Fall Guide: What’s coming up in dance
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
Soledad Barrio, Rennie Harris, Cynthia Oliver and more.
ContempraDANCE Theatre Co.
ContempraDANCE makes dance that appeals to adults and kids. Its performers exude pizzazz and exuberance, and their productions often present a colorful, eclectic slate of works. This event is no exception with selections that are jazzy (Exotic Birds), arty (Beyond Words) and wild and fun (Crash Course).
- Oct. 11-12, Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St., paintedbride.org.
Pennsylvania Ballet
Highly anticipated? That’s an understatement. This is the first program by PAB under its recently installed, much-heralded artistic director Ángel Corella. The guy’s still very new on the job, so don’t expect big differences yet, though the corps could well have a new spring in its steps for this collection of works by George Balanchine, Alexei Ratmansky and Christopher Wheeldon.
- Oct. 16-26, Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St., paballet.org.
BalletBoyz
Founded by two former Royal Ballet principal dancers, BalletBoyz offers something you don’t see much in concert dance: a buff all-male cast of varied training and background. It’s quite a mean feat how the Boyz combine classical, post-modern and contact-release forms in a manner that’s artistic, accessible and hot, hot, hot.
- Oct. 23-25, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut St., annenbergcenter.org.
Cynthia Oliver
Born in the Bronx and reared in the Virgin Islands, Oliver’s work bears a distinct Afro-Caribbean bent as she explores socio-political issues tied to what it means to be woman in today’s world. For her latest work, a duet titled BOOM! performed with Leslie Cuyjet, Oliver delivers an imaginative non-linear narrative about shifting realities between friends, family and past and future versions of oneself.
- Nov. 7-8, Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St., paintedbride.org.
Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company
When you consider the name, it comes as no surprise that Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company presents pieces that celebrate the individual and collective experience in humanistic fashion. Their dynamic 65-minute If at All is a splendid way to get acquainted with one of Israel’s top touring outfits making its Philadelphia debut.
- Nov. 13-15, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut St., annenbergcenter.org.
BalletX
Sharp, nimble and polished, BalletX has firmly established
it-self as the city’s premier contem-porary ballet company. The ensemble continues to challenge its audiences, and its dancers, by staging works created by adventurous choreographers from around the globe. Their fall pro-gram features works by three com-pany favorites: Jorma Elo, Mat-thew Neenan and Olivier Wevers.
- Nov. 19-23, Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad St., balletx.org.
Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca
Pure flamenco. No tricks, no gimmicks, no contemporizing. This is the real deal, direct from Spain, featuring Bessie Award-winning Soledad Barrio with top-notch singers and musicians. They are plaintive, visceral, soulful and sensuous.
- Nov. 20-23, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut St., annenbergcenter.org.
Rennie Harris & Michael Sakamoto
Rennie Harris’ Puremovement company regularly travels ’round the world, but opportunities to see the multi-awarded man himself perform are much rarer. It will be a special treat to see him live in the experimental duet, Flash, conceived as a dance conversation between two acclaimed artists with different dance vernaculars: African-American hip-hop and Butoh, a Japanese expressionist dance form.
- Dec. 12-13, Painted Bride Art Center, rhpm.org.
