LIVE CULTURES 001
Ballet on acid, second helpings, and a (very) early invitation to my birthday party.
Live Cultures is your ~monthly~ dose of New York City cultural enrichment, hand-curated by Xiomara Bovell. Welcome to the inaugural newsletter - Live Cultures 001!
Field Trip 001: Nederlands Dans Theater
Earlier this month, I gathered 25 lovely humans to watch Nederlands Dans Theater at New York City Center. We saw a triple bill of new works, some premiering for the very first time in the US. The show began with William Forsythe’s N.N.N.N., an energetic quartet accompanied only by the sound of the dancers’ bodies and breath. For seconds, sibling creative duo, Imre and Marne Van Opstal offered up The Point Being complete with an arresting soundscape, and stage design/light installation courtesy of Studio DRIFT. Though closely contested, the best was saved ‘til last with Jakie by Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, a performance that I will only describe as a Berghain-worthy techno ballet on acid.
In the words of Arianna:
“Only thing better than the dancing was the great company!”
I concur. It was my distinct pleasure as field trip chaperone, to see you filling the rows at the theater, and watching your reactions in the intermissions between each piece. As if that weren’t enough, my heart exploded watching you all get deep into conversation at post-show drinks and even exchange numbers(!), having been strangers just hours before. (Also, shoutout to Sarah for the stellar bar recommendation, AS IS.)
Let’s do it again in June! Until then, savour these gorgeous photos taken by Suzie Maez during our field trip!
Hungry for seconds?
If you loved NDT and want to see more, I think you might also love these upcoming performances:
Sydney Dance Company at The Joyce Theater (THIS WEEK: Apr 16-21)
Sydney Dance Company’s dancers embody equal parts force and fluidity, switching from grace to grit on a dime. This week, they’re in New York performing the critically acclaimed ab [intra] (‘from within’ in Latin). Primal physicality is paired with Australian musician, Nick Wales,’ lush cello-meets-ambient electronica score that reflects on the shared complexity of being.
Ballet Hispanico at NY City Center (April 25-28)
Ballet Hispanico returns home to New York to celebrate Eduardo Vilaro’s 15th year as Artistic Director. This triple-bill performance promises a vast spectrum of choreographic style from World Premiere Vilaro’s immersive yet intimate, Buscando a Juan, inspired by Afro-Hispanic painter Juan de Pareja; to rich imagery and theatrical satire in Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s House of Mad’moiselle; to Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s 18+1, a fun romp through some of Perez Prado’s iconic big band hits.
P.S. If you’re under 35, sign up for Access City Center Club for $28 Under 35 tickets!
I’m a virgo, of course I’m planning my own birthday 5 months in advance…
Come with me to see Sharon Eyal’s R.O.S.E. at Park Avenue Armory (Sep 5-12)
Let me be upfront in declaring that this is a Sharon Eyal stan account!! For those who saw the NDT show, hers was the third and final piece that left everyone’s jaw on the ground and garnered a good 5 minutes of standing ovation. Her work is visceral, sensual, pulsating. And in September, she invites us into the thick of it with R.O.S.E., a special commission at the Park Avenue Armory, where boundaries between stage, dancer, and spectator are dissolved. The soundtrack for the experience comes courtesy of Eyal’s collaborators, DJ Ben UFO and Caius Pawson (club kids and modern dancers unite!), and for my birthday (Fri, September, 6th), I plan to be on the dance floor with Sharon Eyal and company, and invite you to join me! Let me know if you’re interested in joining below.
P.S. Yes, this is super far in advance. Yes, I am a virgo. But virgos know best, and I know this will sell out come summer...Don’t make me say ‘I told you so’!)