Walter’s World: Weekend Picks- More Dance for the Holidays

By Walter Rutledge

As the holiday season swings into full gear dance remains a major influence. The city will soon be besieged by an onslaught of Nutcracker productions some with as much kick as spiked egg nog.  Young dancers will experience the magic of performing for the very first time while a dear friend says goodbye, but not farewell. Here are some of the many events happening around the city and in our community.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater continues their annual five-week holiday season at the New York City Center with the world première of Another Night by Kyle Abraham, performed to Dizzy Gillespie’s jazz classic A Night In Tunisia, and three company premieres, Petite Mort by Jiří Kylián, Artistic Director Robert Battle’s Strange Humors and From Before by Tony Award-winning choreographer (The Lion King) Garth Fagan. The company will also present audience favorites including Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16, Ronald K. Brown’s Grace, Paul Taylor’s Arden Court, Rennie Harris’s Home, and Ailey classics Cry, Love Songs and For ‘Bird’ With Love and his signature masterwork Revelations.

The Sunday December 9^th, 7:30 evening performance, will honor company veteran Renee Robinson. During her 31 year association with the Alvin Ailey American Dancer Theater Robinson has achieved many milestones. She is the last remaining company member selected by founder Alvin Ailey, the female dancer with the longest tenure in the company’s history, and the only dancer to have performed under all three artistic directors.

AILEY CLASSICS from Alvin Ailey on Vimeo.

For a complete listing of works and more information about the Alvin Ailey New York City Center season please visit www.alvinailey.org. Tickets can be purchased at the New York City Center Box Office, through CityTix® at (212) 581-1212 or online at www.alvinailey.org or www.nycitycenter.org.  For group sales, call 212-405-9082 or e-mail groupsales@alvinailey.org.

The New York Theatre Ballet will present a special one-hour production of the Nutcracker designed for children age’s three to ten. This version is set in an Art Nouveau style circa 1907 and features choreography by Keith Michael, set design by Gillian Bradshaw-Smith, and costumes by Resident Costume Designer of the Metropolitan Opera, Sylvia Nolan. The production will begin on Saturday December 7, 4:30 p.m. at the Florence Gould Hall, with additional shows on December 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, and 22.

Tickets are $35 for children and $40 for adults. Premium Seating is $45. Tickets can be purchased online at www.nytb.org, Ticketmaster (800.982.2787) or in-person at the Florence Gould Hall box office at 55 East 59th Street, New York City (for more information, contact Florence Gould Hall box office at 212.355.6160. Group rates and special subscriptions are also available at www.nytb.org.

NuDance 2012 continues on Friday December 7 and Saturday December 8,  7:30pm, at the Riverside Theater, 91 Claremont Avenue. The series will present new and established works by nine choreographers/companies over 3 days. Companies include Dance Iquail, Dash Ensemble, Forces of Nature, Janusphere, Maverick Dance Experience, MoralesDance, Neville Dance Theatre, RED, and Sarah Council Dance Projects. Continuing in the tradition of the 20-year Riverside Dance Festival, 1964-1984, the NuDance Festival seeks to produce and present up-and-coming dance artists, who will present new and original choreography representative of the New York dance scene.

Following each evening’s program, audience members are invited to participate in a moderated discussion regarding the creation and performance of new dance works. The Festival also includes Choreographers in Creation, an informal rehearsal/workshop of the works in process with an onstage participatory segment for audience members where they are invited to learn steps from the upcoming performances. Tickets are $15 and $20 and can be purchase are the box office and on line at 
http://theriversidetheatre.org/

As always, thank you for letting me share my world with you.

1) Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 2) Briana Reed 2) Renee Robinson 3) Victor Rosario

Photo Credit: 1& 2) Nan Melville   2) Andrew Eccles 3) George Lewis