Dance Affiliates

reMix

by Randy Swartz, Artistic Director

All things MOMIX arrive at the Annenberg Center May 17^th – 20^th as the final curtain falls on the 2011/2012 season.  Dr. Moses Pendleton (having received an honorary doctorate from the University of the Arts) has concocted a mix, well a reMix as he calls it, of famous excerpts from his full length works along with dazzling new material.  This dance stew has been playing to standing ovations for the past four months and I am told is about as much fun as you can legally have in a theater.

MOMIX is athletic, funny, magical, innovative, playful, and engages your inner child.  A treat for the entire family, MOMIX provides a tongue in cheek and a wink for the more urbane.

Moses and his crew will also engage in conversation following every performance in the lobby.  We did this two years ago and it felt like a stand up routine at a comedy club.  The audience loved the up close and personal touch.

Our 30^th anniversary season was announced and already 80% of last year’s subscribers have renewed.  There is a great deal being offered that gets you eight performances for the price of six.  Besides discounts to other events, and the best seating, you get another benefit that frankly blows my mind.  You can not only exchange your ticket, with no penalty, for another performance, you can exchange your ticket for any other performance that takes place at the Annenberg Center.    That’s like being engaged and dating on the side!

I can’t think of any other performing arts institution that is making that kind of offer.  Want to have your cake and eat it too?  No, I really mean it, literally.

Those of you who have already subscribed, and those who do it now through the MOMIX engagement, will receive the gift of a personalized chocolate cake to die for!  A sweet deal and a sweet.  Can’t ask for anything more.  Pick up your gift immediately following the performance.

Call the Annenberg box office to subscribe at 215-898-3900.  Check out next season online at www.danceaffiliates.org or www.annenbergcenter.org.

Brazilian Dance and Next Year

by Randy Swartz, Artistic Director

No one on the planet moves like Brazilian dancers.  I know it has something to do with the hips, but it is also about an attitude and the way that every move exudes an earthy sensuality.

Dance Brazil is all of that and Capoeira the martial arts dance form that puts combatant dancers in harm’s way and the audience on the edge of their seats.

This is not a folkloric company, yet there are many elements that reflect the diverse influences and nature of the country.  It is not ballet or contemporary dance as we might define it.  It is a fusion and profusion of movement, color, bravura, beauty and style…. and those hips and how they strut with a grace you could only call Brazilian.    It is exotic and hypnotic and a joy to behold.  On Friday, March 23, tickets buyers will get a free “taste of Brazil” prior to the 8pm performance as Brazilian appetizers will be offered in the lobby.  Food for the soul and stomach all for the price of a ticket.  Performances will be held at the Annenberg Center, 37 & Walnut Streets, Thursday, March 22 at 7:30PM, Friday, March 23 at 8PM and on Saturday, March 24 at 2PM and 8PM.  Get your tickets online at www.annenbergcenter.org or call the box office at 215-898-3900.

Next year’s Dance Celebration marks its thirtieth anniversary at Annenberg Center.  This special season will be made available to current subscribers and single ticket holders for ridiculously inexpensive early bird pricing.  Don’t miss out on this opportunity.  More information on next season, next time, or get in touch with the Annenberg Center at the end of the month.

The New Year

by Randy Swartz, Artistic Director

The Philadelphia Orchestra’s New Year’s Eve concert was themed around dance, so they called upon Dance Affiliates to partner with them, and thus my New Year’s Eve day was filled with logistics, rehearsals, and ultimately a wonderful performance. We secured two world-class ballroom couples and an extraordinary tapper that helped raise Verizon Hall’s roof.

While sitting in anticipation of the concert’s start, a couple of patrons in the row in front turned around and asked me if I was going to talk from the stage. Obviously Dance Celebration patrons, I told them we were there for the orchestra and that all the talking would be done by the conductor. After the performance they gave a thumbs up on the way out. We were also greeted by other Dance Celebration patrons attending that night who expressed appreciation of the evening’s festivities.

