emmy nominated director, dance filmmaker, and curator, Douglas Rosenberg, the International Screendance Festival was created as a platform to showcase recent developments in the field, as well as historically relevant work.

All entries will be adjudicated by a panel of filmmakers and choreographers, and selected works will be screened during the 2011 ADF season (dates TBA). The ADF International Screendance Festival seeks work of high artistic quality that may inspire new ways of thinking about dance and its relationship to the screen. Certificates of Distinction may be awarded to works of exceptional merit.

Dendy Dancetheater photo by Sara D. Davis/ADF2008

The ADF has been a pioneer in the screendance field since the early 1970’s, holding the first “Dance for Television” workshops in 1973, and has consistently investigated the relationship between dance and screen media, including through the production of the Emmy award-winning documentary series Free to Dance, which aired nationally on PBS in 2001. Over the last 16 years the ADF’s International Screendance Festival has screened more than 300 dance films by filmmakers from over 20 countries, to audiences from all over the world.

Entries should be submitted in one of the following categories:

• Choreography for the Camera—original work made specifically for video or film or re-staged for the camera;
• Documentaries—productions that include interviews or other educational elements in addition to choreography;
• Experimental and Digital Technologies—work that extends the boundaries of dance and can exist only in video, film, or new technologies.
• Student Work—submissions produced while the filmmakers were students or by current students.

The early deadline for submissions is March 23, 2011, and has a discounted entry fee of $30. The final deadline for all submissions is April 22, 2011, and the entry fee is $40. For more information on the ADF’s International Screendance Festival, including registration, entry forms, and guidelines for submission, please visit www.americandancefestival.org. Questions should be directed to Gini Sowards at ADF@americandancefestival.org or 919-684-6402.

The ADF‘s 78th season will take place from June 9– July 23, 2011 and will include performances at both the Durham Performing Arts Center and Duke University’s Reynolds Industries Theater. Additionally, the ADF School will welcome an international community of over 500 students and dance professionals to Duke University’s East Campus for the six-week dance intensive. To learn more about the Festival, please visit our website, become a fan on Facebook, and/or follow the ADF on Twitter.

About ADF:

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment. The ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org.

Burning Coal Theatre Company is proud to announce that one of its own, Naima Adedapo will be appearing on American Idol tomorrow (Wednesday) at 8 pm EST on FOX.  Naima’s audition was held in Milwaukee, WI, from whence she hails.  She appeared at Burning Coal in December in our production of CROWNS, a gospel musical by Regina Taylor.

Naima Adedapo (Yolanda).  For Burning Coal: Crowns (2008 and 2010).  A native of Chicago, has been trained in African Dance through her home, Ndongo (Lucky) Diop, Jam Ak Jam African Dance Theatre, she spent four years performing with Ko-Thi African Dance Company and is currently a senior company member. She graduated with honors from the UWM Peck School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and has been trained in Modern, Ballet, Jazz, Stepping and Hip Hop as well.  Naima has performed in works choreographed by Ferne Caulker-Bronson, Roxanne Kess, Melissa Beverly, Youseff Kumbassa, Darci Wutz, Clare Byrne, Elizebeth Torres, Cedrick Gardener, Louis Hurd, Andre Tyson, Ed Burgess, Laurie Ann Gibson, Ronald K. Brown and Laura Dean.  Naima was one of the 38 nationwide finalists MTV’s/P. Diddy’s reality T.V. show “Making the Band”.  Also experienced in Theater, Naima has performed in For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enough (Lady in Red, 2003), West Side Story (Anita, 2007), Unclothed (Caregiver, 2009) and more.  One of her choreographed works Behind Closed Doors: Everything is African was chosen for UWM’s New Dancemaker’s concert, The ACDFA Gala Concert (out of 75 dance pieces nationwide), UWM’s High School Outreach program, and to be performed at the Peck School of the Arts Graduation Convocation Ceremony.  Since the age of 13-years-old she has taught Stepping, African Dance, and Hip Hop to youth for several different community outreach centers and schools all over Milwaukee as an intern and performing artist with Milwaukee Public Theatre.  Also a vocalist, Naima sings with two local African Pop groups “Sindoolaa” and “Kassumai” and now lead sings in her own reggae band “R.A.S. Movement”.  Carrying on the traditions of her ancestors and passing them on to the youth, Naima Adedapo gives thanks for the many talents that have been bestowed upon her (including being a mommy and a wife) and plans to follow in the footsteps of those great Africans who came before her.

Michelle Pearson, photo courtesy of Robin Gallant

Michelle Pearson, founding member and currently one of four artistic directors of Even Exchange Dance Theater in Raleigh, will be in Freetown, Sierra Leone from January 15 to 29 as a Cultural Envoy, hosted by the US Embassy in Sierra Leone. She was invited by the US Department of State who has arranged an amazing dance project that she will be leading. A quote from Mark P. Carr, Public Diplomacy Officer in Sierra Leone, in his invitation to Michelle:

“In a society where nearly 80% of the population is illiterate, dance, music and theater are invaluable methods for disseminating information. The vast majority of local artists have no formal training or technical knowledge in any of the performing arts. Whatever skills they have acquired have come from improvisation, practice and watching others. An envoy who specializes in using dance to convey social messages would have a great impact on the community.”

He continues saying: “Of the many topics that could be covered, the Post (U.S. Embassy in Freetown) would be most enthusiastic about a program that focuses on combating violence against women and the harmful traditional practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). Estimates put FGM prevalence in Sierra Leone at over 90%. Girls as young as three undergo the procedure, despite the illegality of subjecting minors to harmful traditional practices. Domestic violence and FGM are intimately connected with the abysmal state of women’s health in Sierra Leone —young girls often experience blood loss during the FGM procedure, infections afterwards, and/or long-term health consequences. Since many of the women, mothers & children vulnerable to violence are poor and uneducated, social messages/education/awareness in the form of dance would be particularly appropriate.”

Michelle is a dance artist actively working in many communities throughout her home state of NC and abroad. She makes dances with people of all ages and abilities, including veterans, inmates, retired clowns, preschoolers and professional dancers. She has been a member and artistic director of Raleigh’s Even Exchange Dance Theater since 1998. She was a touring member of Liz Lerman Dance Exchange from 1993-1997 and remains an associate with the company. Currently Michelle is the lead artist for the MetLife Foundation Healthy Living Initiative at Dance Exchange. She is a William Friday Fellow committed to improving human relations through dance. Michelle has a long resume of work with groups large and small who would not ordinarily get to experience and create with a professional dancer, teacher and choreographer. In turn she gathers information and material from those she dances with. This is the even exchange. “As a choreographer, I often learn about the world by dancing and creating dances,” Pearson says. “I believe an artist’s job is to provide an understanding of common issues in a different, deeper, or new way. Making dances about meaningful, difficult, surprising, and human issues with a range of people is one way to meet this challenge”. “My goal is to go to Sierra Leone with ideas that I’m interested in working on as a choreographer. But my primary focus—and my challenge – is on making the kind of dance that can only be made with the people who are gathered in the room.”

In the Raleigh area she is currently teaching dance at Arts Together and collaborating with partners such as Arts Together leading Stepping Up: Creating Artful Dance with Youth with Disabilities, (www.artstogether.org), the YWCA Golden Oaks Seniors, and Fellowship Health Resources (www.fellowshiphr.org) partially funded with grants from NC Arts Council and City of Raleigh Arts Commission.

Mark Carr further describes the project in Africa: “For the workshop outlined below, we will have two categories of participants – adults and children.

Young participants will primarily be drawn from two organizations:

1. Ballanta Academy – This encompasses a music and dance school with a long history of collaboration with the U.S. Embassy. For this activity, we will work with “Pikin Ballanta” (Ballanta’s Children), a troupe that presents traditional dance performances at Sierra Leone’s Cultural Village – a cultural center in Freetown.
2. Don Bosco Home – This facility houses and provides vocational training to street children and young people who are victims of psychological and/or physical trauma.

The total children’s group will consist of approximately 10 children ranging in age from 8 to 11 (half from Ballanta, half from Don Bosco).

Morning sessions will be with an adult group of 15 people who are directors, choreographers, teachers and performers (drawn from Ballanta Academy and a range of local arts organizations). They are looking forward to a sharing session – Michelle presents on the concept of choreography and dance as a tool for healing — then discussion and demonstrations would follow. This group would then help Michelle to work with the children in the afternoon sessions to create a theme that would build toward a final performance at the ambassador’s house on January 27. We hope that the interaction between these two groups – one comprised of people who know and perform traditional dances on an almost daily basis, and the other made up of disadvantaged youth who have had little, if any, exposure to the arts – will provide rich opportunities for peer teaching and inspiration.

For more information please contact Even Exchange Dance Theater, 919-828-2377.

eedt[at]evenexchange.com and www.evenexchange.com

Mark Ballas will partner with Giselle Peacock in "Burn the Floor"

Broadway Series South will present Burn the Floor: Ballroom Reinvented, starring Mark Ballas with Giselle Peacock, on Nov. 30-Dec.5 in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh, NC.

According to Broadway Series South:

“The producers of Burn the Floor, Broadway’s Latin and Ballroom dance spectacular, [have] announced … that Mark Ballas of TV’s ‘Dancing with the Stars’ will join the touring company of Burn the Floor for a limited engagement, beginning Nov. 30th in Raleigh, NC. Ballas will perform with dance partner Giselle Peacock in three cities only: Raleigh, NC (Nov. 30-Dec. 5); Houston, TX (Dec. 14-19); and Pittsburgh, PA (Dec. 28-Jan. 2).

“Mark Ballas is a lifelong performer, born in Houston and raised in England. As the only child of eight-time undefeated World Latin Ballroom Champions Shirley and Corky Ballas, he was raised in the ballroom world. He’s held every major championship in ballroom, from Junior Olympic Gold Medalist to twice winning the International Open to the World. He’s [recently] compet[ed] on his seventh season of America’s Number 1 TV show, ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ having already won the competition twice in past seasons. Mark [Ballas] is currently in the studio recording his debut solo CD, ‘The HurtLoveBox,’ which will be distributed exclusively through Wal-Mart later this month.

“‘We are thrilled that Mark will be appearing in the U.S. Tour [of Burn the Floor]. His star-power attraction is well deserved, and we look forward to bringing his amazing talents to the stage for audiences in these three cities,’ says Harley Medcalf, Burn the Floor creator and producer.

“[Mark] Ballas will be partnered with Giselle Peacock, known to U.S. audiences from her appearances on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ and ‘Superstars of Dance.’ She began dancing at the age of 10, studying ballet, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, and modern dance. As a competitive dancer, Giselle [Peacock] has captured both U.S. and British Youth Championship titles.

“Also appearing as featured dancers in these three cities will be ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ alums Robbie Kmetoni, Janette Manrara, and Karen Hauer. All three have been seen on TV’s ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ in the U.S. (Janette Manrara and Karen Hauer, Top 10 Finalists) and in Australia (Robbie Kmetoni, 2010 Winner).

“Years before ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ turned Ballroom Dancing into must-see TV, Burn the Floor was blazing a new dance trail and igniting stages around the globe. In Burn the Floor, Ballroom Dance is totally reinvented. All the dance styles are refreshed and invigorated and leave audiences grinning with delight and screaming for more. You see and feel, live on stage, all the passion, drama, and sizzling excitement of 20 gorgeous world-champion dancers in a true theatrical experience, a performance with a grace and athleticism that The New York Times calls, ‘Dazzling!’ and The Times (London) calls ‘the summer’s hottest ticket’!

“Burn the Floor is directed and choreographed by Jason Gilkison. The national tour of Burn the Floor launched in Portland, OR, on Sept. 7, 2010, and continues through spring of 2011. For a full list of tour cities, please visit http://www.burnthefloor.com/.”

SECOND OPINION: Nov. 26th Raleigh, NC News & Observer preview by Adrienne Johnson Martin: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/26/824942/bristols-dance-partner-headed.html.

