DANCESCAPES NJ
A world premiere dance piece with live acoustic music
WHEN & WHERE: in Hopewell at the new St. Michael’s Farm Preserve on September 22, @ 2:30 PM*; at Trenton’s historic Cadwalader Park on October 6, @ 2:30 PM**, followed by the family tennis play day 5:00 – 7:00 PM. Rain dates: September 23 & October 7, respectively.
TICKETS: $20 adults, $5 children
Tickets are available by calling 609.392.0766 or purchasing on-line at www.passagetheatre.org. Reservations recommended.
Tickets can also be purchased at the Passage Theatre Office: 219 East Hanover Street in Trenton, Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 AM -5:30 PM or at the box office, or 30 minutes before each performance at the performance site. (Photo: Edward J. Greenblat from the Princeton Photography Club)
WATCH A PROMOTIONAL VIDEO HERE
Passage and D&R Greenway Land Trust have commissioned Trenton’s professional dance company, DanceSpora, to create a contemporary dance piece in harmony with the natural world. Supporting this event is National Junior Tennis & Learning of Trenton, who will offer a free family tennis Play Day for attendees at the new tennis facility located in Cadwalader Park.
Plant a tree and learn from naturalists, artists and historians in and around the event! Audiences will choose a short walk through each site on the themes of Art, Environment and History, led by local experts. Noted participants include Trenton-based Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa. The historic Cadwalader Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead of NYC’s Central Park and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park fame, boasts miles of trails on 100 acres, The Trenton City Museum (Ellarslie Mansion), meadowland and access to the D&R Canal, new tennis courts maintained by the National Junior Tennis and Learning of Trenton, as well as a baseball diamond and basketball courts.
What happens when you use choreography to encourage land preservation? Find out from DanceSpora—known for presenting dynamic, progressive works—how dance heightens our connection to our heritage, stewardship and land. DanceSpora was formed in 2008 by artistic directors, Pennsylvania Ballet alum Heidi Cruz-Austin and Trenton-born David Austin, of the internationally acclaimed hip hop troupe Rennie Harris Puremovement. DanceSpora has captivated audiences with their spirited brand of contemporary dance and traditional aesthetics, led by Heidi's intricate and dynamic choreography. http://dancespora.wix.com/dancespora#!about
Passage Artistic Director June Ballinger describes the unique partnership as, “providing an accessible—and entertaining—delivery system for the message of the conservation movement. Artists have the ability to create social change by connecting with audiences on an emotional level, which can impact people in a way that facts and figures can’t, particularly when the artists are local and known by the community. By bringing our community to the public green space—be it urban or rural—in our own backyards, we can foster awareness, pride and stewardship of our common land. It's our intention not to preach to the choir but to serve our community members—some who’ve had little to no exposure to messages about conservation, the environment or the issues behind what we call ‘social justice,’ a number of which are directly linked to land use.”
St. Michaels Farm Preserve in Hopewell, NJ encompasses a wide variety of environmental resources, wildlife habitat and prime agricultural soils. The 337-acre property includes 200 acres of open land and fields currently managed as productive farmland. Fallow fields and floodplains provide grassland, hedgerow, and shrubland habitats for many species of birds, some of which are threatened and endangered.
Funding and additional support for Dancescapes NJ includes The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Charles Evans Foundation, and Tyco.
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Directions & Parking:
Moderately difficult and varied terrain. Dress appropriately for varied weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Audiences encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and water. Pack out what you bring. Restroom facilities available at both sites. *September 22nd @ 2:30 PM performance at St. Michaels Farm Preserve (Hopewell, NJ): Meet at the Charles Evans Overlook. For full directions & parking, visit: www.passagetheatre.org. Rain date: September 23rd, 2:30 PM. **October 6th @ 2:30 PM performance at Cadwalader Park (Trenton, NJ): Meet at the Tennis Courts on Parkside Ave. & W. State Street. For full directions & parking, visit: www.passagetheatre.org. Rain date: October 7th @ 2:30 PM. For over 25 years, Passage Theatre has developed and showcased new work by emerging and established playwrights. As a key participant in the revitalization of urban Trenton, Passage presents outstanding plays that celebrate our common ground, transcending culture and race. www.passagetheatre.org Founded in 1989, D&R Greenway Land Trust is one of New Jersey’s leading land preservation organizations. Its mission is to preserve and provide stewardship for over 22 square miles of natural and agricultural land and historic landscapes in beleaguered New Jersey. www.drgreenway.org |
Passage Theatre’s mainstage season is made possible in part by the N.J. State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the NEA; the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation; The Times of Trenton; Trenton Marriott at Lafayette Yard; The City of Trenton; WIMG 1300; The Curtis McGraw Foundation; The James Kerney Foundation; PNC Bank; The Garfield Foundation; Princeton Area Community Foundation; NJ Council for the Humanities; The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey; and Mary G. Roebling Foundation.