The next day, I took my wife out for our annual New Year’s Day brunch. On our way out, a hoard of Mummers fresh from hours of marching descended on the eatery, to, shall I guess, imbibe some adult beverages?
There is nothing that can adequately describe grown men in green and silver clown outfits with their mascara running coming at you en masse. At the door, two broke away from the rest and descended upon us. One clasped my hand and said, ‘Keep bringing all those wonderful dance companies to Philly. Dance Celebration is very important to us.’

Orchestra patrons, not much of a reach, but Mummers? Bless everyone who supports our efforts to bring the best of the best in dance. And lo and behold, coming February 9-11 is Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company from Israel, performing its signature work Oyster. It is Cirque du Soleil meets Tim Burton in a surreal world of acrobatic dancers, ballerinas, and clowns. It will delight and amuse one and all. Tickets are available at the Annenberg Center Box Office, 215-898-3900, or online at AnnenbergCenter.org.

Redhead on the Move

by Randy Swartz, Artistic Director

Wisps of red hair crept out behind a knit hat as the young lady emerged from a car at 7am in front of the studios of WMMR radio.  Just off the red eye from Los Angeles, Anna Trebunskaya, one of the professional dancers on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, was about to embark on a fourteen hour media and teaching blitz in Philadelphia.  Following the hour-long funfest at WMMR, she was off to Fox TV where in the green room she transformed herself into the glamorous personality we see on TV.

Onward to the Annenberg Center, where she did two phone interviews before settling down with the Inquirer for a photo and live interview session.  See the story in Thursday’s entertainment section (12/15/11).  Without taking a breath it was off to Koresh studio for a group class.

After finally getting her to the hotel to check in and unpack, she was once again on the go, this time to the Society Hill Dance Academy for a series of private lessons that lasted past 9pm.  During the entire day Anna was energetic, fun, and easy to work with.  She returned on Wednesday, December 14 to rehearse with a cast of outstanding ballroom dancers for a run of Champions of the Dance at the Annenberg Center December 15-18.  Info online at Annenbergcenter.org.  Group tickets are still available for all shows.

One Down and Seven to Go

by Randy Swartz

Artistic Director, Dance Affiliates

Chunky Move rolled into Philly at the Zellerbach Theatre with a moveable sculpture that took up half the stage.  Extra sound equipment needed to be rented so the audience could “feel” the music/soundscape of industrial noise that accompanied the remarkable device that was, in part, manipulated by the dancers.

Since the work lasted sixty minutes without intermission, we snared artistic director Gideon Obarzanek to have a conversation with the audience following each performance.  In the end I think it was Obarzanek who got the most from the conversation.  The emotional dynamics and ideas exchanged were enlightening from both sides of the footlights.  Obarzanek, an introspective, pensive and reflective artist, was surprised at the response to the work’s musical score and his unique collaborative multi-disciplined approach to dance-theatre.  Connected is a work of great originality and opened the door to asking some of those big questions, such as what is art, what is its value, who determines that value and what is our relationship to art in our contemporary world?

Some people think that dance is and should only be about beautiful people moving beautifully to lovely music that in turn supports the choreography.  Chunky Move has never been about that.  The esthetic has always been an equal partnership amongst music, movement, lighting, sets, costumes and sometimes story.  I hope that our audience saw dance in a different and compelling light, and the experience gave them something to chew on.  One thing for sure, that sculpture was amazing, taking on a life of its own.

Up next is Marie Chouinard, a French Canadian Choreographer who, over the last few decades, has matched her acclaim with her ability to push the envelope with provocative costumes, makeup and subject matter.  ‘Riveting’ and ‘compelling’ are the adjectives that come to mind.   Her dance company is like no other, and she is bringing work to music by Stravinsky and Chopin.  For mature audiences only because she can cross the line occasionally, but does so with intention and reason.  Her work will resonate for years to come.  It has been more than a decade since Marie Chouinard was last here, and I remember the audience sitting in stunned silence for a few seconds before jumping to their feet in wild applause.  Don’t miss this rare appearance December 8th – 10th.  Tickets are available at www.annenbergcenter.org.

Chunky Move

by Randy Swartz, Artistic Director

We are just a few weeks away from our season opener, Chunky Move from Australia.  They are performing Connected, a work that incorporates a mammoth moving sculpture that interacts with the performers.  Be sure to read the recent review of the work from the Portland Oregonian for a great preview of the work before it makes its way East to Philadelphia.  With dance, because it is usually not very literal, there are always a number of impressions, interpretations and questions regarding the work that the audience would love to resolve.