Broadway Series South presents BURN THE FLOOR, starring Mark Ballas and Giselle Peacock, at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 8 p.m. Dec. 3, 2 and 8 p.m. Dec. 4, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27601.

TICKETS: $16-$70.

BOX OFFICE: Progress Energy Center Box Office: 919/831-6060 (information only). Ticketmaster: 800/745-3000, 919/834-4000, or http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/115203/803589.

SHOW: http://broadwayseriessouth.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Calendar&file=listevent-bss2008&eid=10040.

VIDEO PREVIEWS: http://broadwayseriessouth.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Calendar&file=listevent-bss2008&eid=10040&type=video.

PRESENTER: http://www.broadwayseriessouth.com/.

VENUE: http://www.progressenergycenter.com/page.php?mode=privateview&pageID=21.

DIRECTIONS/PARKING: http://www.progressenergycenter.com/page.php?mode=privateview&pageID=37.

NOTE: Arts Access, Inc. of Raleigh (http://www.artsaccessinc.org/) will audio describe the 2 p.m. Dec. 4th performance.

OTHER LINKS:

Burn the Floor: http://www.burnthefloor.com/ (official website) and http://www.ibdb.com/show.php?id=484013 (Internet Broadway Database).

The Making of “Burn the Floor”: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1086330/ (Internet Movie Database).

Mark Ballas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Ballas (Wikipedia) and http://www.markballas.com/blog/ (official fan site).

Giselle Peacock: http://www.gisellepeacock.com/ (official website).

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Robert W. McDowell is editor and publisher of Triangle Theater Review, a FREE weekly e-mail theatrical newsletter that provides more comprehensive, in-depth coverage of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill theater than all of the other news media combined. This review is reprinted with permission from Triangle Theater Review.

To start your FREE subscription to this newsletter, e-mail RobertM748@aol.com and type SUBSCRIBE TTR in the Subject: line.

To read all of Robert W. McDowell’s Triangle Theater Review previews and reviews online at Triangle Arts & Entertainment, click http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/author/robert-w-mcdowell/.

Shen Wei Dance Arts; photo by Bruce Feeley

FINAL WEEK JULY 19-24: SHEN WEI DANCE ARTS and PAST/FORWARD CLOSE THE 2010 AMERICAN DANCE FESTIVAL

The American Dance Festival (ADF) bids farewell to the 2010 season with a celebration of the world-renowned company, Shen Wei Dance Arts (Thursday-Saturday, July 22-24), founded at the ADF a decade ago. PAST/FORWARD (Monday-Wednesday, July 19-21) features classic works from Jerome Robbins and Merce Cunningham, and a world premiere by Russian choreographer Tatiana Baganova.

Ten years ago this summer, internationally acclaimed Shen Wei, one of China’s most original modern dance choreographers, directors, and dancers, formed his company Shen Wei Dance Arts at the 2000 ADF. Performances will be Thursday-Saturday, July 22-24 with two programs: Program A July 22-23 features Map (2005) and Folding (2000). Program B will include Rite of Spring (2003) and Folding. Also included each evening is an ADF-commissioned world premiere solo danced by the choreographer himself.

Now in its fourth year, PAST/FORWARD showcases ADF dancers in both reconstructed classic works and in exploration of new terrain at Reynolds Industries Theater on Duke University’s West campus Monday-Wednesday July 19-21 at 8pm. The late Jerome Robbins’ legendary West Side Story Suite (1995) and Merce Cunningham’s Inlets 2 (1983) with a score by John Cage will join an ADF-commissioned world premiere by Russian choreographer and ADF favorite Tatiana Baganova.

ADF PERFORMANCE AND EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: JULY 19-24, 2010

• July 19-21, 8pm: Past/Forward, Reynolds Industries Theater, Duke University West Campus
• July 22-24, 8pm: Shen Wei Dance Arts, Durham Performing Arts Center
• July 23-24, 8pm: Hollins University/American Dance Festival MFA Performances, Reynolds Industries Theater, Duke University West.  Free and open to the public.

July 22, 6pm: 2010 ADF Gala, Durham Performing Arts Center Skyline Lounge.

Tickets ($150) include light dinner and wine hosted by Giorgios Hospitality Group and VIP seating to the world premiere performance by Shen Wei Dance Arts. All proceeds benefit the ADF Scholarship Fund.
TICKETS AND MORE WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ADF

ADF continues its Kids Night Out program in 2010 where area youth aged 6-16 receive one complimentary ticket to any evening performance when accompanied by an adult purchasing a regular-priced ticket.

DANCE ON A DIME: The ADF is proud to highlight several opportunities to save while still enjoying the performances and programs of this world-renowned Festival.  ADF Subscribers save 25% when purchasing  four plus (4+) tickets at either venue and also enjoy other benefits such as easy exchange privileges, additional savings with the Subscriber Coupon Book, and earliest ordering privileges for subsequent seasons.*  Groups of ten (10) or more save 20% and Seniors receive a $3/ticket discount on regular-priced tickets.  Area students may take advantage of the ADF Student Rush program and save 50% on all tickets purchased one hour before each performance.  A limited number of $20 Tickets will be available at every Durham Performing Arts Center performance.  *no cross-venue subscriptions and no refunds.

PURCHASING TICKETS: Single tickets and new subscriptions to ADF performances may be purchased by calling the ADF Box Office at 919.668.2233 (2ADF), online at www.americandancefestival.org, or in person at the Duke University Box Office (ADF@Duke performances) and/or the DPAC Box Office (ADF@DPAC performances).  Ticketmaster

Tickets range in price from $20 – $46*.  For additional information about ADF performances, free community outreach activities, or the ADF School, please visit www.americandancefestival.org. *facility & processing fees may apply.

TECHNOLOGY AND THE ADF IN 2010: The ADF’s online video blog, May we have this Cyber Dance?, will highlight the diversity of events taking place during the Festival via daily online coverage of ADF classes, rehearsals, and performances, as well as interviews with artists, students, and community members on various dance-related topics.  New postings will occur each day of the Festival on the ADF website.  Dance fans here, there, and everywhere in between will get an insider’s look at the breadth of Festival activities taking place in Durham this summer.  Additionally, individuals may learn more about the Festival, receive frequent insider updates, and get to know the performing companies by finding us on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter (@AmerDanceFest).

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the American Dance Festival (ADF)  remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment.  ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

ROSIE HERRERA and PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY

The American Dance Festival (ADF) breezes into week five of its 77th season exploring What is Dance Theater? with two ADF-commissioned World Premieres by Rosie Herrera Monday-Wednesday, July 12-14 at Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University and the venerable Paul Taylor Dance Company at the Durham Performing Arts Center Thursday-Saturday, July 15-17.  Mr. Taylor turns 80 this summer and a series of special events in his honor celebrates his legacy, including an award-nominated film screening July 14 at 8pm, a rare live conversation July 16 at 10am, and a Children’s Saturday Matinee by the company on Saturday, July 17 at 1pm followed by ADF’s annual fun-filled Community Day from 2-4:30pm. In addition, the Endowed Chair For Distinguished Teaching will be awarded to Yang Meiqi, the “mother of modern dance in China,”Sunday, July 18 at 7:30pm to close another exciting week of modern dance in Durham.

Back by popular demand, the comedic and poignant choreographer Rosie Herrera brings her Miami-based company to Durham to present last year’s ADF Past/Forward hit Various Stages of Drowning: A Cabaret which recreates dream states using dance, theater, cabaret, and film. Hererra will also perform an ADF-commissioned World Premiere entitled Pity Party. Performances will take place at Reynolds Industries Theater on Duke’s West Campus, July 12-14 at 8pm.

The Paul Taylor Dance Company graces the weekend lineup at the Durham Performing Arts Center with two programs: Program A July 15-16 at 8pm will delight audiences with timeless works from the Taylor repertory including Sunset (1983), Esplanade (1975) and an ADF-commissioned World Premiere in celebration of his birthday.  Program B on Saturday, July 17 at 8pm continues with three Taylor masterworks: Brandenburgs (1988), Runes (1975), and Syzygy (1987).

The Paul Taylor birthday festivities will feature two free public events to observe the occasion.  A free screening of the Academy Award-nominated DanceMaker: A Documentary Wednesday, July 14 at 8pm at Duke University’s White Lecture Hall takes an in-depth look at the creative life of Paul Taylor. On Friday, July 16 at 10am A Conversation with Paul Taylor offers an intimate chat with ADF Director Charles L. Reinhart and a rare opportunity to hear from one of the world’s most renowned choreographers at Duke University’s Nelson Music Room. The screening and chat are free and open to the public.

ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES: The ADF will host its final one-hour Children’s Saturday Matinee on Saturday, July 17 at 1pm performed by the Paul Taylor Dance Company at the DPAC followed immediately from 2-4:30pm by ADF’s annual Community Day at Duke University’s Nasher Museum of Art. This free family event features free treats, dance, music, and fun for children of all ages with kid-friendly dance demonstrations by Stafford Berry (African-American Dance Ensemble) and Rosie Herrera, as well as interactive visits from Durham’s Scrap Exchange and Paperhand Puppet Intervention.

TEACHING TRIBUTE Sunday, July 18, 7:30pm: The Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching Award will be presented to Yang Meiqi on Sunday, July 18 at 7:30pm at Duke University’s Griffith Theater.  This award honors educators who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of dance. Yang is the “mother of modern dance in China,” and her accomplishments include the establishment of the first modern dance program at China’s Guangdong Dance Academy. She has paved the way for the likes of Shen Wei Dance Arts and others.

ADF PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS: JULY 12-18, 2010

• July 12-14, 8pm: Rosie Herrera, Reynolds Industries Theater, Duke University West Campus
• July 15-17, 8pm: Paul Taylor Dance Company, Durham Performing Arts Center
• July 17, 1pm: Paul Taylor Dance Company Children’s Matinee, Durham Performing Arts Center

ADF SPECIAL PROGRAMS: JULY 12-18, 2010 (FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC)

• July 14, 8pm: DanceMaker: A Documentary (Paul Taylor), White Lecture Hall, Duke University East Campus
• July 16, 10am: A Conversation with Paul Taylor featuring Charles L. Reinhart, Nelson Music Room, Duke University East Campus
• July 17, 2-4:30pm: ADF Community Day,Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University
• July 18, 7:30pm: Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching Award to Yang Meiqi, Griffiths Theater, Duke University West Campus

TICKETS AND MORE WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ADF
ADF continues its Kids Night Out program in 2010 where area youth aged 6-16 receive one complimentary ticket to any evening performance when accompanied by an adult purchasing a regular-priced ticket. In celebration of another Durham summer filled with dance, Durham’s Pinhook and the American Dance Festival dance partnership carries on with a free, fun, light-hearted dance film series on Monday, July 12 and 19 at 8pm. In addition to $3 NC draft beers, patrons can purchase discounted tickets to ADF‘s 2010 season from an ADF representative each Monday night.

DANCE ON A DIME: The ADF is proud to highlight several opportunities to save while still enjoying the performances and programs of this world-renowned Festival.  ADF Subscribers save 25% when purchasing  four plus (4+) tickets at either venue and also enjoy other benefits such as easy exchange privileges, additional savings with the Subscriber Coupon Book, and earliest ordering privileges for subsequent seasons.*  Groups of ten (10) or more save 20% and Seniors receive a $3/ticket discount on regular-priced tickets.  Area students may take advantage of the ADF Student Rush program and save 50% on all tickets purchased one hour before each performance.  A limited number of $20 Tickets will be available at every Durham Performing Arts Center performance.  *no cross-venue subscriptions and no refunds.

PURCHASING TICKETS: Single tickets and new subscriptions to ADF performances may be purchased by calling the ADF Box Office at 919.668.2233 (2ADF), online at www.americandancefestival.org, or in person at the Duke University Box Office (ADF@Duke performances) and/or the DPAC Box Office (ADF@DPAC performances).  Tickets range in price from $20 – $46*. Ticketmaster

For additional information about ADF performances, free community outreach activities, or the ADF School, please visit www.americandancefestival.org. *facility & processing fees may apply.

