It’s the last hour of an exhausting, all-day Ailey II rehearsal. Troy Powell, the company’s artistic director, has just called for a five-minute break. But the dancers, busy fine-tuning Powell’s lyrical The External Knot, don’t even pause. Instead, their voices lower, and they continue working out the difficult choreography on their own. So much for […]
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The days are growing shorter and chillier here in NYC, and whether we’re ready or not, winter is coming. (Please, no more polar vortexes this year!) But don’t let yourself get down in the dumps about the frigid months ahead. Instead, think of all the fun things about winter: hot cocoa, snow days, family time…and […]
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s most recognizable work is Ailey’s Revelations—a masterpiece that’s been performed continuously since its premiere in 1960. Sylvia Waters, former artistic director of Ailey II, coached AAADT dancer Fana Tesfagiorgis through the opening steps of the haunting first section, “I Been ‘Buked.” (Rosalie O’Connor) About Revelations: “Alvin was inspired by his […]
Fleet in Piazzolla Caldera (photo by Tom Caravaglia) Michelle Fleet makes intricate choreography look as natural as breathing. A 12-year veteran of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Fleet morphs to fit each work in Taylor’s diverse repertory: She’s sweetly innocent in the lyrical Esplanade, strong and sensual in the fiery Piazzolla Caldera. Born in the […]
On April 18, 1970, in lower Manhattan, a man walked down the side of a building. Super casual. Can you imagine what the unsuspecting passersby must have thought? I’m thinking something along the lines of “That man is jumping off a building—someone save him!” Hopefully any initial panic subsided once onlookers realized that the man […]
Want to land a spot with Gallim Dance or Alonzo King LINES Ballet? You’d better head to modern class. But if you’re new to the style, don’t freak out! Just as ballet relies on a specific vocabulary, much of modern choreography also stems from a group of fundamental movements. DS spoke with master teachers to […]
Laura Halzack and Robert Kleinendorst in Paul Taylor’s Mercuric Tidings (by Tom Caravaglia) Think bunheads don’t belong in Graham class? Think again! Modern dance is one of the few truly American art forms, and its various techniques can benefit dancers of all persuasions. We got some pros in the know to debunk five negative myths […]