Why it’s called American Street Dancer
Books are banned, DEI scuttled, and Africanist studies scaled back. Yet, the irrepressible spirit of African American artists is not extinguished.
Continua a leggereWorld-class review of ballet and dance.
En Chalant,” Richmond Ballet artistic director Ma Cong said at the opening night of the company’s Studio Finale series on September 17th, “is the opposite of nonchalant.” It’s the title of his world premiere—Ma’s 11th for Richmond Ballet but his first as the company’s artistic director. (Founding artistic director Stoner Winslett passed the torch to Ma in July after helming the company for 44 years.)
The company’s new works festival used to be called “Studio Series.” This program, a two-piece bill with Ma’s new work and Val Caniparoli’s “What’s Going On”—is a finale because the company will be moving to its new home, the renovated theater at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, in 2025.
But enough milestones. Ma wishes us an evening full of “chalance” as he leaves the stage and the lights dim.
Performance
Place
Words
Books are banned, DEI scuttled, and Africanist studies scaled back. Yet, the irrepressible spirit of African American artists is not extinguished.
Continua a leggere“Lists of Promise,” a new work currently in a two-week run from March 13- 30 at the East Village cultural landmark, Theater for the New City, promised more than it delivered, at least for now.
Continua a leggere“State of Heads” opens with a blaze of white light and loud clanking onto a white-suited Levi Gonzalez, part Elvis, part televangelist addressing his congregation. A pair of women sidle in—Rebecca Cyr and Donna Uchizono—dressed in ankle-length white dresses and cowered posture.
Continua a leggereThe late John Ashford, a pioneer in programming emerging contemporary choreographers across Europe, once told me that he could tell what sort of choreographer a young artist would turn into when watching their first creations.
Continua a leggere
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