NewSteps, a choreographer’s series, will present five works by eight choreographers and collaborators. Part four highlights choreographer Molly Mingey. The remaining dance makers include Ryan Pliss, Deborah Gladstein/Helen Yee, Mary Grace McNally, Quinn Dixon and Bree Nasby. The series will take place May 11 through 13 at the Chen Dance Center 70 Mulberry Street. Continue reading
NewSteps, a choreographer’s series, will present five works by eight choreographers and collaborators. The emerging dance makers include Ryan Pliss, Deborah Gladstein/Helen Yee, Mary Grace McNally, Molly Mingey, Quinn Dixon and Bree Nasby. The series will take place May 11 through 13 at the Chen Dance Center 70 Mulberry Street. Continue reading
NewSteps, a choreographer’s series, will present five works by eight choreographers and collaborators. The emerging dance makers include Deborah Gladstein/Helen Yee, Mary Grace McNally, Molly Mingey, Quinn Dixon and Bree Nasby, and Ryan Pliss. The series will take place May 11 through 13 at the Chen Dance Center 70 Mulberry Street. Continue reading
NewSteps, a choreographer’s series, will present five works by eight choreographers and collaborators. The emerging dance makers include Mary Grace McNally, Molly Mingey, Quinn Dixon and Bree Nasby, Deborah Gladstein/Helen Yee and Ryan Pliss. The series will take place May 11 through 13 at the Chen Dance Center 70 Mulberry Street. Continue reading
By Walter Rutledge
Newsteps presented their 33rd bi-annual emerging choreographers showcase January 12 through January 14th at the Chen Dance Center, 70 Mulberry Street in Chinatown. Newsteps offers new and emerging dance makers the opportunity to develop and present works in a low pressure, nurturing environment. Each choreographer is given rehearsal space, an honorarium, mentoring from a member of the selection panel, and multiple (three) performances to give the works time to “find its own voice”.
NewSteps presented five works by six choreographers: Evelyn Chen, Christina Coleman, Quinn Dixon, Seneca Lawrence, Rashida Lyles and Matilda Sakamoto. The evening offered a varied array of artistic expression ranging from witty to prophetic. Each work was an original and oft-times personal statement expressed through movement.
Cat Diaries by Matilda Sakamoto started the evening with thought-provoking imagery appropriately offset with a dash of whimsy. Victor Lozano and Madalyn Segale opened with a series of tight, sporadic isolated upper body movement interrupted by a blackout. When the light returned a small mechanical cat waved at us before retreating into the darkness.
The blackout continued giving the abstract work an episodic feeling that contributed the overall thematic design. When Sakamoto joins the couple the imagery shifts into a series of interactions that suggest relationships. The strongly gesture driven section featured stationary frontal passages assisted by good use symmetry.
Rashida Lyles choreographed and performed 73/Eagle set to a collage of music including Maxwell, Sergio Mendes and Da Lata. Lyles presented a jazzy up-tempo solo celebration; that brought a little South American carnival heat to a wintery New York night. An amalgam of jazz, Samba and original ethnic inspired movement combined with playful theatrics created a fun yet inspirational work of female empowerment and self-esteem.
Mount, a collaborative work by performers and choreographers Evelyn Chen and Quinn Dixon, opened with Quinn seated upstage with Chen quickly entering from the stage door. The first section used focused and concise imagery that effectively manipulated time and space. Slow motion and stillness seemed to suspend time and provide the audience a clear focal point.
The ensuing movement conversation shifted from introspective to explosive with the introduction of music by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. The rock infused section became the main body of the work, and provided a total contrast to the opening section. Mount returned to the original theme for resolution leaving Quinn in solitude.
Here Often reminisced the first line of the Mary Tyler Moore Show “Who can turn the world on with her smile?” The trio, featuring choreographer Seneca Lawrence, Nicole Lemelin and Chisto Yanagisawa cleverly depicted female oppression. The imagery created an often tongue-in-cheek dancing protest toward the morass and stereotypes assigned to women.
The work had an Eisenhower era Barbara Billingsly Leave It To Beaver quality that evoked a robotic Stepford Wives mystique. Through series of tableaus Lawrence effectively made a powerful social statement using minimalism. The final section, set to George and Ira Gershwin’s Someone To Watch Over Me, had more lyric undertones while retaining the comedic/satirical thread.
Christina Coleman’s Hallowed closed the program with an ensemble work featuring nine dancers. Hallowed had a ritualistic theme that encompassed the tenets from many religions. Coleman presented an abstract narrative that addresses religious tolerance and confronts oppression. The finale featured a dancer downstage center clutching pages, which had been violent torn from a religious document, while softly chanting.
The Chen Dance Center clearly understands the importance of providing a nurturing, professional environment for new and emerging artists. Since 1994, Newstep has produced over 300 artists. For artists interested in presenting works in NewSteps visit chendancecenter.org.
By Walter Rutledge
The 2015 spring Newsteps held its biannual concert May 7th through May 9th at the Chen Dance Center. The series showcased five choreographers for three performances. Choreographers Jonathan Breton, Hannah Cohen, Bree Nasby, Janice Rosario, and Ashley Carter & Vanessa Martinez de Banos were selected through an open audition format. Each choreographer receive feedback from the panelists, a rehearsal space grant, an honorarium, and one on one mentoring with an adviser, which culminated in three public performances.