TECHNOLOGY AND THE ADF IN 2010: The ADF’s online video blog, May we have this Cyber Dance?, will highlight the diversity of events taking place during the Festival via daily online coverage of ADF classes, rehearsals, and performances, as well as interviews with artists, students, and community members on various dance-related topics.  New postings will occur each day of the Festival on the ADF website.  Dance fans here, there, and everywhere in between will get an insider’s look at the breadth of Festival activities taking place in Durham this summer.  Additionally, individuals may learn more about the Festival, receive frequent insider updates, and get to know the performing companies by finding us on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter (@AmerDanceFest).

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the American Dance Festival (ADF)  remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment.  ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

Video still from 2009 entry Red by Ally Voye

The American Dance Festival (ADF) presents its 15th annual Dancing for the Camera:International Festival of Film and Video Dance from Wednesday, June 23 – Sunday, June 27 at White Lecture Hall and the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.  In conjunction with the film festival, the international Screendance Network will release The International Journal of Screendance, Volume 1 in a reception Saturday, June 26 at 6:30pm in Duke’s East Campus Union.  Dancing for the Camera screenings and the reception are free and open to the public.

Dancing for the Camera (DFC) will feature four programs with 23 films including 6 world premieres and 6 US premieres. The festival will present the newly released documentary, Breath Made Visible, following the life of modern dance legend Anna Halprin, among others. Over the years, DFC has screened over 330 dance films by filmmakers from over 20 countries to international audiences. This year, films from a total of ten countries will be represented and will range from experimental films to choreography made for the camera to student work to documentaries.

The 2010 screenings will take place Wednesday, June 23 at 8:00pm in White Lecture Hall, and  Saturday, June 26 at 2:00pm at the Nasher Museum of Art.  Another screening will be presented on Saturday, June 26 at 8:00pmin White Lecture Hall. The film festival finishes on Sunday, June 27 at 11:00am in White Lecture Hall.

The International Screendance Network will take part in Dancing for the Camera by releasing The International Journal of Screendance.  This international and artist-led journal titled Screendance Has Not Yet Been Invented, explores the field of Screendance and is the first of its kind. The journal is edited and written by the Screendance Network, an international, grant-based research group formed by the University of Brighton, UK.  The International Journal of Screendance presents methodologies in the fields of dance, performance, visual art, cinema, and media arts and will provide a contemporary frame in which screendance can be examined and critiqued. DFC’s Director, Douglas Rosenberg, and the Screendance Networkwill be present and launch the journal at a reception on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at the Upper East Side in Duke’s East Union.  Hard copies of the journal will be for sale and the reception is free and open to the public.

Performances during the ADF’s 77th season, What is Dance Theater?, will be presented at the Durham Performing Arts Center and Duke University’s Reynolds Industries Theater from June 10 – July 24, 2010.  For detailed information about the 2010 Festival, the ADF School, community programs, ticketing, and to view our daily online video blog, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.  Individuals may learn more about the Festival by becoming a fan on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter.

Ticketmaster

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment.  ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

Eiko & Koma photo by Edwin Adhiputra

Festival favorites EIKO & KOMA and PILOBOLUS round out week three of ADF 2010.

Special screenings/discussions and the season’s first Children’s Saturday Matinee will provide in-depth arts engagement for audiences of all ages

Pilobolus by John Kane

The American Dance Festival (ADF) continues its 77th season, exploring What is Dance Theater? with a retrospective program by Eiko & Koma, Monday-Wednesday, June 28-30 in Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University and Festival favorite Pilobolus from Thursday-Saturday, July 1-3 at the Durham Performing Arts Center. Week three of the ADF Season will also feature a screening of 36 Works by Eiko & Koma and a presentation on Balasaraswati, India’s greatest bharata natyam dancer, by Douglas Knight, author of Balasaraswati, Her Art and Life. These will be offered for free on Wednesday, June 30 at 1pm and 4pm respectively in White Lecture Hall at Duke University’s East Campus.

For more than thirty years, Eiko & Koma have been performing internationally their own “delicious movement.” From site-adaptable performances in parks, gardens, and moving water to installations at theaters, universities, and museums, these passionate artists have created work that resonates with audiences from all walks of life. At Reynolds Industries Theater, Monday-Wednesday, June 28-30, the duo will present a retrospective of and sections from their most timeless dances, including White Dance, Eiko & Koma’s 1976 American debut, Night Tide, commissioned by the ADF in 1984 in celebration of the Festival’s 50^th anniversary, and Raven from 2009. A special exhibition will also be presented in the Reynolds Industries Theater lobby for audiences to enjoy prior to the performance.

Year after year the most original Pilobolus works challenge, provoke, and inspire. Onstage at the Durham Performing Arts Center Thursday-Saturday, July 1-3, the company presents Hapless Hooligan in “Still Moving”, an ADF co-commissioned collaboration with one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People,” Pulitzer Prize-winning artist/illustrator and comics guru, Art Spiegelman of The New Yorker. In addition, Pilobolus will present Contradance, an ADF-commissioned World Premiere collaboration with children’s rock star Dan Zanes. Known for rollicking concerts with his band, Dan Zanes and Friends, this Grammy Award-winning artist has also worked with the likes of Disney, Sesame Street, and Noggin. These one-of-a-kind collaborations will accompany other celebrated works from the Pilobolus repertory, including Gnomen (1997), Walklyndon (1971), and Megawatt (2004). Pilobolus will also present a one-hour Children’s Matinee on Saturday, July 3 at 1:00pm.

ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES: A screening of 36 Works by Eiko & Koma and a presentation on Balasaraswati, India’s greatest bharata natyam dancer by Douglas Knight, will be offered for free on Wednesday, June 30 at 1pm and 4pm respectively in White Lecture Hall at Duke University. The film shows the trajectory of Eiko & Koma’s career through short excerpts of most of their works created between 1976 and 2009. The presentation by the author of Balasaraswati: Her Art and Life will shed light on the life and work of the southern Indian dancer and musician hailed as “one of the greatest performing artists of the 20th century” by The New York Times.   On Saturday, July 3, ADF will host a Kid’s Party in the DPAC outdoor plaza immediately following the Pilobolus Children’s Matinee. There will be free treats, music, and fun for children of all ages. The ADF also continues its Kids Night Out program in 2010 where area youth aged 6-16 receive one complimentary ticket to any evening performance when accompanied by an adult purchasing a regular-priced ticket.

DANCE ON A DIME: The ADF is proud to highlight several opportunities to save while still enjoying the performances and programs of this world-renowned Festival. ADF Subscribers save 25% when purchasing 4+ tickets at either venue and also enjoy other benefits such as easy exchange privileges, additional savings with the Subscriber Coupon Book, and earliest ordering privileges for subsequent seasons.* Groups of 10 or more save 20% and Seniors receive a $3/ticket discount on regular-priced tickets. Area students may take advantage of the ADF Student Rush program and save 50% on all tickets purchased one hour before each performance. A limited number of $20 Tickets will be available at every Durham Performing Arts Center performance. *no cross-venue subscriptions and no refunds.

PURCHASING TICKETS: Single tickets and new subscriptions to ADF performances may be purchased by calling the ADF Box Office line at 919.668.2233 (2ADF), online at www.americandancefestival.org, or in-person at the Duke University Box Office (ADF@Duke performances) and/or the DPAC Box Office (ADF@DPAC performances). Tickets range in price from $20 – $46*. For additional information about ADF performances, free community outreach activities, or the ADF School, please visit www.americandancefestival.org *facility & processing fees may apply.

TECHNOLOGY AND THE ADF IN 2010: The ADF’s online video blog, May we have this Cyber Dance?, will highlight the diversity of events taking place during the Festival via daily online coverage of ADF classes, rehearsals, and performances, as well as interviews with artists, students, and community members on various dance-related topics. New postings will occur each day of the Festival on the ADF website. Dance fans here, there, and everywhere in between will get an insider’s look at the breadth of Festival activities taking place in Durham this summer. Additionally, individuals may learn more about the Festival, receive frequent insider updates, and get to know the performing companies by finding us on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter (@AmerDanceFest).

Ticketmaster

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment. ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects. The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

Dendy Dancetheater photo by Sara D. Davis/ADF2008

The American Dance Festival (ADF) continues its 77th season, exploring What is Dance Theater? with a summer of world-class performances, panel discussions, and other community events celebrating the influences the two forms have had on one another. Performances will take place from June 10 – July 24 at Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University and at the Durham Performing Arts Center in downtown Durham.

North Carolina native Mark Dendy and his company, Dendy Dancetheater, present an ADF-commissioned World Premiere at Reynolds Industries Theater Monday-Wednesday, June 21-23.  Patrons will see the likes of Martha Graham, Nijinsky, and other dance giants portrayed by Mark Dendy and his dancers in this brand new dance-theater piece.  Known for his works inspired by dance history, Dendy’s Divine Normal explores the life of a southern boy who moves to New York to become a dancer and is transformed by his experiences with dance greats along the way. A choreographer, director, and dancer, Dendy draws on his extensive dance and theater background to create pieces that are compelling and often comedic.  In addition, Dendy Dancetheater Creative Assistant Catherine Miller’s duet, Juliet Looks to the West (2010), will complete the evening’s program.

The extraordinary dancers of Canadian company RUBBERBANDance Group articulate the marriage between explosive hip-hop physicality and the subtle profoundness of contemporary story telling.  Since its founding in 2002, the company has been sought after by festivals throughout the world.  This summer, Durham audiences will get their turn as the company presents Loan Sharking (2008) at the Durham Performing Arts Center Thursday-Saturday, June 24-26.  Created by Artistic Director Victor Quijada, this stunning piece is a collection of great works from the company’s repertory that scrambles the aesthetic identity of hip-hop, fusing it with theories that evolved out of Victor’s experiences in various dance forms. He has given rise to a hybrid style that emerges between the worlds of break and modern dance.

RUBBERBANDance Group photo by Michael Slobodian

ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES: On Friday, June 25th at Reynolds Industries Theater, the annual ADF Musicians Concert will showcase the work of the renowned ADF School musicians.  A thought-provoking Panel Discussion focused on the 2010 season theme, What is Dance Theater?, will take place on Sunday, June 27 at 4pm in Nelson Music Room on Duke University’s East Campus. Moderated by ADF Director Charles L. Reinhart, the panel will include Martha Clarke, Award-winning playwright Alfred Uhry, Russian choreographer Tatiana Baganova, and Roy Dicks, performing arts journalist for the News & Observer in Raleigh.  The 2010 Samuel H. Scripps/ADF Award for Lifetime Achievement and its $50,000 prize will be presented to director and choreographer Martha Clarke by Alfred Uhry at a special 7:30pm ceremony on Sunday, June 27 at the Keith and Brenda Brodie Recreation Center on Duke’s East Campus. The event will include a preview of Ms. Clarke’s ADF-commissioned new work and is open to ADF subscribers.

For the 15th year, the ADF will host Dancing for the Camera: International Festival of Film and Video Dance from June 23-June 27.  Directed and curated by Douglas Rosenberg, the Festival explores the relationship between film and dance and boasts over 300 past screenings. A special curated program and panel discussion will take place at the Nasher Museum of Art on Saturday, June 26, among other events.  In addition, film selections by Eiko & Koma will also be presented and accompanied by a panel discussion on Sunday, June 30 at 1pm.  All screenings will occur at White Lecture Hall on Duke University’s East Campus and at the Nasher Museum of Art.

DANCE ON A DIME: The ADF is proud to highlight several opportunities to save while still enjoying the performances and programs of this world-renowned Festival.  ADF Subscribers save 25% when purchasing 4+ tickets at either venue and also enjoy other benefits such as easy exchange privileges, additional savings with the Subscriber Coupon Book, and earliest ordering privileges for subsequent seasons.*  Groups of 10 or more save 20% and Seniors receive a $3/ticket discount on regular-priced tickets.  Area students may take advantage of the ADF Student Rush program and save 50% on all tickets purchased one hour before each performance.  A limited number of $20 Tickets will be available at every Durham Performing Arts Center performance.  *no cross-venue subscriptions and no refunds.

