Traditions are traditionally––and easily––broken
at Dance Theater Workshop, even at Christmas time. Witness “Nut/cracked,”
David Parker’s vaudevillian take on the 19th century classic
that plays at DTW December 15–22. Also scheduled is Maria
Hassabi’s “Dead is Dead,” which plays December
9–11.
By combining tap dancing, traditional
pointe work, booty shaking, singing and social dance forms, Parker
wittily reveals a hilariously alternative way to look at “The
Nutcracker.” It’s “Nut/cracked.” For music,
the choreographer turns to pop versions of Tchaikovsky including
Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller and Fred Waring, as well as the traditional
orchestral suite. The 21-member cast is comprised of 11 teenage
dancers as well as professional performers such as former Paul Taylor
principal Mary Cochran and Jeff Kazin and David Parker, both of
whom won critical kudos for their performance when sections of the
dance were premiered last year at DTW.
Maria Hassabi’s “Dead
is Dead,” a dramatically and emotionally intense work inspired
by the darker, more violent side of city life, is also a reaction
to the hyper-stimulation created by pop culture. Alternating between
moments of chaos and serenity, the work is set to a collage of classical,
ambient, electronic and rock music by contemporary composer Spencer
Sweeney. The tri-part set, including a graffiti-covered wall, is
integral to the choreography as is the bank of microphones, which
does double duty as sound-maker and prop. The costumes are by the
upcoming young fashion designers As Four.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
The Bang Group: The Bang Group, founded
by David Parker in 1995, explores the percussive possibilities of
the body through the use of rhythm, humor and theatrical dance.
Performing regularly in New York City, the company has appeared
at Dance Theater Workshop, Danspace Project at St. Mark’s
Church, Joe’s Pub, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors and Joyce Soho,
among other venues. The Bang Group also tours throughout the United
States, with performances including: Dance Affiliates in Philadelphia;
Summerstages Dance Festival in Massachusetts; Tampa Bay Performing
Arts Center; Jacobs’s Pillow Inside-Out; The Fire Island Dance
Festival; and the American Dance Festival’s Young Choreographers
and Composers series. Internationally, the company has appeared
in Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Monaco.
David Parker: David Parker began his dance training in
tap and ballet as a teenager in Massachusetts. After studying modern
dance at Bard College, he performed with several tap, folk and contemporary
dance companies in New York City before beginning to create his
own work. One of his first pieces, “Bang and Suck,”
was a 1994 finalist in the Fourth International Competition for
Choreographers of Contemporary Dance in Groningen, Netherlands and
received a special citation from the 2001 Kurt Joos Prize jury in
Essen, Germany. In addition to the dances he creates for his own
company, Parker has choreographed for the Verona Ballet in Italy
and the Repertory Dance Theater of Utah. He created an industrial
for Stolichnaya vodka that appeared simultaneously in New York,
Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Parker teaches dance composition
and improvisation at The Alvin Ailey School and is a guest professor
throughout the United States and Europe. In 2002, Parker was recognized
as a notable emerging artist by the jury of the Nijinsky Awards
in Monte Carlo, Monaco, and his collaborative work with Dutch designers
Melanie Rozema and Jeroen Teunissen received a 2002 Bessie Award
for Design.
____________________________________________________________________
Maria Hassabi: Born in Cyprus, Maria Hassabi moved to New
York in 1994 after earning a B.F.A. from California Institute of
the Arts. Her dance studies included Cunningham and Alexander techniques,
as well as improvisation. Hassabi has performed with choreographers
Jeremy Nelson, Luis Lara and Wil Swanson, among others. In 1998,
she joined ChameckiLerner Dance Company with whom she created five
original works. Her own choreography has been presented by Dance
Theater Workshop, Dixon Place, P.S. 122, The Kitchen, Danspace Project
and P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center. Internationally, Hassabi’s
work has been seen in Athens, Greece, as well as at the Sarajevo
Biennale of Young Artists and at the Fringe Festival in Tomar, Portugal.
The evening curtains at Dance Theater Workshop are at 7:30pm.
There are also 2pm matinees for David Parker and The Bang Group
on December 18 & 19. David Parker and The Bang Group tickets
cost $25. Tickets to performances by Maria Hassabi are $20. Discounts
are available through DTW’s 4 for 40% Club. All tickets may
be purchased at the box office, by calling 212-924-0077 or online
at www.dtw.org. Dance Theater Workshop is located at 219 West 19th
Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues.
###
“Nut/cracked” was
commissioned by the Bessie Schönberg/First Light commissioning
program and the Creative Residency program of Dance Theater Workshop
with support from the Ford Foundation.
“Dead is Dead” was commissioned by the Bessie Schönberg/First
Light commissioning program of Dance Theater Workshop with support
from the Jerome Foundation and with additional support from the
New York State DanceForce.
112204
BACK TO TOP
250 West 57th Street Suite 2318 New York
NY 10107 USA
T: 212.245.5100 F:212.397.1102 eja@ejassociates.org www.ejassociates.org
ELLEN JACOBS ASSOCIATES
|