Dance Celebration presents the NeXt Generation of Dance Superstars

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 4, 2011 MEDIA CONTACT: LAUREN SAUL Marketing & Communications Manager Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts 215.573.8537 lasaul@ac.upenn.

1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 4, 2011 MEDIA CONTACT: LAUREN SAUL Marketing & Communications Manager Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts JPEG images available upon request Dance Celebration presents the NeXt Generation of Dance Superstars Larry Keigwin + Company (JAN 20-22), Monica Bill Barnes & Company and Kate Weare Company (FEB 10-12), and Aszure Barton & Artists (May 5-7) NeXt Generation ticket package see all three performances for only $60! (Philadelphia, January 4, 2011) The second half of the 2010/11 Dance Celebration Series presented by Dance Affiliates and The Annenberg Center highlights four sought-after choreographers in their Philadelphia debuts Larry Keigwin, Monica Bill Barnes, Kate Weare and Aszure Barton all poised to become the next generation of legendary dancemakers. Along with their companies, the choreographers will present new work that reflects the current style, taste and beat of contemporary dance. For tickets or for more information, please visit AnnenbergCenter.org or call Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Annenberg Center Box Office located at 3680 Walnut Street or online at For a limited time, ticket buyers have the opportunity to purchase the NeXt Generation package and see all three performances in an orchestra level seat for only $60, a savings of more than $50! To purchase this special offer, call the Annenberg Center Box Office at or visit Keigwin + Company (January 20-22, 2011) If you miss this hoot of a performance, you only have yourself to blame. Metro New York Larry Keigwin and his seven-member dance troupe make their Philadelphia debut with the full-length piece Elements, a work comprised of four suites set to an eclectic score that ranges from Classical to New Wave to hip-hop and certain to have audiences laughing uproariously. Each suite is inspired by one of nature s basic building blocks: Earth, Water, Fire and Air. The Water suite s four dances Shower, Sea, Spa, and Splash feature white towel-clad dancers whose dancing ranges from campy to synchronized and lyrical while using props like water bottles. Earth is expressed through dances named after varying forms of lizards -

2 NeXt Generation of Dance Superstars at the Annenberg Center Page 2 Gecko, Chameleon, Dragon, and Iguana with company members dressed in fall-colored, mixed plaid patterns flicking their tongues and leaping and crawling across the stage. The vignettes of the Air suite are Fly, Float, Breeze, and Wind and feature pilots, flight attendants and balloons. Fire thrills and sizzles with Flicker, Simmer, Burn, and Flame, set to music that ranges from Patsy Cline s Crazy to the hip-hop song Walk It Out by Unk, with dancers mimicking the unpredictable nature of the element. Keigwin began dancing 20 years ago, playing himself a dance-crazed teenager in Downtown Julie Brown's "Club MTV," a funky remake of "American Bandstand." He has choreographed not only for prestigious companies like Martha Graham, but also for the Rockettes and rousing musicals like The Wild Party. In 2010, Keigwin was named the Vail International Dance Festival s first artist in residence, during which time he created and premiered a new work with four of ballet s most prominent stars. He most recently staged the opening event of Fashion Week: Fashion s Night Out: The Show, which was produced by Vogue and featured over 150 of the industry s top models strutting in formation around the fountain and plaza at Lincoln Center. He formed Keigwin + Company in 2003 and has performed with Dendy DanceTheater and Doug Varone and Dancers. Keigwin + Company performances take place on Thursday, January 20 at 7:30 PM; Friday, January 21 at 8:00 PM and Saturday, January 22 at 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM. Tickets are $24-$42 (afternoon performances) $28-$48 (evening performances). Monica Bill Barnes & Company and Kate Weare Company (February 10-12, 2011) Two of New York s boldest troupes, Monica Bill Barnes & Company and Kate Weare Company, take to the Zellerbach stage to present a shared evening of two contemporary dance works that are both original and theatrically striking Bill Barnes witty parody Another Parade and Weare s Bright Land. Monica Bill Barnes is one of the wittiest young choreographers around she can stir your heart as well as make you laugh. The Village Voice Another Parade showcases the many different things performers do on stage to engage an audience. The troupe of four dancers attempt ever conceivable mode of entertainment through symbolic actions, poses, gestures, mugging and miming, performed to a soundtrack that alternates Bach with James Brown and a variety of other popular music by Barbara Streisand, Tina Turner and Elvis. Originally planning on pursuing a career in law, Bill Barnes began her company as a company of one in 1995 in New York City and rapidly began building a reputation with a series of evening-long works, cabaret numbers and inventive site-specific pieces. Weare s Bright Land is "idiosyncratic, original, theatrically striking... The New York Times Bright Land, a series of dances set to a score of old time music by the San Francisco-based band, The Crooked Jades, provides a stark yet complementary contrast to Another Parade. Featuring a quartet of dancers, two men and two women, and a trio of musicians, the piece explores the cyclical nature of human experiences kinship, belief, suffering and transcendence. Weare gets under the skin of movement with almost surgical