PURCHASING TICKETS: Single tickets and new subscriptions to ADF performances may be purchased by calling the ADF Box Office line at 919.668.2233 (2ADF), online at www.americandancefestival.org, or in-person at the Duke University Box Office (ADF@Duke performances) and/or the DPAC Box Office (ADF@DPAC performances). Ticketmaster

Tickets range in price from $20 – $46*.  For additional information about ADF performances, free community outreach activities, or the ADF School, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.

TECHNOLOGY AND THE ADF IN 2010: The ADF’s online video blog, May we have this Cyber Dance?, will highlight the diversity of events taking place during the Festival via daily online coverage of ADF classes, rehearsals, and performances, as well as interviews with artists, students, and community members on various dance-related topics.  New postings will occur each day of the Festival on the ADF website.  Dance fans here, there, and everywhere in between will get an insider’s look at the breadth of Festival activities taking place in Durham this summer. Additionally, individuals may learn more about the Festival, receive frequent insider updates, and get to know the performing companies by finding us on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter (@AmerDanceFest).

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment.  ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company photo by Eyal Landesman

Durham’s own African American Dance Ensemble, New York’s Monica Bill Barnes & Company and Kate Weare Company, and Israel’s Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company open the 2010 Festival

The American Dance Festival (ADF) launches its 77th season on June 10th, exploring What is Dance Theater? with a summer of world-class performances, panel discussions, and other community events celebrating the influences the two forms have had on one another. Performances will take place from June 10 – July 24 at Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University and at the Durham Performing Arts Center in downtown Durham.

Traditional African arts did not differentiate between dance and theater; it was one and the same. The Festival’s 2010 season begins with the unforgettable African American Dance Ensemble, a Durham-based company rooted in the celebration of African traditions, culture, movement, and music.  From June 10 – 12, AADE will convert the Reynolds Industries Theater stage into a community dancing ground as no one else can. Uniquely theatrical and pure in spirit, AADE preserves and shares the finest traditions of African dance and music with intense energy and zeal. Led by Durham’s very own “Baba” Chuck Davis, AADE was born out of the ADF’s community outreach program in 1984 and makes their 14th ADF appearance this summer.

Making their ADF debuts, Monica Bill Barnes & Company and Kate Weare Company will celebrate humor, individuality, and the complexities of human behavior with a shared program at Reynolds Industries Theater June 15 – 16.  In addition to evening performances, a special 2:00pm matinee will take place on June 16.  Monica Bill Barnes & Company presents Another Parade (2009), an unrelenting investigation into the exhilaration of being onstage. Set to the music of James Brown, Burt Bacharach, and Johann Sebastian Bach, this often-comic work features formidable dancers who flirt with subtlety and wear their hearts on their sleeves. Also on the program, Bridge of Sighs (2008) performed by Kate Weare Company, is a physically charged quartet for two men and two women that leaves emotions unguarded as it investigates what steers us towards love, both good and bad. Tender and penetrating, Weare’s work uses gorgeous movement to shed new light on loneliness and partnership.

Israelis Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak return to the ADF this summer after successful collaborations with Pilobolus in 2008 and 2009.   Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company will make its ADF debut and present its 1999 tour-de-force, Oyster, June 17-19 at the Durham Performing Arts Center. Based on a short story by filmmaker Tim Burton, late of Alice in Wonderland fame, the work explores the best of where fantasy and sideshow spectacle meet. The New York Times calls it “clever and imaginative” and a “theater of marvels.” From human marionettes to double-headed men and armless oddities, reality is thrown out the window in this most engaging evening that blurs the lines between ballet, acrobatics, mime, and theater. Pinto and Pollak’s work is a fantastical feast both easy on the eyes and stimulating to the brain.

DANCE ON A DIME: The ADF is proud to highlight several opportunities to save while still enjoying the performances and programs of this world-renowned Festival.  ADF Subscribers save 25% when purchasing 4+ tickets at either venue and also enjoy other benefits such as easy exchange privileges, additional savings with the Subscriber Coupon Book, and earliest ordering privileges for subsequent seasons.*  Groups of 10 or more save 20% and Seniors receive a $3/ticket discount on regular-priced tickets.  Area students may take advantage of the ADF Student Rush program and save 50% on all tickets purchased one hour before each performance.  A limited number of $20 Tickets will be available at every Durham Performing Arts Center performance.  *no cross-venue subscriptions and no refunds.

Kate Weare Company photo by Kurt Perschke

PURCHASING TICKETS:  Single tickets and new subscriptions to ADF performances may be purchased by calling the ADF Box Office line at 919.668.2233 (2ADF), online at www.americandancefestival.org, or in-person at the Duke University Box Office (ADF@Duke performances) and/or the DPAC Box Office (ADF@DPAC performances).  Tickets range in price from $20 – $46*.  For additional information about ADF performances, free community outreach activities, or the ADF School, please visit www.americandancefestival.org. *facility & processing fees may apply.

TECHNOLOGY AND THE ADF IN 2010:  The ADF’s online video blog, May we have this Cyber Dance?, will highlight the diversity of events taking place during the Festival via daily online coverage of ADF classes, rehearsals, and performances, as well as interviews with artists, students, and community members on various dance-related topics.  New postings will occur each day of the Festival on the ADF website.  Dance fans here, there, and everywhere in between will get an insider’s look at the breadth of Festival activities taking place in Durham this summer.  Additionally, individuals may learn more about the Festival, receive frequent insider updates, and get to know the performing companies by finding us on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter (@AmerDanceFest).

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment.  ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

Transactors' "City of Medicine"- June 11 at 8pm L-R (top): Nancy Pekar, Dan Sipp, Steven Warnock (middle): Anno Brod, Jill Greeson, Jeff Alguire, Rachel Klem (bottom): Greg Hohn, Jeffrey Moore

Common Ground Theatre (www.cgtheatre.com) is a performance and teaching space located in west Durham, offering performing arts and educational groups a flexible, well-equipped alternative space.  The Theatre provides a convenient venue for Triangle audiences to experience the diversity of our area’s arts and educational offerings. All events listed will be held at Common Ground Theatre, 4815B Hillsborough Road, Durham, NC

The Theatre is hosting the following events in June, 2010:

DANCE

Colorful Waves Bellydance Presents: Bellydance Raqs!
A rock-n-roll themed bellydance party and show. Open dance floor immediately following the show…bring your hip scarf and wear your rock gear! There will also be Karaoke and light refreshments. Space is limited, so get your tickets in advance for a discounted price.
Friday, June 4 at 8:00 p.m.

• Tickets: $10.00 in advance
• Reservations: 919-806-1281
• Website: www.colorfulwaves.com

THEATRE

Ghost & Spice Intern Showcase: A Different Moon by Ara Watson
Set in a small town in Arkansas, 1951, A Different Moon is an eloquent and affecting story about three women coming to terms with a crisis not of their own making.
June 10 & 12 at 8pm
June 12 & 13 at 2pm

• Tickets: $8
• Reservations: (919) 698-3870
• Website: www.ghostandspice.com

THEATRE, COMEDY

Transactors Improv Presents: City of Medicine- Season Finale
Join us for our third season of this completely improvised serial medical drama. Inspired by Grey’s Anatomy and E.R., this real-life drama is set at Bull City Medical Center, Durham’s newest teaching hospital. Each show the cast is joined by a special guest who is either saved or killed by our doctors. Don’t miss a single episode.
Friday: June 11 at 8pm Eastern

• Tickets: $14-General, $12-Students & Seniors
• Reservations: (919) 698-3870
• Website: www.transactors.org

THEATRE

FATE presents Don DeLillo’s Valparaiso
Come fly Air Reliance and witness one man’s meteoric rise and tragic fall, all from your Coach or First Class seat – it’s better than an in-flight movie!
June 18 & 19, 24-26, July 1-3 at 8:00 p.m.

• Tickets: $10-$15
• Students, Military, Seniors, Teachers (all shows): $2 discount
• Reservations: (919) 530-0993

Pilobolus' new works (a collaboration with comics guru Art Spiegelman), photo by John Kane

Tickets to the 2010 Festival go on sale Monday, May 10 at 10:00am. The Duke University Box Office will sell tickets to ADF@Duke performances and the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) Box Office will sell tickets to ADF@DPAC performances.  Tickets will be available in person, by phone, and online.  Festival events will take place at DPAC and Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University from June 10 – July 24.

How to Order:

In Person

Duke University Box Office – located in the Bryan Center on Duke’s West Campus.

Durham Performing Arts Center – located on the northeast corner of DPAC, at Vivian and Blackwell Streets.

By Phone: 919.668.2233 (2ADF)

Online: www.americandancefestival.org

The ADF will explore What is Dance Theater? in 2010 with eight ADF-commissioned world premieres, one US premiere, two reconstructions, and five ADF company debuts. The question will be explored through performances, panel discussions and much more.  Many of the choreographers represented this season – Jerome Robbins, Paul Taylor, Martha Clarke, Shen Wei, Pilobolus, Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak, Mark Dendy, and Rosie Herrera – have all created works known for dipping a toe in both theater and dance, and then back again, all with great success.

Dendy Dancetheater photo by Sara D. Davis/ADF2008

For detailed information about the 2010 Festival, the ADF School, free community programs, and ticketing, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.  Individuals may learn more about the Festival by becoming a fan on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter.

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment. The ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects. The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

FAREWELL ENGAGEMENT!

Riverdance website

RIVERDANCE, the thunderous celebration of Irish music, song and dance that has tapped its way onto the world stage thrilling millions of people around the globe, will play eight Farewell Performances at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium.

“A Phenomenon of Historic Proportions!” raves the Washington Post (6/10/07).

“An explosion of sight and sound that simply takes your breath away,” cheers the Chicago Tribune.

“A family evening unlike anything else!” exclaims The London Times.

Discover why nothing in the world compares to The Original International Phenomenon! Whether it’s your first time or your fifth, you won’t want to miss these FAREWELL performances of Riverdance!

Presented by Broadway Series South

All photos compliments of Andrew Synowiez

In celebration of the 2010 American Dance Festival (ADF), which runs June 10-July 24, ADF Modern Scene along with Pop’s, Parker and Otis, and Morgan Imports will throw the second annual pre-season ADF Block Party at Downtown Durham’s Peabody Place (Brightleaf District) Sunday, May 23 from 5-7pm.  This event is free and open to the public.

Join friends and neighbors for cheap eats from local vendors including Pop’s Backdoor, Locopops, and Parlez-Vous Crepes with music by DJ LeMoore.  Enjoy nostalgic games and entertainment, a cash bar, and see video clips from the upcoming season.  Members of Durham’s own African American Dance Ensemble will also share some music and dance with attendees.  The event will be hosted by WRAL’s Erin Hartness.

Block Party attendees will receive 25% off any ADF ticket purchased that evening when they provide three non-perishable food items to support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.  There will be numerous free chances to win door prizes from local restaurants and retailers.

The ADF Block Party is a laid–back Sunday afternoon happening where folks can play, eat, soak up the sun and learn more about the 2010 ADF season, What is Dance Theater?.

“ADF’s first Block Party in 2009 was a huge success and a ton of fun!  We invite everyone to check out our new season—socialize and unwind with friends and family and take advantage of a really great ticket discount in exchange for supporting those in need,” said ADF Co-Director, Jodee Nimerichter.

Performances during the ADF’s 77th season will be presented at the Durham Performing Arts Center and Duke University’s Reynolds Industries Theater from June 10 – July 24, 2010.  For detailed information about the 2010 Festival, the ADF School, and community programs, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.  Individuals may learn more about the Festival by becoming a fan on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter. Single tickets and new subscriptions go on sale May 10 and will be available online, by phone at 919.668.2233 (2ADF), or in person.