We are fortunate to have Gideon Obarzanek, the artistic director of Chunky Move and the creator of Connected with us during the engagement.  He will host a conversation with the audience following each performance.  This is an audience experience that does not happen very often.  We expect to explore the creative influences, meanings and process that led to the development of this work.  You will have the opportunity to connect with the artist and the creative process.  Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and chat with one of Australia’s most honored artists.

For tickets call 215-898-3900 or go online at www.annenbergcenter.org

The Minnesota Connection

by Randy Swartz
Artistic Director, Dance Affiliates

While we all plunge into the 2011/12 season with much gusto and anticipation, my reality is what to do for the 2012/13 season.  It so happens to be my 40^th year presenting dance, but who is counting?  It is also the 30^th anniversary of presenting dance at the Annenberg Center.  So, without much thought given to our season’s theme, I came up with a working title “The Anniversary Season.”

The process for putting together a season involves looking at DVDs and YouTube videos, attending live performances, and going to booking conventions where I get to see showcase performances, talk with other presenters and have meetings with agents.  Recently, I spent three days in Minneapolis at the Arts Midwest conference doing all of the above.  It is a non-stop affair beginning at 8AM and ending around midnight.  At the end of this marathon, I had fifteen to twenty companies on my short list, and a like number of new (to me) possibilities that needed further investigation.

Now is the time of the year that tours, schedules and budgets begin to take shape.  Needless to say, funding issues, technical concerns, program content, and making the season “make sense” looks like a bunch of jigsaw puzzle pieces that could never go together.  But in the end, they do and the next four months it will be about getting those pieces to fit.  Come January, APAP, the mother of all booking conventions, takes place in New York, and that is where the season is finalized.  Three months following you get to hear about it.  Experience has taught me it is impossible to predict who will end up in our Dance Celebration series.  It is a process.  I can say that we are planning a special 40 year retrospective of those special moments and companies that were highlights.  More about that program when I figure it out.

In the meantime, we are very excited about our first offering this season, Chunky Move from Australia.  Information on the program which opens November 17, 2011 can be found on danceaffiliates.org and annenbergcenter.org.  Subscriptions are still available, but there are just a few seats left in center orchestra so get on board as we go Out of this World to bring you the top touring companies from around the world.

It Never Ends

by Randy Swartz

Artistic Director, Dance Affiliates

The 2010/11 season is over but is anything really over?  Now is the time for post mortems, final book-keeping entries, loose ends to be tied up and thank you notes written, all to be followed by the audit.  While this is going on, and it will take months to complete, contracts are being readied for the 2011/12 season as the marketing plan works its magic and reaches out to snare the area dance culture vultures into subscribing. Mailings and inserts morph into phone follow ups, which in turn become a single ticket and group sales campaign that will run until we open in late November.  While all this is going on, I am putting together the outline for what the 2012/13 season might look like.  In other words, three different seasons are being worked on simultaneously.   There is nothing special about it this year.  It is like this every year.  It never ends.

The Danza Contemporánea de Cuba engagement was a long climb up the mountain and then a quick one, two three and they are back in Havana.  The audience response was an instantaneous standing ovation, primarily due to the extraordinary prowess of those incredible dancers.  The repertoire they brought was overwhelming in terms of high energy and nonstop movement.  It could have used a few quiet moments.  All in all, it was a great success and I believe our partners, the Kimmel Center, felt the same.

The new season, “Out of this World” is dedicated to bringing the world’s best dance companies to Philly.  Right now if you subscribe, you get a free ticket ($62 center orchestra seat) to the Champions of the Dance, featuring world and national champions of ballroom.  Leading the way is Dancing with the Stars’ Anna Trebunskaya and Jonathan Roberts.  In addition, there are a load of benefits and a 30% plus discount over single ticket prices.  Get the low down with pictures and video links at www.danceaffiliates.org or go directly to the www.annenbergcenter.org to secure your tickets.  This deal is so good that we have already sold more than twice as many subscriptions this year than this time last year.  Don’t miss out.