3 NeXt Generation of Dance Superstars at the Annenberg Center Page 3 exactness, inflames it, and then makes it glow with a strange, yet familiar light. No one else is making work quite like hers (The Village Voice). As a choreographer, Weare has been commissioned by Jacob's Pillow and received the 2009 Princess Grace Award for Choreography. In the summer 2010, Kate Weare Company and Monica Bill Barnes debuted at the Joyce Theater. Performances by Monica Bill Barnes & Company and Kate Weare Company take place on Thursday, February 10 at 7:30 PM; Friday, February 11 at 8:00 PM and Saturday, February 12 at 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM. Tickets are $24-$42 (afternoon performances) $28-$48 (evening performances). Aszure Barton & Artists (May 5-7, 2011) Boston Globe "A rare accomplishment in the world of contemporary dance. Barton's alarmingly original voice resounds with a thwack." The Canadian choreographer Aszure Barton is already one of the most promising and consistently commissioned young choreographers in modern dance and ballet. At only 35, she has already created works for established groups like American Ballet Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, celebrated dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov as well as choreographed the Broadway revival production of Threepenny Opera. She is the Resident Choreographer for Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal and she has been an Artist-in-Residence at the Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) since In 2002, she formed Aszure Barton & Artists, presenting her first piece at a deli on 42nd Street in New York City. Barton s 2009 work Busk, which recently received rave reviews and an extended run at the Jerome Robbins theatre in New York, is set to a soundtrack of Russian gypsy music by Russian violinist and composer Lev Ljova Zhurbin and performed live by Ljova + the Kontraband as well as a powerful selection of world sound including choir music from Sweden s Orphei Drangar. The word busk comes from the Spanish root word buscar, meaning "to seek"; buskers (another word for street performers) literally seek the fantasy of fame and fortune. Busk opens with video imagery of trees, which soon gives way to bare stage. In another poignant scene, the dancers wear hooded robes and pile in a clump to a chant-like chorus, moving their heads and hands in precise, witty choreography. Of Busk Barton has said that it is some of her most personal work, touching on her own insecurities onstage, but also exploring the need of performers to put themselves on display and explore the sources of self-worth: external group praise or our own internal affirmation. In addition to the 37-minute work Busk, Barton s program with include another work from her repertory. Aszure Barton & Artists performances take place on Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 PM; Friday, May 6 at 8:00 PM and Saturday, May 7 at 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM. Tickets are $24-$42 (afternoon performances) $28-$48 (evening performances). Under the artistic direction of Randy Swartz, Dance Celebration maintains its tradition of bringing Philadelphia audiences the world s best contemporary touring dance companies. This season, Superstars of Dance, Today and Tomorrow, pays homage to the great masters of dance while exploring new voices who challenge the status quo and reflect the style, taste and beat of the 21st century. Mr. Swartz notes about the next generation of dance superstars. It s new, hot and happening but it is also unknown. Such is the difficulty in

4 NeXt Generation of Dance Superstars at the Annenberg Center Page 4 presenting new artists. If you take the time, you will be doubly rewarded with making a fabulous new discovery and having an extraordinary night in the theatre. In addition to performances, all three companies will offer outreach activities including a master class as part of the Artist to Artist Series and a special school performance as part of Dance Celebration s Student Discovery Series. For more information about the Artist to Artist Series call ext. 110 or visit For more information about the Student Discovery Series, call or visit The presentations of Keigwin + Company, Monica Bill Barnes & Company and Kate Weare Company, and Aszure Barton & Artists are supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Significant funding for the Dance Celebration season is provided by the William Penn Foundation and also in part by The Connelly Foundation, Samuel S. Fels Fund, Friends of Dance (Affiliates), Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Maurice Rohrbach Fund, Swiss American Cultural Exchange and the Virginia C. Mulconroy Fund of The Philadelphia Foundation. Dance Celebration Founded by Artistic Director Randy Swartz, Dance Celebration is the Greater Philadelphia region's major contemporary dance series and a nationally-recognized leader in its field. For the past 28 seasons, Dance Celebration has been a collaboration between Dance Affiliates and Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The 2010/11 season, titled Superstars of Dance, Today and Tomorrow, juxtaposes blockbuster dance companies with hot, new talent emerging on the dance scene. Throughout its illustrious history, Dance Celebration has had ancillary series including the edgy NextMove Festival ( ), the groundbreaking Monday Night Series ( ), and numerous special events ( ). Nikolais Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Pilobolus Dance Theater and Murray Louis Dance Company launched the inaugural season at Annenberg Center in 1983, followed in subsequent years by modern dance legends Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, Alvin Ailey, Bella Lewitsky and Jose Limón. The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts The University of Pennsylvania s Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts has been the region's leading multi-disciplinary performance venue for theatre, dance, jazz, world music, new music and children s programming since its inception in The Annenberg Center s curatorial vision emphasizes four primary values: artistic integrity, cultural diversity, curatorial balance and a willingness to take risks. By presenting worldrenowned and cutting edge artists and companies who express adventuresome perspectives on contemporary issues, timeless ideas and diverse cultures, the Annenberg Center promotes critical thinking and dialogue among its audiences, creating a uniquely rewarding arts experience. Throughout its history, the Annenberg Center has presented innovative and critically-acclaimed theatre productions with some of the biggest stars of stage and screen including Liv Ullmann and Sam Waterston in A