ADF Block Party

Sunday May 23, 5-7pm
Rain or shine
Free for all ages and open to the public
Peabody Place, where Parker and Otis, Morgan Imports, and Pops meet.
Brightleaf District
Downtown Durham

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment. The ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects. The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

This season is made possible through the generous contribution of the SHS Foundation.

8 WORLD PREMIERES

• A New Work by Mark Dendy, performed by Dendy Dancetheater
• A New Work by Pilobolus in collaboration with comics artist Art Spiegelman
• A New Work by Pilobolus in collaboration with children’s rock star Dan Zanes
• A New Work by Martha Clarke in collaboration with Alfred Uhry
• A New Solo by Shen Wei, featuring the choreographer himself, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of his company’s founding at the 2000 ADF
• A New Work by Rosie Herrera
• A New Work by Tatiana Baganova, performed by ADF dancers
• A New Work by Paul Taylor in celebration of his 80th birthday

1 US PREMIERE

• Brenda Angiel’s 8cho, performed by Brenda Angiel Aerial Dance Company

2 RECONSTRUCTIONS

• Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite, performed by ADF dancers
• Merce Cunningham’s Inlets 2, performed by ADF dancers

5 ADF COMPANY DEBUTS

• Monica Bill Barnes & Company
  Kate Weare Company
  RUBBERBANDance Group
  Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company
  Rosie Herrera

AMERICAN DANCE FESTIVAL EXPLORES

WHAT IS DANCE THEATER?

JUNE 10 – JULY 24, 2010

8 World Premieres    1 US Premiere    2 Reconstructions    5 ADF Debuts

The American Dance Festival (ADF) celebrates 77 years of the best in modern dance by exploring What is Dance Theater? from June 10 – July 24, 2010. The Festival will explore works of the dance theater genre, allowing audiences the opportunity to see the influences of theater on modern dance and the inspiration the art form has had on choreographers’ artistic expression. Many of the choreographers represented this season – Jerome Robbins, Shen Wei, Paul Taylor, RUBBERBANDance Group, Martha Clarke, Pilobolus, Mark Dendy, Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak, Tatiana Baganova, and Rosie Herrera – have created works known for dipping a toe in both theater and dance and then back again, all with great success. Through the generosity of the SHS Foundation, the 2010 Festival celebrates eight world premieres, one US premiere, two reconstructions, and five ADF debuts.

The 2010 Festival will also highlight significant milestones.  Paul Taylor will present an ADF-commissioned World Premiere in celebration of his 80th birthday, and Shen Wei will celebrate the 10th anniversary since his company’s founding at the 2000 ADF with an ADF-commissiond World Premiere solo performed by him.   As an extra bonus, both companies will present two different programs.  The season will also feature a retrospective program by Eiko & Koma, Durham’s very own African American Dance Ensemble, works by international companies Brenda Angiel Aerial Dance Company (Argentina) and RUBBERBANDance Group (Canada), reconstructed works by the late Jerome Robbins and late Merce Cunningham, and ADF debuts including Monica Bill Barnes and Kate Weare.

This season, performances will once again take place in two locations. ADF @ DPAC performances will take place at the Durham Performing Arts Center in downtown Durham, and ADF @ DUKE performances will take place at Reynolds Industries Theater on Duke University’s West Campus.  For detailed information about the 2010 Festival, ADF community programs, performing companies/choreographers, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.  Patrons may also learn more about the Festival, receive frequent insider updates, and get to know the performing companies by becoming a fan on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter (@AmerDanceFest).  The ADF will also re-launch May we have this CyberDance?, an online video blog that delves into the inner-workings of the ADF in addition to providing one-of-a-kind access to Festival artists with new videos posted daily.

ADF’s many community engagement programs will continue to display the breadth of Durham’s modern dance festival.  From Community Day and Children’s Saturday Matinees to film screenings and panel discussions to creative movement classes and the 2nd Annual ADF Block Party, these programs will once again complement the stellar dance-making onstage this summer.

The Festival’s 2010 repertory begins with the unforgettable African American Dance Ensemble, a Durham-based company rooted in the celebration of African traditions, culture, movement, and music.  From June 10 – 12, AADE will convert the Reynolds Industries Theater stage into a community dancing ground as no one else can. Uniquely theatrical and pure in spirit, AADE preserves and shares the finest traditions of African dance and music with intense energy and zeal. Led by Durham’s very own “Baba” Chuck Davis, AADE was born out of the ADF’s community outreach program in 1984 and makes their 14th ADF appearance this summer.  Patrons will experience a traditional African dance program, performed by a company exuding what the News & Observer calls a “joyful, irreplaceable energy.”

Making their ADF debuts, Monica Bill Barnes & Company and Kate Weare Company will celebrate humor, individuality, and the complexities of human behavior with a shared program at Reynolds Industries Theater June 15 – 16.  In addition to evening performances, a special 2:00pm matinee will take place on June 16.  Monica Bill Barnes & Company presents an excerpt from Another Parade (2009), an unrelenting investigation into the exhilaration of being onstage. Set to the music of James Brown, Burt Bacharach, and Johann Sebastian Bach, this often-comic work features formidable dancers who flirt with subtlety and wear their hearts on their sleeves. Also on the program, Bridge of Sighs (2008) performed by Kate Weare Company, is a physically charged quartet for two men and two women that leaves emotions unguarded as it investigates what steers us towards love, both good and bad. Tender and penetrating, Weare’s work uses gorgeous movement to shed new light on loneliness and partnership.

Israelis Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak return to the ADF this summer after successful collaborations with Pilobolus in 2008 and 2009.   Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company will make its ADF debut and present its 1999 tour-de-force, Oyster, June 17-19 at the Durham Performing Arts Center. Based on a short story by filmmaker Tim Burton, late of Alice in Wonderland fame, the work explores the best of where fantasy and sideshow spectacle meet.  From human marionettes to double-headed men and armless oddities, reality is thrown out the window in this most engaging evening that blurs the lines between ballet, acrobatics, mime, and theater. Pinto and Pollak’s work is a fantastical feast both easy on the eyes and stimulating to the brain. The London Times states, “its blend of dance and theatre is a magical gift to the audience.”

North Carolina native Mark Dendy and his company, Dendy Dancetheater, present an ADF-commissioned World Premiere at Reynolds Industries Theater June 21-23.  Patrons will see the likes of Martha Graham, Nijinsky, and other dance giants portrayed by Mark Dendy and his dancers in this brand new dance-theater piece, a prequel to his highly acclaimed 1999 work Dream Analysis.  Known for his wildly successful works inspired by dance history, Dendy’s new work explores the life of a southern boy who moves to New York to become a dancer and is transformed by his experiences with dance greats along the way. A choreographer, director, and dancer, Dendy draws on his extensive dance and theater background to create pieces that are compelling and often comedic.

The extraordinary dancers of Canadian company RUBBERBANDance Group articulate the perfect marriage between explosive hip-hop physicality and the subtle profoundness of contemporary story telling.  Since its founding in 2002, the company has been sought after by festivals throughout the world.  This summer, Durham audiences will get their turn as the company presents Loan Sharking (2008) at the Durham Performing Arts Center June 24-26.  Created by Artistic Director Victor Quijada, this stunning piece is a collection of great works from the company’s repertory that scrambles the aesthetic identity of hip-hop, fusing it with theories that evolved out of Victor’s experiences in various dance forms. He has given rise to a hybrid style that emerges between the worlds of break and contemporary dance.

For more than thirty years, Eiko & Koma have been performing internationally their own “delicious movement.” From site-adaptable performances in parks, gardens, and moving water to installations at theaters, universities, and museums, these passionate artists have created work that resonates with audiences from all walks of life. At Reynolds Industries Theater June 28-30, the duo will present a retrospective of their most timeless dances, including Raven from 2009, Night Tide, commissioned by the ADF in 1984 in celebration of the Festival’s 50th anniversary, and White Dance, Eiko & Koma’s 1976 American debut. A special exhibition will also be presented in the Reynolds Industries Theater lobby for audiences to enjoy prior to the performance.

Year after year the most original Pilobolus works challenge, provoke, and inspire.  Onstage at the Durham Performing Arts Center July 1-3, the company presents an ADF co-commissioned collaboration with one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People”, Pulitzer Prize-winning artist/illustrator and comics guru, Art Spiegelman of The New Yorker. In addition, Pilobolus will present an ADF-commissioned World Premiere collaboration with children’s rock star Dan Zanes, their first work created specifically for families. Known for rollicking concerts with his band, Dan Zanes and Friends, this Grammy Award-winning artist has also worked with the likes of Disney, Sesame Street, and Noggin.  These one-of-a-kind collaborations will accompany other celebrated works from the Pilobolus repertory this summer.  A Festival favorite, Pilobolus will also offer a Children’s Saturday Matinee at DPAC on July 3.

Director, choreographer, and 2010 Scripps/ADF Award recipient Martha Clarke collaborates with Pulitzer, Tony, and Academy Award-winning writer Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy) on a highly anticipated ADF-commissioned work based on the Shakers, to be presented at Reynolds Industries Theater July 5-7.  Inspired by the life of Ann Lee, founder of the Shaker movement, this new work will weave together movement, song, and dance to present the contradiction between the prim prudery of Shaker tenets and the wild, sexual nature they suppressed.

The tango takes flight July 8-10 at the Durham Performing Arts Center.  Argentina-based Brenda Angiel Aerial Dance Company presents a sensational exploration of space, flying, and movement, both onstage and above. Celebrating its North American premiere, 8cho (2010) includes expertly choreographed milongas, tangos, and sensuous waltzes, packed with sensitive and daring movements. Accompanied by a live band and vocalist, Angiel’s stunning choreography will be the talk of the town, even among young people who can enjoy a Children’s Saturday Matinee at DPAC on July 10.

Back by popular demand, Rosie Herrera brings her Miami-based company to Reynolds Industries Theater July 12-14 to present last year’s Past/Forward hit, Various Stages of Drowning: A Cabaret (2009). At once campy and poignant, Drowning recreates dream states using dance, theater, cabaret, and film. Classical Voice of North Carolina calls Herrera’s work, “strange and adventurous, bright and cheeky…the piece is as much dance as it is theater.” Herrera, in her company debut, will also share an ADF-commissioned World Premiere that is sure to be a feast for the eyes and the brain.

Paul Taylor Dance Company revisits the Durham Performing Arts Center July 15-17 with Taylor’s trailblazing choreography that has touched dance aficionados and novices alike for over six decades.  Once dubbed the “naughty boy” of dance by the legendary Martha Graham, Mr. Taylor has had a profound impact on the art form with his new and innovative movement which is often satirical and always stirring. His works are performed annually by his own celebrated Company as well as by renowned ballet and modern dance companies here and abroad. This summer, Festival audiences will experience timeless works from the Taylor repertory in two programs, in addition to an ADF-commissioned World Premiere celebrating Taylor’s 80th birthday. Patrons who purchase a ticket to Program A will also receive 50% off their Program B ticket purchase.   The company will also offer a Children’s Saturday Matinee on July 17 at DPAC.  Several special events are planned celebrating Paul Taylor’s birthday and his presence at the ADF this summer.  A screening of the Academy Award-nominated documentary, Dancemaker, an in depth look at the creative life of Paul Taylor, will take place on July 14 at 8pm in White Lecture Hall.  In addition, a discussion between ADF Director Charles L. Reinhart and Paul Taylor will take place in Nelson Music Room on July 16 at 8am.  The screening and discussion are free and open to the public and will both occur on Duke University’s East Campus.

The ADF’s Past/Forward program celebrates new works and classic reconstructions featuring ADF dancers July 19-21 at Reynolds Industries Theater.  Street energy explodes as the work of an entertainment titan comes alive. Ryan Ghysels will set the late Jerome Robbins’ legendary West Side Story Suite (1995) on ADF dancers.  Based on Mr. Robbins’ original choreography, the work melds together seven of his most memorable dances including those iconic jumps, leaps, and ridiculously high kicks.  Also on the program, longtime Merce Cunningham Dance Company member Jean Freebury reconstructs the late artist’s Inlets 2 (1983), a peaceful and serene work set to a score by John Cage. A choreographer of profound artistic achievement, Merce’s gentle spirit and eye for the art form fostered a seventy-year career and the creation of some 150 dances and over 800 “events.” Rounding out the program, Russian choreographer and Festival favorite Tatiana Baganova creates an ADF commissioned World Premiere. Seen at venues around the globe, Ms. Baganova’s work conjures bittersweet melancholy, arresting visuals, and daring dance as she explores the logic of fairytales and dreams.

