Following its North American premiere at Portland State University’s Lincoln Performance Hall on Thursday, Chunky Move’s Connected was met with praise. Catherine Thomas of The Oregonian called the remarkable collaboration between Artistic Director Gideon Obarzanek and sculptor Reuben Margolin “a meta-commentary on the nature and meaning of art.” She goes on to say, “it’s a testament to the choreography that the movement grabs the eye as much as the increasingly complex sculpture.”

Read the full review. And, for more insight into the creation of the work, read this Sydney Morning Herald article.

Chunky Move performs at The Joyce November 2-8. Purchase tickets now.

Beautifully controlled and engrossingly effective. Creative precision and exhilarating energy. Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald

This is what has been said about Sydney Dance Company, one of Australia’s leading companies in contemporary dance.  Raphael Bonachela, director of Sydney Dance Company has teamed with composer Ezio Bosso to create a stunning evening of work investigating the breath of life and the impact of the landscape on the earth and cities.

The Stage London claims the collaboration between Bonachela and Bosso “must be a match made in heaven … rarely can music and movement have been so perfectly combined.”

Check out this video of Raphael Bonachela speaking about 6 Breaths and LANDforms, which the company will perform on the Joyce stage November 8-13.  These pieces premiered at the Canberra Theatre in May 2010.

Next month, acclaimed Australian company Chunky Move brings Connected to the Joyce stage. The work, created by Artistic Director Gideon Obarzanek and visual artist Reuben Margolin, explores the physical connection between bodies and kinetic design though the use of a large scale undulating sculpture that moves in sync with the dancers. Margolin’s sculpture measures 35′ x 10′ x 20′ and is made of paper, magnets, string, steel, wooden ring, 88 pulleys, and one motor.

Take a look at the sculpture in action in this footage of Connected.

And, take a look at some of Margolin’s other pieces:

Nebula

Soda Fountain

Yellow Spiral

Learn more about Reuben Margolin.

Purchase tickets for Chunky Move now.

Heralded by The New York Times as “one of the world’s leading ballet companies,” Houston Ballet will perform for the first time on the Joyce’s intimate stage October 11 - 16, 2011. This debut season will feature works by a new work by celebrated Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo; Jiří Kylián’s Falling Angels, and Christopher Bruce’s Hush, a comic celebration of life set to the eclectic music of Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma;

In the following clip, Jorma Elo talks about his inspiration for ONE/end/ONE, a contemporary tutu ballet that combines classical steps and structure with highly articulated non-classical movement, gestures, and unconventional partnering.

In this clip, Bruce discusses Hush, a wistful a ballet for six dancers that examines life backstage with a theater family. Created in 2006, it’s the choreographer’s fourth commissioned work for Houston Ballet.

Tickets to Houston Ballet’s upcoming engagement are available
here. Purchase Tickets Now.

Last year at The Joyce, Norwood Pennewell, rehearsal director/assistant to Garth Fagan, premiered his first work for the Garth Fagan Dance Company.  This was the first time the company performed choreography by anyone other than Garth Fagan himself.  This premiere also marked the 40th anniversary of the Garth Fagan Dance Company, which is an impressive feat for any dance company.  Pennewell has been with the company since 1978, is considered to be Garth’s muse and known for his virtuosic ability.  Here is what people had to say about, Hylozoic, his first choreographic endeavor:

“Not surprisingly he uses many of the strategies and movement choices favored by his boss. But this spare, meditative work for 10 dancers, set to music by John Adams, Adam Rudolph and Yusef Lateef, is a promising, sophisticated start.” -Claudia La Rocco, The New York Times.

“The dance moves with calm grace but not slowly, and it shifts emphasis from time to time but never loses flow or stops looking handsome… This dance overall is pretty irresistible (and irresistibly pretty), but it does contain hints of more serious statement.” -Herbert Simpson, Capital Critics’ Circle.

After a successful choreographic debut, Pennewell is back with a new piece called Liminal Flux, set to music by Chancha Via Circuito and Miles Davis.  Take this opportunity to see the next level in his choreographic career and witness the evolution of his work.  Don’t worry if you have missed his first piece, the company will perform both Hylozoic and Liminal Flux during their run at The Joyce.

Norwood Pennewell isn’t the only one premiering work.  Garth Fagan himself is also premiering his newest work Madiba, a work in celebration of the life of Nelson Mandela.

Garth Fagan has been churning out loved and appreciated works for 40 years, audiences keep returning because they know what they like.  It’s also very satisfying as an audience member to see what grows out of the familiar.  If you have never experienced Garth Fagan’s work, come and see what has sustained the company for four decades, and while you are at it, enjoy seeing what can emerge out of the fertile soil after working with a company for so long.

Purchase Tickets at Joyce.org.