"Three Seascapes," a piece choreographed by postmodern dance pioneer Yvonne Rainer, is one of the works to be performed in "Now Dance," at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22, in the Hagan Dance Studio, 185 Nassau St. The repertory concert will feature works choreographed and/or performed by Princeton faculty and renowned guests. "Three Seascapes" was choreographed by Rainer in 1962 and reconstructed for Princeton lecturer Patricia Hoffbauer (above) in 2002. Hoffbauer is the only person other than Rainer to perform this challenging and experimental work.
Photos: Brian Wilson
"Now Dance," a repertory concert featuring works choreographed and/or performed by Princeton faculty and renowned guests, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22, in the Hagan Dance Studio, 185 Nassau St.
The biannual faculty dance concert is sponsored by the Program in Theater and Dance in the Lewis Center for the Arts.
Ze'eva Cohen, a professor in and founder of the University's dance program, will present "Cloud Song," a piece first choreographed in 1971. It will be performed by senior Elizabeth Schwall.
Although the work originally was presented nationally and internationally, it has not been seen for 30 years. A multimedia dance that captures the social and political dilemmas of the 1970s, "Cloud Song" uses photography, film, text, dance and music to portray the struggle of a young woman having to choose between three possible identities: a conformist, a runaway and a flower child.
Tina Fehlandt, a lecturer and founding member of the Mark Morris Dance Group, will perform "Peccadillos," a solo piece choreographed by Morris set to the music of Erik Satie. "Peccadillos" only has been danced by Mikhail Baryshnikov, Morris and current Mark Morris Dance Group member Joe Bowie; Fehlandt will be the first woman to perform the piece.
Described as "a charming little joke and turns out to be a tragedy in miniature" by critic Tobi Tobias, "Peccadillos" originally premiered at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in 2000 in Becket, Mass.
Zvi Gotheiner, a lecturer, will present an excerpt from "Interiors," which explores a panorama of urban stories that take place while looking through the window of a high-rise apartment building.
Gotheiner's choreography is known for its ability to capture "… human dilemma and aspiration through movement and form and make traditional modern steps resonate with individuality," according to The Village Voice.
Dyane Harvey, a lecturer and a founding member of Forces of Nature Dance Theatre of New York City, will present "The Corner," a work-in-progress based on the life and achievements of Muhammad Ali.
The piece explores the psyche and "raison d'etre" of this American icon and uses recordings of his interviews and photographs to illustrate the oasis of the ring.
Lecturer Tina Fehlandt, a founding member of the Mark Morris Dance Group, will present "Peccadillos," a solo piece choreographed by Morris. She will be the first woman to perform the piece, which only has been danced by Mikhail Baryshnikov, Morris and current Mark Morris Dance Group member Joe Bowie. The work is set to the music of Erik Satie, performed on a toy piano. Here, Brad Kern, a junior in Fehlandt's class, tinkers on the piano, which will be played during the concert by David Tenney.
Brazilian-born dancer and choreographer Patricia Hoffbauer, a lecturer, will perform "Three Seascapes." The piece was choreographed in 1962 by Yvonne Rainer, a pioneer of postmodern dance, who reconstructed it for Hoffbauer in 2002.
Hoffbauer is the only person other than Rainer to perform this challenging and experimental work that includes images of classicism juxtaposed against contemporary sensibilities.
Rebecca Lazier, acting head of dance, will present her piece "Terminal," performed by her New York dance company Terrain. "Terminal" allows audiences to peer into landscapes where people are haunted by their inability to comfort themselves or each other.
Gregory Spears' score, which includes snippets from Ravel's "Bolero," places tape decks around the space to envelop the dancers and audience in sound. Projections and lighting are used to change locations for each section. The dance explores the implications of an illness that will eventually end a life, an unknowable time frame for an unavoidable result.
"Now Dance" is free and open to the public, but limited seating is available and reservations are required. To reserve tickets, visit the University Ticketing website or call (609) 258-9220.