The AWARD Show!

by Randy Swartz
Artistic Director, Dance Affiliates

Three days (May 18th, 19th, 20th) of preliminary voting by the audience resulted in three choreographer finalists competing for $12,000 on evening four (May 21st). On the third night the voting was so close, we needed a recount. Just two points separated two choreographers after 110 votes were cast. Since each ballot allocated ten points to be dispensed by each audience member, eleven hundred points were awarded and as I said, just two points separated two choreographers.

The finals featured a panel of four judges and the votes from the audience, this time counting for 20% of the results. The four judges were deadlocked, so it turned out that the audience once again had its say and it said “Meredith Rainey” come on down and collect the $10,000. Tyger B and Gabrielle Revlock each picked up $1,000. It was a celebration of the Philadelphia dance community and a gathering of the local dance family that was supportive, enthusiastic, and they applauded widely as Mr. Rainey tearfully accepted the top honor. He is to use the winnings to make a new work.

Many people to thank including our jury; Merilyn Jackson (Dance Writer/Philadelphia Inquirer), Lisa Kraus (Dance Artist, Dance Critic/Philadelphia Inquirer/Dance Magazine and Coordinator for Bryn Mawr’s Performing Art Series), Matthew Neenan (Co-Artistic Director/Ballet X and Resident Choreographer PA Ballet) and Linda Shelton (Executive Director/The Joyce Theater); our host; Lois Welk, Dance USA/Philadelphia’s Executive Director; our director Suzy Zucker and our lighting/tech director Peter Jakubowski, the Boeing Corp. which supported this project by providing the AWARD money and the Joyce Theater in New York that provided guidance and personnel.

While some might lament that it is impossible to compare and rank artists and their work, the reality is it goes on every day. We hope the $12,000 will do some good and float a few choreographers’ boats.

The Contemporary Dance Company of Cuba arrived Sunday evening and they looked very swanky. Monday evening Alma de Cuba hosted a little reception for them and a very good time was had by all. Tuesday was full of classics, outreach, media interview, rehearsal and finally the performance. This unprecedented first US tour took a lot of work by a lot of institutions and people to be realized. Behind the scenes was our touring partner the Joyce Theatre, IMG, a management agency which handled the logistics, heavy duty legal help, a foundation in Havana and the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. This aggregate still could not have pulled it off without the generous support of the William Penn Foundation and Olive Mosier. More on the Cubans next time.

The Lovely Month of May

by Randy Swartz

Artistic Director, Dance Affiliates

It is May, and Dance Celebration is wrapping up its season with Aszure Barton, a choreographer that is now getting the public recognition that reflects the buzz started in the dance world a few years back, when she became Baryshnikov’s favorite. If you have not picked up your tickets yet, we would love to see you. Half of the Philadelphia dance community will be there checking out the incredible moves of Azsure Barton, Thursday, May 5 – Saturday, May 7 at the Annenberg Center

With the end of one season comes the announcement of our next season humbly titled “Out of This World”. The season opens with Chunky Move; don’t you just love the name? This amazing Australian company employs enormous props which become part of the choreography, and part of their theatrical conceit. They are bold, inventive, engaging and, depending on the program, extremely funny. The season opens in November, but the best subscription seats will be at a premium very soon. Check out the season on our website and buy and save a ton at the Annenberg Center website.

With Champions of the Dance, we have created a show unique to Philadelphia where we have engaged the top ballroom couples in the world. We know because they are multiple national and world champions. The cast is headed up by Jonathan Roberts and Anna Trebunskaya. She is the redhead on Dancing with the Stars. It will be an entertaining, high-voltage, over-the-top dance extravaganza. Guess what? You can get a free ticket by simply subscribing to next year’s series of seven which includes MOMIX, and still save 31% on those tickets. Now, this incredible offer is for a very limited time, so belly up to the box office, go online at www.annenbergcenter.org
or call 215-898-3900 to secure your seats.

