NYS Music 2023

Tag: dance

  • Dance In Albany Series Continues with Trailblazing Contemporary Company

    The vibrant dance scene in Albany is set to be illuminated once again as The Egg and the University at Albany join forces to present the groundbreaking Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company on Saturday, December 2 at 8 pm, part of the Dance in Albany series.

    The performance promises to captivate audiences at The Egg at the Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany, marking a return to the Capital Region since their last appearance in 2015.

    Founded in 1982, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company emerged from an extraordinary 11-year collaboration between Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane (1948–1988). This partnership not only redefined the duet form but also foreshadowed themes of identity, form, and social commentary that have left an indelible mark on American dance. With a global footprint encompassing over 200 cities across 40 countries, the company stands as a beacon of innovation and power in the dance-theater world.

    The company’s repertoire is a testament to its diversity, exploring various subject matters, visual imagery, and stylistic approaches to movement, voice, and stagecraft. Collaborating with an eclectic array of artists, including Keith Haring, Cassandra Wilson, and Jenny Holzer, the company’s intensely collaborative creation process has yielded a rich tapestry of performances.

    The upcoming program by the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company will showcase “Love Redefined” from 1996 and “Story/” from 2013.

    “Love Redefined,” inspired by the 1992 commission for the Lyon Opera Ballet titled “Love Defined,” is a powerful ensemble work that embodies Jones’ distinct and poetic style. Set to Daniel Johnston’s whimsical music and featuring décor by Donald Baechler, the performance is an energetic reflection on love and human relationships.

    “Story/” is a reworking of “Story/Time” (2012), where chance plays a central role in choreography, music, lighting, set elements, and costumes. Set to Schubert’s String Quartet #14, Death and the Maiden, “Story/” draws from a trove of choreographic material spanning 35 years. The piece explores the dynamic interplay between movement and music, showcasing Jones’ exploration of the dramaturgical possibilities that arise from this interaction.

    The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company has garnered numerous accolades, including New York Dance and Performance Awards (“Bessie”) for various productions. Noteworthy mentions include awards for “Chapel/Chapter” at Harlem Stage (2006) and “Deep Blue Sea” (2021). The company was also nominated for the 1999 Laurence Olivier Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Dance and Best New Dance Production.”

    Before the performance, a Prelude talk sponsored by the Dance Alliance will take place at 7:15 pm at The Egg. Mary DiSanto-Rose, former Dance Department chair at Skidmore College, will engage in a conversation with Janet Wong, Associate Artistic Director of the company and New York Live Arts.

    Tickets for the performance are priced at $36 and can be purchased at The Egg Box Office on the Concourse Level of the Empire State Plaza in Albany, by phone at 518-473-1845, and online at theegg.org.

    Remaining performances in the Dance in Albany series promise a diverse and exciting lineup, including Mark Morris Dance Group (January 25), Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company with Capital Trio (January 27), Monica Bill Barnes & Company in “The Running Show” (February 3), NoGravity Theatre (February 9), Savion Glover (April 13), and Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company (May 18).

  • Specialists and Space Carnival Set To Stop At Brooklyn Bowl on August 9

    Specialists and Space Carnival, two New York-based bands, will perform at Brooklyn Bowl on August 9. The show will also feature funk fusion group ShwizZ. Since 2017, the venue has not hosted Space Carnival, while Specialists are scheduled to make their Brooklyn Bowl debut.

    Specialists

    Spanning 23,000 sq. ft. Brooklyn Bowl is one of the most unique and dynamic event spaces in New York. Boasting a bowling alley, music venue, conference space, and much more, the Williamsburg location offers something for everyone. 

     I saw my first show at the Bowl in 2014, when I was just 16… My 16 year old self cannot believe this.

    Specialists’ guitarist Billy

    Specialists are a Brooklyn outfit that expertly blend together elements of rock, dance, and funk to create a fun and playful sound. The group puts together high energy performances that showcase the band’s extraordinary songwriting and musicianship. Specialists have performed all over NYC, including shows at Brooklyn Made and Wonder Bar. The band’s style and groove is the perfect sonic addition to any summer day. 

    Space Carnival

    Space Carnival is made up of Jeremy Kraus on guitar, Cameron Fitch on keys and vocals, Chris Meier on bass, and Josh West joining on drums. Originally created in 2013, the Oneonta band has amassed a following for its one-of-a-kind mixture of progressive rock, alternative rock, disco, and funk. 2023 has signaled the return of Space Carnival, as the group has plans to stop at festivals across the country as well as release new music. 

    Click here for tickets and information about the August 9 performances.

  • Stolen Gin Share Dance/funk “Drunk Ambition” Single + Video 

    NYC-based dance-funk quintet Stolen Gin have released their newest single “Drunk Ambition” paired alongside a lyric video. The single gives the feeling of an intense love for a person, never wanting them to leave your side. 