Concluding the ADF’s 77th season, Shen Wei Dance Arts will grace the Durham Performing Arts Center stage July 22-24.  Shen Wei’s vision of intercultural, interdisciplinary, and movement-based performance has resonated with audiences since the company’s founding at the ADF in 2000. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of this internationally acclaimed company, Shen Wei Dance Arts will present two programs for ADF audiences. Performed for two evenings, Program A will feature Re – (Part III) (2009) and Folding (2000). Program B will feature Rite of Spring (2003) and Near the Terrace – Part I (2000). In addition to previous ADF commissions, and included in both programs, will be an ADF-commissioned World Premiere solo danced by the choreographer himself. Patrons who purchase a ticket to Program A will also receive 50% off their Program B ticket purchase.

OTHER PERFORMANCES/EVENTS OF NOTE: The ADF Musicians Concert (June 25) and ADF Faculty Concert (July 9-10)* showcases the work of the renowned ADF School musicians and celebrated faculty.  On July 23-24, the Hollins University/American Dance Festival MFA Performances will take place presenting year-long creative thesis projects and new works.** All performances will occur at Reynolds Industries Theater on the Duke University’s West Campus.  A thought-provoking Panel Discussion focused on the 2010 season theme, What is Dance Theater?, will take place on June 27 at 4pm in Nelson Music Room on Duke University’s East Campus.  Moderated by ADF Director Charles L. Reinhart, the panel will include Martha Clarke, Alfred Uhry, Tatiana Baganova, and Roy Dicks, performing arts journalist for the News & Observer in Raleigh, NC.
*same program both evenings
**may include adult situations

2010 AWARDS: The 2010 Samuel H. Scripps/ADF Award for Lifetime Achievement and its $50,000 prize will be presented to director and choreographer Martha Clarke by Alfred Uhry at a special 7:30pm ceremony on June 27 at The Cotton Room at Golden Belt in downtown Durham.  The event will include a preview of Ms. Clarke’s ADF-commissioned new work and is open to ADF subscribers.

The Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching Award will be presented to the “mother of modern dance in China”, Yang Meiqi at a special ceremony on July 18 at 7:30pm in Griffith Theater on Duke University’s West Campus.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS: The NEA Arts Journalism Institute for Dance Criticism (June 19 – July 9), directed by dance historian and critic Suzanne Carbonneau, offers fellowships for professional journalists to strengthen their dance writing and criticism skills. Directed by ADF Dean Donna Faye Burchfield, the Hollins University/American Dance Festival MFA Degree Program in Dance is designed for students to study both at the ADF and at Hollins University. In addition, the ADF inaugurated two additional educational programs with Hollins in 2008.  As students complete their undergraduate degrees and prepare for a professional career in dance or graduate study, the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC) offers a year of time, support, and networking. The BA/BFA degree program in dance is the first of its kind in the country. Students are enrolled at both Hollins and the ADF to graduate with a combined BA/BFA in dance.  Each summer, over 400 students attend the Six Week and Four Week Schools at the ADF where they work and create alongside leaders in the dance field.  In addition, the ADF offers internships in various areas of arts administration and production, as well as full and partial scholarships.

DANCE IN OTHER MEDIA: The ADF will host the 15th annual Dancing for the Camera: International Festival of Film and Video Dance from June 23-June 27.  Directed and curated by Douglas Rosenberg, the Festival explores the relationship between film and dance and boasts over 300 past screenings. A special curated program and panel discussion will take place at the Nasher Museum of Art on Saturday, June 26, among other events.  In addition, film selections by Eiko & Koma will also be presented and accompanied by a panel discussion on June 30 at 1pm.  All screenings will occur at White Lecture Hall on Duke University’s East Campus and at the Nasher Museum of Art.

TECHNOLOGY & THE ADF IN 2010: The ADF’s online video blog, May we have this Cyber Dance?, will highlight the diversity of events taking place during the Festival via daily online coverage of ADF classes, rehearsals, and performances, as well as interviews with artists, students, and community members on various dance-related topics.  New postings will occur each day of the Festival on the ADF website.  Dance fans here, there, and everywhere in between will get an insider’s look at the breadth of Festival activities taking place in Durham this summer.  Additionally, individuals may learn more about the Festival, receive frequent insider updates, and get to know the performing companies by becoming a fan on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter (@AmerDanceFest).

LEARN EVEN MORE:

Audience Memory Program:  Dance audiences often wonder how dancers remember “all those steps”, yet have trouble remembering performances they have seen.  We will offer Audience Memory Workshops this season, with demonstrations, research, discussion, and memory tips.  We will also offer an Audience Memory Enhancement Program, including memory lab visits and exercises on how to improve perception and memory for dance.  This program is directed by Professor Ruth Day, Director of the Memory for Movement Lab at Duke University, sponsored by a grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Fund and the James Irvine Foundation.

The ADF’s ever-popular Post Performance Discussions (PPDs) will take place with the artists after selected evening performances. PPDs provide a unique opportunity for patrons to participate in dialogue directly with Festival artists.  Please see the official ADF calendar (attached) and the ADF website for PPD dates.

Performing Company Pages:  New to the ADF this season, each performing company will have a devoted company page on the ADF website complete with video, photos, articles, and links to relevant company information to help put their work in context and to provide additional resources for dance fans and community members. Patrons will also be able to enjoy video Pre-Performance Talks by performing company members.

ADF IN THE COMMUNITY: A summer favorite, ADF Community Day will once again be hosted at the Nasher Museum of Art on Saturday, July 3 from 2:00-4:30pm and will offer fun for all ages.  At the center of ADF’s community outreach efforts, ADF Project Dance exposes youth from the local community to dance and performance through workshops, residencies, and classes for various ages.  In 2009, ADF Project Dance became a year-round program and has involved over 4,500 young people. ADF Community Tours enable Festival visitors to go behind the scenes to see classes in progress and other “insider” activities.  All ADF in the Community programs are free and open to the public!

FOR THE KIDS: In the midst of a summer Festival bursting at the seams, the ADF hosts three, one-hour matinees specifically for children.  The 2010 Children’s Saturday Matinees will occur at the Durham Performing Arts Center at 1:00pm on July 3 (Pilobolus), July 10 (Brenda Angiel Aerial Dance Company), and July 17 (Paul Taylor Dance Company).  In addition, a Kid’s Party in the DPAC outdoor plaza will immediately follow the July 3 and July 10 Children’s Saturday Matinees.  Free treats, music, and fun await children of all ages.  The ADF also continues its Kids Night Out program in 2010 where area youth aged 6-16 receive one complimentary ticket to any evening performance when accompanied by an adult purchasing a regular-priced ticket.

ADF ARCHIVES & EXHIBITS: In collaboration with Duke University’s library system, the ADF Archival Collection houses a multitude of film, videos, photographs, and records dating from the early 1930s.  The 2010 visual exhibit in the lobby of Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University will highlight the now historic ADF season posters designed over the years by such noted artists as Elizabeth Murray, Jennifer Bartlett, and Alex Katz, among others.  In addition, an exhibit by Eiko & Koma will be presented during their performances June 28-30.

TICKET INFORMATION: Single tickets and new subscriptions to ADF performances go on sale on May 10, 2010 and may be purchased via one of the methods listed below.  Tickets range in price from $20 – $45.

By Phone
919.668.2233 (2ADF)

Online
www.americandancefestival.org

In Person

For ADF@DPAC performances:
Durham Performing Arts Center Ticket Center
The American Tobacco District
123 Vivian St.
Durham, NC 27701

For ADF@DUKE performances:
Duke University Box Office
Bryan University Center
Duke University West Campus
Please note that a mandatory $2/ticket City of Durham facility fee will be assessed for tickets purchased for performances taking place at the Durham Performing Arts Center.

DANCE ON A DIME: The ADF is proud to highlight several opportunities to save while still enjoying the performances and programs of this world-renowned Festival.  ADF Subscribers save 25% when purchasing 4+ tickets at either venue and also enjoy other benefits such as easy exchange privileges, additional savings with the Subscriber Coupon Book, and earliest ordering privileges for subsequent seasons.*  Groups of 10 or more save 20% and Seniors receive a $3/ticket discount on regular-priced tickets.  Area students may take advantage of the ADF Student Rush program and save 50% on all tickets purchased one hour before each peformance.  A limited number of $20 Tickets will be available at every Durham Performing Arts Center performance.
*no cross-venue subscriptions and no refunds

ABOUT THE ADF: Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment.  ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

THIS SEASON IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROUS
CONTRIBUTION OF THE SHS FOUNDATION.
Travel support for Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak Dance Company provided by the Consulates General of Israel in Atlanta and New York. Additional support for the company’s performances provided in part by the Israel Center of the Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation. New work by Dendy Dancetheater is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation. Additional support for the company’s performances provided by South Arts. New works by Pilobolus are commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation and the ADF/Stephanie Reinhart Fund. New work by Martha Clarke is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation, Gould Family Foundation, Arena Stage, Darcy and Tracy Beyer, Legum Foundation, Avalon Trust, Alan Bernstein, Martin Davis, Mary Lanier, Jeanne Linnes, Goldman Sachs, Benjamin Shapiro, Robyn Goodman, Myla Lerner, and Jane Rodbell. New work by Rosie Herrera is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation, with additional support provided by the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. New work by Paul Taylor Dance Company is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation and the ADF/Stephanie Reinhart Fund. New work by Shen Wei Dance Arts is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation. New work by Tatiana Baganova is commissioned by the ADF with support from the SHS Foundation. Additional support for Ms. Baganova’s residency provided by the Trust for Mutual Understanding. The ADF reconstructions of Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite and Merce Cunningham’s Inlets 2 are supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

With heartfelt appreciation, the ADF acknowledges contributions received for the 2010 Season (at press time) from the following sources: Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Pete and Lavonia Allison, Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Bernstein-Lipsett Family Fund of Fidelity Investments, Brenda and Keith Brodie, The Cotton Room at Golden Belt, CEC ArtsLink/Open World Leaders Center, Engaging Dance Audiences: A Program of Dance/USA with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Duke Latino/a Studies in the Global South, Duke University, Durham Hilton, Durham Performing Arts Center, Enterprise Holdings Foundation, John and Carolyn Falletta, Alan and Marty Finkel, Jean Fisher matched by IBM, Flywheel Designs, Fox Family Foundation, B. Gail Freeman and Susan Gidwitz, David Milo Fryling, Giorgio’s Hospitality Group, Pamela and Isaac Green, Herald-Sun, Harriet T. Herring, Ford and Richard Hibbits, Joan and Roger Hooker, Independent Weekly, The Israel Center of the Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation, Drs. Catherine M. Wilfert-Katz and Samuel L. Katz, The King’s Daughters Inn, Gene and Diane Linfors, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Morgan Imports, Martha Myers, National Endowment for the Arts, Bonnie Nevel and Richard Newell, North Carolina Arts Council, Office of Cultural Affairs: Consulates General of Israel in Atlanta and New York, Our State Magazine, Parker and Otis, Adrian Shawn Pitts, Pop’s Restaurant, Judith Sagan, Paul and Ann Sagan through the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, Sebastian Scripps, Wendy Scripps, The Esther and Otto Seligmann and Arnhold Foundations, SHS Foundation, South Arts, SunTrust, Alice and Clark Thacher, Trust for Mutual Understanding, Widmark Family Fund of Triangle Community Foundation, and numerous others.

The American Dance Festival (ADF) will award the 2010 Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching to the “mother of modern dance in China”, Yang Meiqi.  A ceremony will occur on Sunday, July 18th at 7:30pm in Griffith Theater on Duke University’s West Campus.  Acclaimed choreographer, Shen Wei, will speak about his former teacher Yang Meiqi at the ceremony.

