Dudley Williams: The Consummate Artist

By Walter Rutledge

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In 2004 I had the first opportunity to work with Dudley Williams. It was shortly before he retired from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater after his 40-year association with the company, which included being a muse to founder Alvin Ailey. Now ten years later I have worked with him every time an opportunity presented itself.  This spring season I have the distinct honor to work with Dudley on two different projects. Continue reading

Sidra Bell Dance New York Will Premiere garment This Week

By Walter Rutledge

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Sidra Bell Dance New York will premiere garment during the second week of their New York season Thursday, May 15 through Sunday, May 18 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Ave at 25th Street. This is the second New York premiere by choreographer and Artistic Director Sidra Bell during the company’s New York season. Tickets are $25 and are available at baruch.cuny.edu.

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On Monday, May 12, we sat down with Sidra to discuss a wide range of topics. These included a conversation about her new work garment, her choreographic process, and her artistic vision. If you haven’t experienced the art of Sidra Bell and the artistry of Sidra Bell Dance New York this week will be an excellent opportunity. For our readership outside of New York Out and About NYC Magazine will stream the performance live on Sunday, May 18 at 7pm.

 

 

 

NEWSTEPS a choreographer’s series at Chen Dance Center

By Walter Rutledge

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The Chen Dance Center presented NEWSTEPS a choreographer’s series for three performances Thursday, May 8 through Saturday, May 10. Fives emerging choreographers were selected to present new works; each choreographer was given rehearsal space and feedback from the selection panel. The extremely audience friendly one-hour performance was presented in the center’s intimate theater; which provided an ideal environment for the budding dance makers to present their work. Continue reading

11/29/17 O&A NYC DANCE: Rudolf Nureyev and Zizi Jeanmaire: Le Jeune Homme et La Mort by Roland Petit (1966)

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Le Jeune Homme et La Mort was choreographed by Roland Petit  choreographed in 1946 to Bach’s Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582, with a one-act libretto by Jean Cocteau. It tells the story of a Young Man driven to suicide by his faithless lover. Sets were by George Wakhevitch and costumes variously reported as being by Karinska or Cocteau. Continue reading

(Repost) 4/1/14 O&A NYC DANCE: Martha Graham – Appalachian Spring and Rite of Spring

By Walter Rutledge

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The recent all too-short season of the Martha Graham Dance Company at New York City Center was a resounding artistic success. The company performed two programs of Graham classics and stunning new works by Nacho Duato and Andonis Foniadakis. The Saturday March 22 evening program included two Graham classics Appalachian Spring (1944) and Rite of Spring (1984).  Both works reinforced the fact that Graham was not only as a master craftsman, but also as an artist with a strong sense of classic form, structure and design. Continue reading