5 NeXt Generation of Dance Superstars at the Annenberg Center Page 5 Doll's House, A Streetcar Named Desire with Glenn Close, Jessica Tandy in Beckett's Not I, and Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth with Irene Worth and Christopher Walken. University of Pennsylvania alumnus and noteworthy Broadway producer and director Harold Prince staged many of his plays at the Annenberg Center before taking them to Broadway. CALENDAR EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: Keigwin + Company Elements Thursday, January 20 at 7:30 PM Friday, January 21 at 8:00 PM Saturday, January 22 at 2:00 PM Saturday, January 22 at 8:00 PM Zellerbach Theatre at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Having grown up watching MTV, Larry Keigwin is the dance world s choreographer-of-the-moment, ready to hit the big time, famous for his pop sensibilities, unflinching showmanship and an uncanny sense of humor. Keigwin + Company makes its Philadelphia debut with Elements. Exploring fire, water, air and earth, this full-length production fuses concert dance, camp and cabaret into a wondrous concoction that tickles the funny bone and entertains. Expect buffoonery, slapstick, sleight of hand and a dose of sweet seriousness. Keigwin is a new voice with an accessible and approachable vocabulary, and according to the New York Times, he achieves astonishing feats of dancing and is a parcel of pure explosive energy mediated by impressive technical skills. Be prepared to fall in love! These performances are part of the Dance Celebration series, presented by Dance Affiliates and the Annenberg Center. Media support provided by Philadelphia Weekly. Tickets: $24-$42 (afternoon performances) $28-$48 (evening performances). For tickets or for more information please visit AnnenbergCenter.org or call Monica Bill Barnes & Company and Kate Weare Company Thursday, February 10 at 7:30 PM Friday, February 11 at 8:00 PM Saturday, February 12 at 2:00 PM Saturday, February 12 at 8:00 PM Zellerbach Theatre at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Two of New York s boldest and most audacious troupes, Monica Bill Barnes & Company and Kate Weare Company, make their Dance Celebration debut in a shared program celebrating humor, individuality and the complexities of human nature. One of the wittiest choreographers around, (The Village Voice), Barnes uses the nuances and theatricality of everyday life for her whimsical works that leave audiences laughing. Barnes company will be performing Another Parade, a go for broke, all out dance event that straddles awkward and debonair while celebrating the singular, exhilarating experience of being on stage. Known for her fierce physicality and emotionally-driven dances about partnerships and loneliness, Weare paints on a large scale, exploring love, power, and womanhood." (San Francisco Chronicle) Exploring the cyclical nature of human

6 NeXt Generation of Dance Superstars at the Annenberg Center Page 6 experiences kinship, belief, suffering and transcendence through piercing, powerful choreography and fiery, soulful live music, Weare s work Bright Land will come alive to the sounds of old time music, pulling the audience into an intimate and shared live experience while speaking directly to the issues facing Americans throughout history and today. Disclaimer: Following joint successful engagements at The Joyce Theater and The American Dance Festival, this program replaces Dendy DanceTheater cancelled due to medical issues. These performances are part of the Dance Celebration series, presented by Dance Affiliates and the Annenberg Center. Tickets: $24-$42 (afternoon performances) $28-$48 (evening performances). For tickets or for more information please visit AnnenbergCenter.org or call Aszure Barton & Artists Busk Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 PM Friday, May 6 at 8:00 PM Saturday, May 7 at 2:00 PM Saturday, May 7 at 8:00 PM Zellerbach Theatre at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Mesmerizing, dense, invigorating and compelling are just some of the adjectives that describe this fascinating company. Awarded the City of Edmonton s prestigious Ambassador for Contemporary Choreography Award, Aszure Barton is in huge demand having created works for Hubbard Street, American Ballet Theatre, Mikhail Baryshnikov, the National Ballet of Canada, Sydney Dance Company and Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal as well as the Broadway production of Three Penny Opera. Barton makes her Philadelphia debut with the premiere of Busk, a full-length work inspired by street performers (buskers) featuring street hoofers, hooded monks, compelling video projections and an evocative score by composer and violinist Lev Ljova Zhurbin. Using the idiosyncratic movement of her virtuoso dancers, Barton creates a psychological portrait riveting with humor, sadness, zaniness and unpredictability. Join us and discover this new bright light for yourself! These performances are part of the Dance Celebration series, presented by Dance Affiliates and the Annenberg Center. Tickets: $24-$42 (afternoon performances) $28-$48 (evening performances). For tickets or for more information please visit AnnenbergCenter.org or call For further press information or to set up interviews, please contact: Lauren Saul, Marketing & Communications Manager, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts phone: ; lasaul@ac.upenn.edu # # #

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BodyVox : Photo Courtesy Derrin Battles 2017 2018 SUBSCRIPTION SERIES 8 companies 40 performances. Amazing subscriber benefits. Season of Wow Become a Super Subscriber Get an entire season of cutting-edge