How would you like to be a dance judge and help give away cash to worthy dance makers? You can have that very experience by joining us for the AWARD Show May 18-21 at The Arts Bank at Broad and South Streets. We are featuring the work of 12 Choreographers over three performance nights and we are giving away $12,000. Correction, you are giving away $12,000. Tickets (just $15) are available at www.ticketphiladelphia.org or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Check out the lineup on our website www.danceaffiliates.org. The finals take place on May 21 when the money gets dished out.

It’s a Three Ring Circus

It’s April and Philadelphia is abuzz about PIFA (Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts).  We have nothing brewing for that, but next month is a three ring circus.

May kicks off with Aszure Barton, a choreographer of such promise that Baryshnikov himself seems to have anointed her his protégé.  He is not alone.  She has choreographed works for major ballet companies (ABT and the National Ballet of Canada) contemporary companies (Ballet Jazz de Montreal) and seems to be in demand everywhere.  Ms. Barton and company make their Philadelphia debut May 5-7 at the Annenberg Center.  The company is performing two works Busk and Blue Soup.  I had the opportunity to see Busk in a rehearsal studio last year and it is a mesmerizing, haunting work that is compelling on a physical and emotional level.  She is the real deal and if you are curious as to what quality dance will look like in the next few years; catch a preview of this remarkable artist.  Tickets are available on the Annenberg Center website, at the box office, or by phone (215-898-3900.)

Twelve choreographers, four nights and $12,000 at stake, and you get to deal the cash.  It’s called The A.W.A.R.D. Show! and it is happening at The Arts Bank, Broad and South Streets, May 18-21.  You get to see four adjudicated artists each night, discuss the work and vote on which one you like best.  The winner from each of the first three nights gets to duke it out on Saturday, May 21 for all the marbles.  The winner gets $10,000, the two runner ups a $1,000 each.  The final night will also feature prominent judges, who along with the audience, determines the winning works.  You get to see local works (10-12 minutes each), down some refreshments and vote all for $15.  If you go whole hog, all four nights cost $40.  Tickets can be purchased through the Kimmel Center box office (215-670-2300) and online at kimmelcenter.org.  Some of Philadelphia’s most prominent locals are participating.  You can get the line up here.

We now have the program for the Danza Contemporanea de Cuba and it sizzles.  This company, unseen in the US until this upcoming tour, is both outstanding in the prowess of their dancers and their repertory.

They are coming for two performances only, at the Merriam Theater May 24-25, and you will be missing a great experience if you are not there.  Program information and video will be up soon on our website.  Tickets are available through Kimmel Center box office (215-670-2300) and website at kimmelcenter.org.

If you are planning on subscribing to next season’s Dance Celebration Program, you can save $20 off a center orchestra $50 ticket, but you need to contact the Annenberg Center box office (215-898-3900) for that offer.

It is definitely a three ring circus of dance in May.  Come along for a great variety of outstanding entertainment.

Havana Nights, or Cuba See

by Randy Swartz

Artistic Director, Dance Affiliates

Just 90 miles off our shores is a little island that has been a big thorn in the side if US foreign policy. Without getting into political fracas, let’s just say the US and Cuba has not seen eye to eye on just about anything. The cold war is alive and well in the Caribbean, yet there seems to be a thaw coming. We are all well aware that Cuba is world class in such diversified areas as cigars, sugar, rum, boxing, baseball and dance.  The cigars, sugar and rum make sense given the location.  Boxing, baseball and dance have been ways to escape poverty in Cuba.

Since the embargo, the US has had little opportunity to experience first-hand Cuba cultural output, outside of a few defections. Things are going to change, big time. On May 24^th and May 25^th, the Danza Contemporanea de Cuba will arrive thirty strong in two performances at the Merriam Theater as a co-presentation of Dance Affiliates and the Kimmel Center.

Heads-up to those of you who are going to subscribe (and we hope you do) to Dance Celebration’s 11-12 Season. We have a special deal where you can save $20 off a $50 center orchestra ticket to see this glamorous, sexy, joyful and technically talented troupe during its US premiere tour.  Check out our website www.danceaffiliates.org or Annenberg Center’s at www.annenbergcenter.org or call Siobhan Hagan at 215-636-9000 ext.109.  Hurry as this offer is good only until April 29. Single ticket buyers will need to purchase tickets only at the Kimmel Center www.kimmelcenter.org.

