Legends & Visionaries highlights infrequently performed masterpieces by legendary choreographers and new works from contemporary visionaries. In the October 2023 performances, New York Theatre Ballet is featuring legends David Gordon, Douglas Dunn and Merce Cunningham, alongside visionaries Amanda Treiber, Steven Melendez and David K. Israel.
A new work by NYTB Artistic Director Steven Melendez will be given its world premiere as part of NYTB’s “Letters to My Father” series. Set to commissioned music by David K. Israel played live on stage, Melendez’s work will feature costumes designed and executed by Carmella Lauer. NYTB’s “Letters to My Father” project is a multi-year, multidisciplinary commission of dance works all on the theme of male artists writing letters to their fathers. The project showcases new work built as collaborations between dance maker and composer (or writer, filmmaker or digital artist) to tell the varied stories of relationships between sons and fathers.
Roses (1990), choreographed by Douglas Dunn, will be given its NYTB Company Premiere this season. A work for two dancers, Roses (1990) is set to music by Sergei Rachmaninoff and staged for NYTB by Emily Pope and Timothy Ward. Roses (1990) received its world premiere in 1990 by New World Ensemble in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
A Plain Romance Explained/Keith’s Solo features choreography and text by David Gordon. A Plain Romance Explained/Keith’s Solo received its world premiere in 1984 in New York City. Staged for NYTB by Karen Graham, Gordon’s work is performed with permission from the Pick Up Performance Co.
Sideslip, set to music by Louis Andriessen and featuring artwork by visual artist Marcy Rosenblat, is choreographed by former NYTB Principal Dancer Amanda Treiber. A work for
four dancers, Sideslip received its world premiere on March 24, 2023 as part of Norte Maar’s Counterpointe10 in Brooklyn, New York.
Rounding out the Legends & Visionaries program is Merce Cunningham’s 1967 masterwork Scramble. A work for eight dancers, Scramble is set to music by Toshi Ichiyanagi (Activities for Orchestra) and features original costume design by Frank Stella, reconstructed by Carmella Lauer. Scramble is staged for NYTB by Jennifer Goggans.
