WHEN: April 14, 2018. There will be an encore performance at a matinee on April 15th at NJPAC.
WHERE: NJPAC, Victoria Theatre, 1 Center St., Newark
TICKETS: General admission tickets for April 14 evening and April 15 matinee are available from $25 - $45 here. Individual gala tickets start at $235 and include a post-show reception that includes light supper, cocktails, dessert, dancing and music by The Hubcaps at Nico private room, inside of NJPAC. Gala sponsorships, tickets, and virtual advertisements can be purchased online at http://carolyndorfman.dance/calendar/gala2018
Carolyn Dorfman Dance, whose bold and dramatic works connect life and movement, is premiering a new work in collaboration with Pilobolus during its yearly performance and gala benefit on at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). The new piece is being co-choreographed by Carolyn Dorfman, Renée Jaworski, Co-Artistic Director of Pilobolus and former Dorfman company dancer, and the dancers of CDD. It is co-commissioned by NJPAC. The evening performance will also feature a re-creation of Carolyn Dorfman Dance repertory pieces Lifeline and Cercle d’Amour—connecting the company and its audience in celebration of Dorfman’s 35th Anniversary festivities.
This Pilobolus and Carolyn Dorfman Dance collaboration is the first-of-its-kind for both companies—the first co-choreographic creation with an external choreographer for Carolyn Dorfman and the first time a Pilobolus creation will join another company’s repertory. The historic premiere, which encapsulates Dorfman and Jaworski’s vision of delving into human connections across time and culture, will remain exclusively a part of Carolyn Dorfman Dance’s repertory for two years, and then be added to the Pilobolus repertory.
The two choreographers agree that, while their processes originate from different perspectives, their work together is bringing them down a path that is both familiar and filled with unexpected discoveries. “Collaborating with Renée and my dancers on this new work has been exhilarating,” says Carolyn Dorfman, “We work entirely different and yet remarkably similar. I love her spontaneity, craft, and the extraordinary physical Pilobolus trademarks embodied in this work. It has taken us all to a new, yet somehow familiar, place. For Renée Jaworski, “to celebrate an American Modern Dance company’s 35th anniversary is a rare and wonderful thing. Carolyn has always done what it takes to keep her audience engaged, and that is a desire I share. The fact that we come at that goal from our own perspectives is bringing us both to unexpected and exciting places.”
Merging their signature styles and processes, Dorfman, Pilobolus and the 11 company dancers come together to create a new premiere about connection; past, present and future. Cercle d’Amour jubilantly explores movement evoked by the American icon, the Hula–Hoop, and Lifeline utilizes ropes to showcase the strong bonds created across multiple generations.
REPERTORY DETAILS
Snap, Crackle, Pop (2018) - World Premiere
- Choreography: Created in collaboration with Carolyn Dorfman, Renée Jaworksi and the dancers of Carolyn Dorfman Dance
- Music: David Van Tieghem
- Lighting: Thom Weaver
- Costume: Anna-Alisa Belous
Delving into iconic American cultural experiences and common bonds that shape us, the premiere explores the phenomenon of commercials (content, jingles, song), social and political events, the technology explosion, and the evolution of human communication.
Lifeline (1987)
- Choreography: Carolyn Dorfman
- Music: Robert Kaplan
- Lighting: Thom Weaver
- Costume: Original - Russell Aubrey, recreated and adapted by Anna-Alisa Belous
“The tension from the ropes and the interconnectedness of the dancers make a strong and exciting statement about the bonds that join individuals across generations.” - The New York Times
Cercle d’Amour (2010)
- Choreography: Carolyn Dorfman
- Music: Andy Teirstein
- Costumes and Prop Design: Anna-Alisa Belous
- Custom Hula Hoop Construction: KaytiBunny Roberts
Cercle d’Amour is Carolyn Dorfman’s choreographic response to what she was once told: “laughter, too, can change the world.” The piece explores the visual and movement metaphors evoked by a resonant and versatile prop, the hula-hoop. Featuring music by Andy Tierstein, the ensemble work illuminates various aspects of relationships including play, competition, and fantasy.
The evening is presented as part of NJPAC’s Jersey Moves! Festival of Dance and made possible by generous grants from The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
About Carolyn Dorfman Dance
Celebrating its 35th season, Carolyn Dorfman Dance connects life and dance in bold, athletic and dramatic works by Carolyn Dorfman and nationally renowned choreographers. 35 years strong, the company’s eleven multi-ethnic and stunning dancers tap their unique talents to present high-energy and technically demanding dance that unleashes the powerful storytelling and imagery of its visionary creator who has created more than 60 works. Touring nationally and internationally, the company appears at major theaters, festivals, universities, museums/galleries and other non-traditional performance venues. Carolyn Dorfman Dance presents immersive performance and teaching residencies that take the company into diverse communities to share art and process, creating experiences that build connection, understanding and inspire positive social change.
About Pilobolus
For 45 years, Pilobolus has tested the limits of human physicality, exploring the beauty and power of connected bodies. We bring this tradition to global audiences through post-disciplinary collaborations with some of the greatest influencers, thinkers, and creators in the world. We reach beyond performance, bringing storytelling expertise to diverse communities, brands, and organizations, through designed experiences showing how nonverbal communication can maximize group creativity, solve problems, create surprise, and generate joy. Pilobolus has created over 120 pieces of repertory, touring to more than 65 countries – performing for 300,000+ people worldwide each year. Pilobolus has been recognized with honors including a TED Fellowship, a Grammy® Nomination, a Primetime Emmy® Award, and several Cannes Lion Awards at the International Festival of Creativity. Pilobolus has collaborated with over 75 brands and organizations in finance, retail, media, fashion, sports, and more, creating bespoke performances for television, film, and live events.