Founded in 1959, the year Castro’s revolutionaries overthrew Batista, Danza is an exotic blend of contemporary, classical and Caribbean styles and has been one of Cuba’s best kept secrets until recently, when the troupe burst onto the world dance scene, causing a buzz at Australia’s Brisbane Festival and during its recent Tour of England.

The Philly program features the hot and hilarious Mambo 3XXI. It is an exhaustingly energetic work for 21 performers dancing a deconstruction of the Mambo-style to Latin music. As the piece progresses it becomes “more emotional, more erotic and more powerful.  There is a real sense of something exciting, different and joyful.” (The British Theatre Guide).  Mark Monahan in his Royal Theatre Newcastle review gushes the choreography is “performed in such perfect sync, and with such sexy intensity that you can’t tear your eyes away.’

As part of Danza’s breaking out, the company has commissioned works by the renowned Swedish choreographer Mats Ek (Casi-Casa), the raving and romantic Spanish choreographer Rafael Bonachela (Demo-N/Crazy), and Cuban-American Pedro Ruiz, Ballet Hispanico’s former principal dancer (Horizonte).

We are still in conversation about the remaining program but rest assured you can expect to be dazzled and wowed by this youthful contemporary company taking the world by storm.

There will also be a community outreach program, master class and student performance, all being arranged now.  So stay tuned

Giving Away $12,000

by Randy Swartz

Artistic Director, Dance Affiliates

Everyone is a critic. Everyone has an opinion. Deep down many of you are itching to get your hands on a numbered paddle and let the world know what you think of this dancer or that choreographer.

Well, the time has come for you to step up to the judges’ table and have a meaningful impact on handing out some cold hard cash to deserving choreographers.

It’s called the A.W.A.R.D. Show, and as an audience member you get to vote on whom of twelve local dance makers you wish to anoint with a $10,000 unrestricted grant, and which two others will be given $1,000 each.

All you have to do is show up, see the work, stick around to discuss it with moderator Donna Faye Burchfield, chair of University of the Arts dance department, and vote. Due to the largesse of Boeing, you get to exert some critic muscle and make a difference for a few of Philadelphia’s finest dance makers.

The details for securing tickets, learning who was selected to compete for your favors, and what the process is designed to do, follows this blog.

The A.W.A.R.D. Show has been staged in six American cities; New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. It is being administered by the Joyce Theater in New York and they are the ones that have set the rules and format.

Each night a winner is selected from four participating artists by the vote of the audience. The three finalists compete before a panel of judges in conjunction with the audience for the final verdict and the awarding of prize money.

If you are thinking that artists should not have to compete, that art should be valued in a different manner, in an ideal world with limitless resources, I would agree. The hard facts are that artists and artistic institutions are competing everyday for your contribution, attendance and support. They compete for grants from the city, state and federal government, and they compete for support from foundations and corporations.

This is a rare occasion where the audience gets a say in who gets a piece of the pie. Plus the added benefits of honing those evaluating skills, getting to hear what motivates a creative artist and just perhaps motivating you to occasionally step out of your comfort zone and see something new. Ticket prices are just $15 for each show or you can take the plunge and go to all four A.W.A.R.D. Shows for only $40.  Just go to ticketphiladelphia.org, or to the Kimmel Center Box office to purchase in person. The A.W.A.R.D. Show will be held May 18th – 21st at The Arts Bank, 601 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102.

Here’s the Philadelphia line-up:

Wednesday, May 18 Eric Bean, Eleanor Goudie-Averill, Meredith Rainey, and Brian Sanders
Thursday, May 19 Zane Booker, Bronwen MacArthur, Gabrielle Revlock, and Yu Wei
Friday, May 20 Tyger B, Sarah Konner, Rain Ross, and Raphael Xavier
Saturday, May 21 will feature the winning choreographers from the previous three evenings.