Established at the ADF in 1991, the Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching honors teachers who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of dance.  This award, endowed through a generous contribution from Luise Elcaness Scripps and with additional support by Walter Beinecke, the daughters of Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke, and the ADF, signifies the importance of honoring those who act to preserve dance history and tradition as well as cultivating the future of the art form.

Yang Meiqi’s brave and unrelenting pursuit to successfully build an unknown art form in her home country unequivocally deems her the mother of modern dance in China. It was in 1986, when Ms. Yang participated in the ADF’s International Choreographer’s Residency program that the idea of modern dance in China was born.  With the help of the ADF, and its teachers, Ms. Yang returned to China and established the first modern dance program at the Guangdong Dance Academy. She is responsible for the spread of Chinese Modern Dance throughout the country and founded the first modern dance company, the Guangdong Modern Dance Company. Ms. Yang’s extraordinary accomplishments paved the way for the first generation of modern dance professionals in China, including Shen Wei, who would later found his company, Shen Wei Dance Arts, at the ADF in 2000.

Lauded internationally in the field of modern dance for her tireless efforts and contributions, Ms. Yang has been included in the Roster of Chinese Dance History as one of the Most Outstanding Chinese Dance Educators.  She was honored for her “Outstanding Contribution to the Art of Dance in China” from China’s Federation of Literature and the Chinese Dancer’s Association and also received a John D. Rockefeller III Award.

Ms. Yang served as Director of Teaching and Research and Principal at the Guangdong Dance Academy and has held important positions at the Guangdong ATV Academy for Performing Arts, Beijing Dance Academy, College of Arts & Cultures in Guangdong Province, and the Shanghai Theater Academy.  In addition, Ms. Yang has served two terms as Director of the Chinese Dancer’s Association, Vice Chair for the Dancer’s Association/Guangdong Province, and was appointed as a member of the Guangzhou Municipal Arts Educational Committee.  Ms. Yang facilitated ADF/Shanghai and has served as a judge for the Tao Li Cup National Dance Competition and as a representative of the Jury of Education for the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation.

Past recipients of the Chair include Pearl Primus, Daniel Nagrin, Betty Jones, Bella Lewitzky, Anna Halprin, Donald McKayle, Bessie Schönberg, Matt Mattox, Pauline Koner, Viola Farber, Mary Anthony, Walter Nicks, Jane Dudley, Sophie Maslow, Pearl Lang, Martha Myers, Carmen de Lavallade, Gus Solomons, jr., Gerri Houlihan, Dr. Charles “Chuck” Davis, Linda Tarnay, Douglas Nielsen, Dianne McIntyre, Carolyn Adams, Sharon Kinney, and Ruth Andrien.

Performances during the ADF’s 77th season, What is Dance Theater?, will be presented at the Durham Performing Arts Center and Duke University’s Reynolds Industries Theater from June 10 – July 24, 2010. For detailed information about the 2010 Festival, the ADF School, community programs, and ticketing, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.  Individuals may learn more about the Festival by becoming a fan on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter.

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment.  ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

“There’s a piece for everyone in this show” says Soul Street co-founder Javier Garcia, describing Breakin’ Backwards, the show that will be performed at The ArtsCenter on April 17. “We’re dancing to the best music from each decade… from the Charleston to hip hop.” Musical selections include Leonard Bernstein, James Brown, Elvis Presley, Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, and more.  Appropriate for all ages, this show is certain to entertain and amaze with its creativity and technical precision.

In addition to their public performance, Soul Street Dance will perform in over a dozen area schools and lead workshops in two local after-school programs during their visit, reaching over 6,500 area youth. Through their educational activities, the group will teach about the history of hip-hop and emphasize the importance of making good choices. Comprised of male dancers formerly considered at-risk, the members of Soul Street convey important lessons on character education, and they share with the students how they found their focus through dance. The company’s eight-day residency is funded, in part, by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Breakin’ Backwards, the group’s public performance at The ArtsCenter on April 17, will take the audience on a trip through the decades and will showcase choreography not seen in the group’s school shows. Don’t miss out on this innovative and dynamic show!  Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for ArtsClub members, students and kids.  Children two and under are admitted free.

For tickets, please call The ArtsCenter’s Box Office at (919) 929-2787, ext. 201 or visit our website at www.ArtsCenterLive.org.

Excursions; photo by Nathaniel Brooks

The National Endowment for the Arts and the American Dance Festival today announced that the festival is seeking applicants for the 2010 NEA Arts Journalism Institute for Dance Criticism for professional print, online, radio, and television journalists. With support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the program, taking place June 19 to July 9, 2010, offers journalists immersion in one of the world’s premiere modern dance festivals, held on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

ADF Director Charles Reinhart encourages journalists to apply for the program.  “The Institute promises to be immensely rewarding—dance journalists from across our great nation will be immersed in the non-stop Festival environment and encounter like-minded professionals seeking to refine their craft.” The Institute also covers the expense of tuition, room, board, transportation, and tickets to performances.

The NEA Arts Journalism Institute for Dance Criticism is designed for professional journalists interested in refining their skills in writing about dance and analyzing choreography and has been a valuable asset in helping critics look at the dance world. During the 2010 institute, fellows will write reviews, observe classes, participate in movement sessions, meet with choreographers, funders, and other dance professionals, and analyze the role of today’s dance critic.

The list of world-class performances participants will see includes premieres by Brenda Angiel’s Aerial Dance Company from Argentina, Pilobolus, the innovative American company that will once again work with an outside collaborator, and a retrospective by Eiko & Koma. In addition, participants will view dance theater works by RUBBERBANDance Group, Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company, and premieres by Dendy Dancetheater and Martha Clarke. As members of the ADF community, accepted applicants will have ample opportunity to converse with the festival’s special guests, teachers, faculty, and choreographers.

Directing the sixth annual program is dance critic and historian Suzanne Carbonneau, whose writing has appeared in the Washington Post and the New York Times. Carbonneau holds a Ph.D. in performance studies from New York University.

Since 2004, more than 250 journalists from all 50 states have attended one of three NEA Arts Journalism Institutes: the dance institute at ADF, the institute for music and opera at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York, and the institute for theater and musical theater at USC Annenberg School for Communication in Los Angeles. Funded by a multimillion-dollar NEA initiative, the institutes offer intensive training for arts reporters and their editors, especially those who live and work outside the major cultural centers.

To apply, applicants must submit the following materials: a letter specifying reasons for wishing to attend the institute, a résumé, three samples of dance criticism, and two references with names, addresses, and phone numbers.  All applications must be received by Friday, April 16, 2010. For more information on the dance institute at ADF, please see:   http://www.americandancefestival.org/projects/artsJournalism.html

About the National Endowment for the Arts: The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts—both new and established—bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov.

About the ADF: Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment.  ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

The American Dance Festival (ADF) will announce its 77th season lineup and host a dance party on Friday, March 19th in downtown Durham at The Cotton Room at Golden Belt.  The 2010 ADF season, What is Dance Theater?, will officially be unveiled at 8:00pm by Charles L. Reinhart and Jodee Nimerichter, the ADF’s Director and Co-Director, with the assistance of a video montage, providing event participants the opportunity to learn which companies and choreographers will be presented this summer before anyone else. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to enjoy an informal dance showing by local youth participating in ADF Project Dance, win valuable door prizes (including a pair of season subscriptions), and dance the night away with fellow ADF fans.  Doors at the Cotton Room will open at 7:30pm. A cash bar and dining options will be available at Golden Belt.

The ADF is grateful for the support of (at press time): Our State, Pam & Isaac Green, Trinity Technical Services at Duke University, Downtown Durham, Inc., Habib Yazdi, Andrew Synowiez, and The Cotton Room at Golden Belt.

Performances during the ADF’s 77th season will be presented at the Durham Performing Arts Center and Duke University’s Reynolds Industries Theater from June 10 – July 24, 2010. Once the season is officially announced, detailed information about performances, the ADF School, community programs, and ticketing may be found online at www.americandancefestival.org. Individuals may learn more about the Festival by becoming a fan on Facebook and/or following the ADF on Twitter.

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment.  ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 77 years. www.americandancefestival.org

As part of the weekend celebration RDT has planned an alumni gathering Friday evening, a gala party on Saturday following the performance, and an alumni ballet class on Sunday.

Presenting Sponsor of the event is Catering Works. Alumni sponsors include Footlights, Releve Dancewear and Christin’s Cakes.

Raleigh Dance Theatre was founded in 1984 by Ann Vorus to provide pre-professional performance training, while promoting and fostering the art of dance in the community. It is an honor member company of Regional Dance America/Southeastern Regional Ballet Association.  RDT’s training program has a proven record of success, with alumni who have gone on to professional careers with Pennsylvania Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Carolina Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Aspen/Santa Fe Ballet and the New York City Ballet among others.

For more information about the Raleigh Dance Theatre, the 25th Anniversary Gala performances, or our outreach programs, please contact the company offices at (919) 834-1058, or visit its website at www.raleighdance.org.

International success has been achieved during the first tours and has been maintained through the fifty years of incessant artistic endeavors. Starting from the sixties, Amalia Hernández and the Ballet Folklórico de México have developed the choreographies for 40 ballets, composed of 76 folk dancers. The music, technical perfection, sophisticated wardrobe and original choreographies, create this singular character of the Ballet. Amalia Hernández and the Ballet Folklórico de México have been distinguished with more than 200 awards in recognition to their artistic merits.

The Ballet was initiated by performing a weekly program on television, sponsored by the Mexican government. Since the year of 1959 it is being permanently presented at the Palace of Fine Arts, foremost stage for Art Mexico City. The institution has two main artistic companies called The First Company and the Resident Company: both alternate tours and performances in Mexico and abroad. They have already performed more than five thousand presentations. The music, dance and costume of Mexican folklore combined with the talent of their artists have achieved national and international success.

Pilobolus, Salt Cellar: Photo by John Kane

The American Dance Festival (ADF) is now accepting applications for the 2010 ADF School, to be held from June 10 – July 25. The ADF School occurs in tandem with the Festival’s performance season and takes place on the campus of Duke University in Durham, NC. Applications are currently available online at www.americandancefestival.org.

Year after year, students and faculty come to the ADF to share in the modern dance tradition of collaboration and creative exploration.  The staff, faculty, and students are a diverse and eclectic group, ranging from students seeking an early artistic experience to those with an eye on the professional world. Comprised of over 400 students and 50 faculty from around the world, the ADF School trains the next generation of dance artists in one of the most innovative and challenging environments for summer dance study. “The ADF School provides the time and space for dance to happen in all its multiplicities. From studios and rehearsals, to performances and informal showings—the community of dance that forms around the ADF School is like no other,” said ADF Dean Donna Faye Burchfield.

Mark Dendy GoldenBelt, Photos by Monica Barco

The Six Week School offers over 40 classes per day, including modern and ballet technique, composition, improvisation, repertory, contemporary African, digital media, yoga, Pilates, voice and gesture, and music in addition to performance opportunities, informal showings, and dance seminars.  Within the Six Week School, the WFSS curriculum—presented on Wednesdays, Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays—offers additional ways for students to expand and deepen their interests. “I encourage my students to come to the ADF because I know they will have life-changing experiences that will shape their future and influence their thinking bodies, their moving bodies, and the artistic journey ahead of them,” said longtime ADF faculty member Gerri Houlihan.

Designed for students ages 12 –16, the Four Week School for Young Dancers offers core classes in modern and ballet technique, African dance styles, composition, improvisation, and repertory. Students are also exposed to different styles, such as hip-hop and tap. The program focuses on strengthening dance technique and fostering individual creativity for the emerging dancer.  “The ADF has opened my mind to a whole new aspect of dance.  It was a great experience that I really enjoyed and will always remember for the rest of my life,” lauds ADF School student Frankie Peterson.  The 2010 Four Week School will occur June 27 – July 24.