Hannah Cohen presented a duet entitled Genesis. The work opened with performers Brianna Dixon and Ricky Wenthen intertwined in a sculpted posed. The duet developed the opening tableau into a series of shared weight balanced movement. Cohen’s use of symmetry became a successful device, which enhanced the overall choreographic design.
It girl choreographed and performed by Bree Nasby begin facing upstagewith an isolated movements. Set to an electronic score by Rex the Dog the work quickly turned the isolations into simulated robotic movement phrases. The introduction of a less controlled middle section became the work saving grace. The undulating declaration subtly reverted back to the opening theme to conclude the work.
Janice Rosario presented Unlea(she)d, a cleanly crafted quartet. Performed by Kara Kaplan, Sofia Kezevadze, Deanne Martinez and Rosario, the work had a lyric quality that was occasionally punctuated with bursts of staccato passages. Rosario’s use of theme and development, canon against unison, level and symmetry/asymmetry helped to create a good architectural work with strong design elements.
Jonathan Breton designed his solo work Memories in two sections. The opening section had an abstract narrative feeling, the story of unrequited moved through a blend of ballet, modern and gestural movement. Breton performed with technical confidence and a free unencumbered port de bra. The work ended with Breton retrograding the choreography, performing the movement in reverse to end in the opening pose.
During the transition a shirt left in a center spotlight anchored the sections. The lights dimmed and Breton reappeared bare-chested sequestered in an expansive orange skirt-like drape. A sense of emotional resolve and introspection, echoed through the contrast in the movement, which was all performed without standing.
The program ended with Rights & Rites choreographed by Ashley Carter and Vanessa Martinez de Banos. Dancers Jaclyn Birkner, Jen Chiang, KP, Sofia Sereno, Mikki Shoji and Katie Sloan performed the physical choreography with the proper attack. The choreography relied heavily on unison, which as the central choreographic device has its pros and cons.
Unison provides a power from the en mass movement, but it also requires precision and structural disciple to create climaxes and anti-climaxes throughout the work. Without a strong structure the work will become “one-note” and will not have that rollercoaster effect needed for sustained unison. In this case the work would have benefited from more structural diversity.
Newsteps continues the tradition of nurturing emerging choreographers with an emphasis on process. The series holds auditions twice the next scheduled for October 7, 2015. Choreographers interested in applying contact Chen Dance Center at (212) 349-0438.
By Walter Rutledge
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
Ghanaian artist Paa Joe has brought some of New York City’s most iconic motifs to life. As part of Superhouse NYC’s inaugural “Celestial City” exhibition, the multidisciplinary artist served up a handful of lifesize sculptures of the city’s signature signage, including pizza boxes, taxi cabs, bagels and of course, rats. 120 Walker Street, 6RGhanaian artist Paa Joe has brought some of New York City’s most iconic motifs to life. As part of Superhouse NYC’s inaugural “Celestial City” exhibition, the multidisciplinary artist served up a handful of lifesize sculptures of the city’s signature signage, including pizza boxes, taxi cabs, bagels and of course, rats. 120 Walker Street, 6R
The Dance of the Village Elders are back ! This time we exercise, dance and just have fun through the zoom platform or in-person at R.A.I.N. Nereid Ghanaian artist Paa Joe has brought some of New York City’s most iconic motifs to life. As part of Superhouse NYC’s inaugural “Celestial City” exhibition, the multidisciplinary artist served up a handful of lifesize sculptures of the city’s signature signage, including pizza boxes, taxi cabs, bagels and of course, rats. 120 Walker Street, 6RGhanaian artist Paa Joe has brought some of New York City’s most iconic motifs to life. As part of Superhouse NYC’s inaugural “Celestial City” exhibition, the multidisciplinary artist served up a handful of lifesize sculptures of the city’s signature signage, including pizza boxes, taxi cabs, bagels and of course, rats. 120 Walker Street, 6RGhanaian artist Paa Joe has brought some of New York City’s most iconic motifs to life. As part of Superhouse NYC’s inaugural “Celestial City” exhibition, the multidisciplinary artist served up a handful of lifesize sculptures of the city’s signature signage, including pizza boxes, taxi cabs, bagels and of course, rats. 120 Walker Street, 6RGhanaian artist Paa Joe has brought some of New York City’s most iconic motifs to life. As part of Superhouse NYC’s inaugural “Celestial City” exhibition, the multidisciplinary artist served up a handful of lifesize sculptures of the city’s signature signage, including pizza boxes, taxi cabs, bagels and of course, rats. 120 Walker Street, 6R
The Dance of the Village Elders are back ! This time we exercise, dance and just have fun through the zoom platform or in-person at R.A.I.N. Nereid Ghanaian artist Paa Joe has brought some of New York City’s most iconic motifs to life. As part of Superhouse NYC’s inaugural “Celestial City” exhibition, the multidisciplinary artist served up a handful of lifesize sculptures of the city’s signature signage, including pizza boxes, taxi cabs, bagels and of course, rats. 120 Walker Street, 6RGhanaian artist Paa Joe has brought some of New York City’s most iconic motifs to life. As part of Superhouse NYC’s inaugural “Celestial City” exhibition, the multidisciplinary artist served up a handful of lifesize sculptures of the city’s signature signage, including pizza boxes, taxi cabs, bagels and of course, rats. 120 Walker Street, 6R