    Stolen Gin, a dance-funk quintet formed in 2019 from New York City, is known for their high-energy live act and avid improvisation–they never play songs the same way twice. The band first came together playing college parties on NYC rooftops, and their goal then was the same as it is now: to make every gig feel like a party, and to keep people dancing. 

    Stolen Gin Share Dance/funk "Drunk Ambition" Single + Video 

    The band writes, “This song was written a couple months after meeting someone really special. I’m looking back at how it started and counting my blessings that it happened the way it did. The first verse is a flashback to that original moment where a relationship was the last thing on my mind- or so I thought. The chorus then brings us back to the present, where ‘Drunk Ambition’ is my own little way describing the untamable love I feel for this person, never wanting to leave their side.” 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3Y3XhGifto

    “As a band, we’ve recorded some projects in the past at full service studios but realized that we’re most comfortable locked in a room together with no outside influences. For ‘Drunk Ambition,’ we decided to book a session at a DIY studio in Brooklyn. We produced the verses of the song to be tight and funky, while playing with longer, distorted chords and pumping drums in the chorus to create tension and release. Our guitarist, Will Adler, engineered the session and mixed the track, and the song was mastered by Will Quinnell at Sterling Sound.” 

    Having gotten their start playing college rooftop shows around the city, the band is continuing to utilize all New York has to offer, with this latest track being recorded at a DIY studio in Brooklyn. But Stolen Gin’s sound can be heard all over the world, given their immense TikTok following after songs like “Tension Release” and “Take Your Problems to the Disco” went viral across the platform. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ajj4D7YCdw

    Stolen Gin goes on tour consistently, selling out their last eight consecutive NYC headliners in the span of the last 18 months at venues such as Baby’s All Right, Mercury Lounge, and more. The band recently played in both D.C. and Boston for the first time, with sellouts in both of those cities. They’ve also just finished a tour with the legendary jam band TAUK, and now Stolen Gin is heading back into the studio to make more new music. 

    To listen/watch “Drunk Ambition,” click the link here. 

    For more music by Stolen Gin, click the link here. 

  • The World Music Institute Presents Dancing the Gods Festival at Ailey Citigroup Theater

    The World Music Institute has announced their 12th annual Dancing the Gods festival. For the first time, the celebration will occur at Ailey Citigroup Theater.

    From April 14-15 audience members will be treated to spectacular performances from India’s two leading dancers Sreelakshmy Govardhanan and Praveen Kumar. Programs will kick off with a slide presentation titled Epics, Poetry and Indian Dance from festival curator, dance expert and storyteller Rajika Puri.

    Since 1985, The World Music Institute has been recognized as one of the most stellar presenters of world music and dance within the United States. The non-profit organization strives to present the best in traditional and contemporary music with a myriad of cultural dances. Their mission is to educate people on the world’s rich cultural traditions, promoting awareness and appreciation and encouraging cross-cultural dialog and exchange. The program is partially supported by public funds from the New York State Council, Office of the Governor, New York State Legislature, and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

    Sreelakshmy Govardhanan is a remarkable woman with numerous talents. She is a renowned creative dancer, choreographer and teacher of Kuchipudi and the founder and Artistic Director of a center for learning, performance and research known as the Avantika Space. Additionally Govardhanan is  a trained psychologist who fuses her professional perspective with her art. She uses this to educate young minds through workshops, classes, seminars and lecture demonstrations.

    In the Dancing the Gods festival, Govardhanan will explore the Nritta, Nrutya and Natya elements of Kuchipudi through a repertoire set in the format of Margam. Kuchipudi is a dance originating from the theatrical and dance traditions of Andhra Pradesh. It was named after the village called Kuchelapuram. Traditionally the dance is presented by troupes of male actor-dancers who celebrate festivals dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The dance has now transformed into a solo form, which is today popular around the world.

    Praveen Kumar was born into a family of artists and showed a passion for dance at a very young age. He learned to appreciate the aesthetic depths of Bharatanatyam after studying with the esteemed guru of Bangalore, the late Smt. Narmada. Currently, Kumar studies with Guru Prof. C.V.Chandrasekhar runs the Chithkala School of Dance in Bangalore. In his solo performance for the festival, he will explore a man’s journey as a companion, admirer, and a friend through various facets of life. Musicians will provide South Indian traditional music for this prodigious production.

    Rajika Puri has performed all over Latin America, Europe, Malaysia, the US and India, and in New York at the Asia Society and Ailey Theaters. Prior to Puri’s devotion to western theater, she danced internationally in solo recitals of Bharatanatyam and Odissi for several years. Her success in the Lincoln Center Theater’s “The Transposed Heads”inspired her to develop a form of dance storytelling  called ‘Sutradhari Natyam’. The performance is accomplished through songs in Indian languages and English narration with excerpts from dances, spoken rhythms and chants. In ‘Eleni of Sparta’ or ‘Helen of Troy’, Puri sang in ancient Greek.

    Tickets and more information about Dancing the Gods festival can be found here.