The ADF also offers a program for individuals who already have a career in dance.  Dance Professionals Workshop participants are invited to choose one of the available weeks to attend the Festival. Participants design their course schedules from the Six Week School curriculum. They can take classes, observe faculty and students from around the globe, view performances, and meet informally with faculty and members of the ADF community. This unique program allows participants to personalize their ADF experience according to their professional needs and interests.

ADF School scholarship auditions will occur in the following cities over the next three months.  Please visit www.americandancefestival.org for additional scholarship information.

• New York, NY
• Boston, MA
• Erie, PA
• Tempe, AZ
• Ogden, UT
• Stevens Point, WI
• Richmond, VA
• Urbana, IL
• Athens, OH
• Murfreesboro, TN
• Los Angeles, CA
• San Fransisco, CA
• Natchitoches, LA
• Durham, NC

Performances during the ADF’s 77th season will be presented at the Durham Performing Arts Center and Duke University’s Reynolds Industries Theater from June 10 – July 25, 2010.

For detailed information about the 2010 Festival, community programs, and ticketing, please visit www.americandancefestival.org.  Individuals may learn more about the Festival by becoming a Fan on Facebook and/or Following the ADF on Twitter.

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont, the ADF remains an international magnet for choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, critics, musicians, and scholars to learn and create in a supportive environment.  The ADF’s wide range of programs includes performances, artist services, humanities projects, publications, community outreach, educational programs and classes, archives, media projects, and national and international projects.  The ADF has been presenting the best in modern dance for over 75 years. www.americandancefestival.org

Attention Pilots of Airships and their Crews, Mad Scientists, Explorers of the Unknown, Admirers of Verbosity, Respecters of the Strange, Those Lost in the Throes of Opium or Absinthe, Teetotalers, Scallywags, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dandies, Fops, and Urchins…

Our next event will be on NEW YEAR’S EVE: Thursday December 31st, 2009. Hosted by the Davenport Sisters and featuring a live performance by Dexter Romweber & the New Romans. Jazz, Blues, Swing, Dark Cabaret, Gypsy Punk, & Dance music from times gone by or times that never were.

Music begins at 10pm
Admission: 18+, 21+ to Drink;
$10 without mask, $5 with mask
Appropriate Attire is Encouraged

MANSION 462
462 West Franklin Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
http://www.mansion462.com

For more information:
http://www.clockworkcabaret.com
http://www.myspace.com/theclockworkcabaret
http://www.myspace.com/theclockworkball

Gaspard Louis will teach a creative movement class for students 12-18 years old with at least one year of dance experience involving the techniques of contact improvisation and partnering. This class will also focus on balance and counter-balance technique that will enable students to be creative and to develop movement vocabularies that will help them acquire a better understanding and appreciation for the art of choreography.

Learn More!
Space is limited so register today!
Please call 919-684-6402 or email ADF[at]americandancefestival.org.

New York-based company to bring classical Chinese dance and music to Raleigh’s Progress Energy Center Memorial Auditorium during 2010 World Tour

Inspired by the spirit of an ancient culture, Shen Yun Performing Arts brings to life classical Chinese dance and music in a gloriously colorful and exhilarating show. With a seasoned company of dancers, singers, and musicians with an accompanying live orchestra, the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts returns to the Triangle on Saturday, January 16, 2010 for two shows at the Progress Energy Center Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh.  Ticket prices for the lively performance range from $29 to $119.  Tickets on sale through the venue box office and online at www.ncdivineshow.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available at all Ticketmaster outlets.

“We are thrilled to bring such a beautiful and inspiring performance to the Raleigh and Triangle community,” said Amy Cheng, President of the N.C. Falun Dafa Association, which is sponsoring the show.

“The show was a complete sell-out in Durham in December 2008 and audience feedback was fantastic,” Cheng said.  She said Shen Yun Performing Arts has played to numerous sold-out audiences around the world, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Shen Yun Performing Arts masterful choreography and graceful routines range from grand classical processions to ethnic and folk dances, with gorgeously costumed dancers moving in stunning synchronized patterns. Its themes are drawn from the pages of history as well as our world today.

State-of-the-art backdrops conjure celestial palaces and pastoral vistas, while groundbreaking music from a live orchestra combines the best of Chinese and Western composition. Taking inspiration from ancient heroic legends and modern courageous tales, the breathtaking beauty of Shen Yun Performing Arts is not to be missed.

“It was a tantalizing and fascinating evening that made me want to stay and see more. In a word, I was simply captivated.” —Paul Joseph Walkowski, publisher of OperaOnline.us

“ Visually stunning and emotionally uplifting.” —Play magazine

More information is available at: www.shenyunperformingarts.com

Raleigh Dance Theatre is hosting a party!

“Alice & Fancy Nancy” will be in attendance and cordially invite you to a
Tea Party at GAKS COFFEE HOUSE & TEA ROOM

Sunday, November 8th, 2009
Choice of two seatings: 2:30 p.m. or 4:30 p.m.

A full tea including sandwiches and desserts will be served as you mingle with the Storybook Characters.

Tickets are $24 per person for the tea

Ticket Information: 834-1058

Event sponsor: Gaks Coffee House & Tea Room. http://gakscoffeentea.com

About Raleigh Dance Theatre:
Raleigh Dance Theatre, affiliate company of the Raleigh School of Ballet, was founded in 1984 by Ann Vorus to provide performance training for qualified area dancers.  Under her artistic direction the company grew tremendously and gained local as well as regional recognition for its artistic excellence.  RDT’s milestones include Giselle in 1991 with the North Carolina Symphony in its inaugural Ballet Series and in 1993, acceptance into the pretigious Southeastern Regional Ballet Association as a performing member company. more…

http://www.raleighdance.org/

Last season, after a five-year absence, Carolina Ballet put Messiah back into its repertory for Thanksgiving weekend.  The company will present Messiah again this year November 25-29 at the Progress Energy Center of the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh.  However, after this season Messiah will be taken out of the repertory for several years.  The schedule of performances is as follows:

• Wednesday, November 25 at 8pm
• Friday, November 27 at 8pm
• Saturday, November 28 at 2pm and 8pm
• Sunday, November 29 at 2pm

Robert Weiss choreographed Act I of Messiah to the widely recognized and popular music of George Frideric Handel eleven years ago for Christmas 1998.  It was his first new work on the then fledgling Carolina Ballet.  From its premiere the company has performed Messiah with the North Carolina Master Chorale conducted by Alfred Sturgis.  That first year the ballet was scheduled for two performances but the production was such a success, a third performance was added at the last minute.  When the word was out about the additional show, patrons stood in line around Raleigh Memorial Auditorium to purchase tickets.  The next year Weiss completed Messiah and it remains today one of the most popular ballets in the company’s repertory.

In the program notes accompanying the first production, Robert Weiss said “I always felt that Handel’s majestic celebratory hymns lent themselves to dance.  Messiah has such lilting melodies and a great undercurrent of propulsive rhythms.” The News & Observer confirmed Weiss’ feelings by saying in its review “Let’s answer the main question right away, ‘can Handel’s Messiah be a ballet?’ Absolutely.”  The ballet brings the story of Christ to life through the singing, music and dance, and through tableaux taken from paintings of the great masters depicting the life of Christ.

There is something for everyone in Carolina Ballet’s production of Messiah.  Whether it is the dance, the music, the message, the athleticism of the dancers, the lighting, the costumes or all of the above, Messiah appeals to all ages.  One patron wrote to Carolina Ballet after a performance saying “there are scenes which will stay with me forever.  When last did a ballet make me laugh and cry in the same hour?”

Carolina Ballet presented Messiah in Hungary during 2002 when the company participated in the International Dance Festival in Budapest.  A critic from Belgrade wrote in her review of the production “the ballet’s essence is deeply ethical.  It is a celebration of human dignity, human generosity, freedom of thought and tolerance, both religious and political.” Jochen Schmidt said in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that Messiah “is touchingly old-fashioned and timeless at the same time – a ballet from the days when dancing still sought to help its audiences.” And in discussing the dancers he went on to say “there was an unqualified identification with roles and an unreserved absorption in the choreography of a kind scarcely seen any longer in Europe.”

In March 2008, Pennsylvania Ballet presented Robert Weiss’ Messiah at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia.  The critics were unanimous in their praise saying “it’s the best thing I have seen Pennsylvania Ballet perform in the last five years, and by itself, Act One stands as one of the best new works I’ve seen period.”

Tickets for Carolina Ballet’s Messiah may be purchased by calling the Carolina Ballet box office at 919 719-0900 or through Ticketmaster at 800 982-2787.  Tickets may also be purchased on line at www.carolinaballet.com.

Ticket prices range from $15-65 and there is a $10 student rush ticket one hour before the show.

After eleven seasons, Carolina Ballet, Inc. has taken its place among America’s premiere arts organizations.  Under the innovative direction of artistic director Robert Weiss, a talented company, fiscally responsible management and community support, Carolina Ballet exposes audiences to traditional ballet by legendary masters and new works of contemporary choreographers.  The company represents the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and ever-increasing quality of life experienced here in North Carolina.

Greek Food and Dance

Experience Greek traditions and cuisine at the 28th Annual Greek Festival, September 18 – 20 at The Expo Center, NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, NC.

Costumes

The Festival is sponsored by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and portions of the proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity.

Festival goers will hear live Greek music by the band “Zephyros” of Baltimore, MD and watch traditional folk dancers perform. Savory Greek entrees and pastries prepared from authentic recipes passed down through generations will be offered throughout the Festival. The Greek Marketplace will offer a variety of gifts including Greek artifacts, jewelry, Greek groceries, linens, original art and many other items. The Kafenion (Coffee Shop) will provide Greek coffee with loukoumathes and other home baked pastries. Local chefs will demonstrate the art of Greek Cooking.

Music

Contact info: Father Paul Kaplanis, 919-781-4548, frpaulk@msn.com
www.holytrinityraleigh.org

Tickets are $3, Seniors and 13-18 are $2 and children under 13 are free.

North Carolina Theatre is thrilled to close out its 2009 season with West Side Story, the musical drama about gang feuds in the slums of New York. The show will run Saturday, October 17th through Sunday, October 25th in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

Hailed by all of the New York and London critics as one of the major achievements in mid-century theatrical history, West Side Story is a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. The backdrop of the story is Manhattan, Tony and Maria are Romeo and Juliet. These star-crossed lovers are caught amidst racial tensions and violence as they struggle to stay together.

North Carolina Theatre has assembled an all-star cast for this production.

Josh Young

Josh Young stars as “Tony” in the production. He starred as “Tony” in the National and International Tours of West Side Story and also performed in the National and International Tours of Les Miserables.

Catherine Jones

Catherine Cheng Jones stars as “Maria.” Originally from North Carolina, Jones is known to NC Theatre audiences from her roles in Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar, Dreamgirls and Beauty and the Beast.

Leo Ash Evens has been cast as ‘Riff’ and in the West End and National Tour of West Side Story he also played “Riff.” Other National Tour credits include Disney’s on the Record, 42nd Street and Casper the Musical.

Asmeret Ghebremichael will play “ˆ” and has been in the Broadway productions Legally Blonde, Spamalot, Wicked and Footloose. She was also in the original company of In The Heights Off-Broadway and was in the World Premiere of A Little Princess.

Freddy Ramirez is cast as “Bernardo” and appeared in Grease on Broadway and in the National Tours of Grease, A Chorus Line, Peter Pan and Tangol.

West Side Story is “an overwhelming hit!” claims the New York Journal-American. With book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story is based on a dance-conception by Jerome Robbins, and the dance numbers are an outstanding element in the show.

Show Dates & Times

• October 17: 8PM
• October 18: 2PM
• October 20-23: 8PM
• October 24: 2 and 8PM
• October 25: 2 and 7PM

Ticket Information

Tickets are $26-$76 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Walk ups are also available at the North Carolina Theatre Box Office. For groups of 10 or more, please call 919-831-6941 x6944. For more information on West Side Story, please visit www.nctheatre.com.