Pils and Spills

by Randy Swartz
Artistic Director, Dance Affiliates

Before near sellout crowds, Pilobolus performed to acclaim from both the audience and critics at Annenberg Center last week, but much of the drama took place backstage. “Redline” is a work that integrates Caperio, martial arts and gymnastic acrobatic moves. It is intense, high energy and seemingly very dangerous to perform. One of the key elements is a catapult lift that sends the dancer six feet off the ground into a swan dive, culminating into a tuck and roll on the stage. It is a dramatic edge of your seat stunt, and the company does it time and time again during the work. On Saturday afternoon, one of those tuck and rolls didn’t get done on time and a dancer crashed to the stage floor, making contact with the side of her head and shoulder. Later she would say the adrenaline kept her going for the final six minutes of the work. Following the performance she was taken to U of Penn Hospital (HUP) where she spent the next six hours undergoing tests and evaluation. Mercifully, nothing was broken and there was no concussion. There was also no more dancing for her. So what to do? It was 4:30pm, we had an 8pm curtain, and no dancer was available to cover the role.

Fortunately, Renee Jaworski, the associate artistic director of the Pils had arrived earlier that afternoon to observe the company and give notes (corrections). The good news was that Renee had performed with the company for fifteen years and knew the repertoire. The bad news was she last performed with the company five years ago and had never performed in some of the newer works being presented in Philadelphia.

An emergency meeting was set up with the dancers, technicians, costume people and me after it was determined we needed a plan B. A new program was devised, rehearsal set to start immediately. The costume, lighting, and sound people started the process of rearranging, adding and adjusting to the program. A half-hour before curtain, everything was in place. I went out and explaining the circumstances to the audience, the company with Renee, did their thing and following the performance the dancers held a talk back with the audience, answering questions as to how they were able to pull off the performance with so very little time to prepare.

How Renee got performance ready still has me in wonderment. Our injured dancer dragged herself to the matinee on Sunday to lend moral support to her fellow dancers. If it was a normal person, trust me, we would have been bedridden for a week. Professional dancers never cease to amaze me as to their physical prowess, ability to retain and learn new choreography on the fly and their adaptability to crisis.

Next up on the Dance Celebration Series is Aszure Barton in May. She is Baryshnikov’s protégé and she is the real deal.

The AWARD Show, which we are co-producing with the Joyce Theatre in NY, features 12 local choreographers in a competition for $12,000. Stay tuned to find out how you can be involved and help select the local winners.

A Fungus among Us

by Randy Swartz
Artistic Director, Dance Affiliates

Pilobolus, one of the most successful and admired dance companies, is named for a vigorous sprouting fungus. It took wing in the early 1970’s and is probably one of the few remaining communal organizations from the decade of love and rebellion. They are coming to Philly March 3-6 at the Annenberg Center and the theatre should be packed.
It was founded by two non dancers taking a dance class at Dartmouth in order to meet their physical education requirement. But more importantly, they heard that the female teacher of the class was very attractive, which was all the incentive they needed. From humble intentions comes great, innovation art. The Pils started creating works together by playing around with each other, and with found objects. Their improv led them down a very different path than other would be dancers. They had no idea, nor would I image they would have ever considered, that tights and a dance belt were the norm. They were jeans, sneaker and sweats kind of guys, and they remained so over the year as they have morphed into an entertainment juggernaut. One of those founding members pasted recently and we are dedicating our season to Jonathan Walkin. In addition, some of his work will be on display at the Annenberg Center. Jonathan was a big guy with a big personality, who more recently would walk around our lobby in overalls looking more like a farmer ready to milk the cows than a choreographer. On the side, he conducted seminars at Wharton on the creative process. So much for appearance! His partner in this start-up company was Moses Pendleton, who has gone on to create MOMIX another wildly eccentric company with mass appeal.
The Pils have managed to stitch together contemporary dance, spectacle, special effects, gymnastics and a cheeky sense of humor that transcends all styles and perhaps dance itself. It is a sure fire hit with young people new to contemporary dance and those with expectations that dance is dry, intellectual and not much fun. They have been featured at the Olympics, at the Oscars and in television commercials, as they morph into a series of everyday objects using their bodies as the only instruments of these constructions.
With so much going on stage, it is no wonder we had to add an extra performance on Sunday, March 6th. That extra performance is where you will find the best remaining seats. As of now, tickets are available for all shows, but I suspect not for long. Bring the entire family; it is a fun filled experience even Dad will love. Check out their video on our website.