Philadelphia’s renowned dance company, Philadanco, begins their touring season on May 18th at the Joyce Theater. The performance will be split into two programs. The first is a collection of repertory pieces performed by the ensemble with “Elegy” by Gene Hill Sagan, “Sweet in the Morning” by Leni Wylliams, and “Steal Away” by Alonzo King. The second program is entitled “We Too Dance…African American Men in Dance, includes “Back to Bach” by Eleo Pomare, “A Place for Peace” by Nathan Trice, and “Blue” (New York Premier) by Christopher Huggins.
Arthur Aviles Typical Theater presents “Disco Project: Flow to the Groove,” a program of seven dances set to disco music (“Shake Your Groove Thing,” Meco’s “The Wizard of Oz,” “MacArthur Park Suite,” etc) that all use the choreographer’s new movement technique called Swift Flow that sounds like it has something in common with other Bronx-born dance forms like pop-locking and electric boogaloo. Part of the Boogie Down Dance Series at BAAD!—the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, 841 Barretto St. in Hunts Point (6 to Hunts Point Ave). May 6 & 14 at 8 p.m.
Noëmie La France presents her latest site-specific work “Noir” inspired by film noir in a parking garage on the Lower East Side. The audience will watch from inside parked cars, evoking drive-in movie memories. The spectacle is a co-presentation of this year’s Whitney Biennial and Danspace Project at St. Mark’s Church through their Out of Space series. The Delancey and Essex Municipal Parking Garage at 105 Essex St. Tickets are $20 – $30, $15 for students and seniors; BYOCar $100, at 212 868 4444 or smarttix.com. Wed.-Sat., May 5 – 22 at 9:30 p.m.
“Strange Pilgrims,” a FREE festival of live performance at the Whitney Museum of American Art at Altria features work by Lisa D’Amour and Katie Pearl (May 5), RoseAnne Spradlin (May 19) and Todd Reynolds (May 26) and Yasmeen Godder (June 9). 120 Park Avenue at 42nd Street. Doors open at 7:30, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis; no reservations. All performances are on Wednesdays at 8p.m..
The Merce Cunningham Studio Faculty Concert features works by Merce Cunningham, Jeff Moen, Ellen Cornfield, Cathy Kerr, Douglas Dunn, and Louise Burns. Cunningham Studio, 55 Bethune Street, 11th Floor. Reservations (212) 255-8240 x24. May 7 at 9 p.m., May 8 & 9 at 8 p.m.
Doug Elkins hosts the first installment of Dancemopolitan, a new dance series at Joe’s Pub brought to you by the same dynamic duo behind the communal and incomparable Dancenow/NYC. Performers include Clare Byrne, Nicholas Leichter, Roger C. Jeffrey, Heidi Latsky Dance, Dixie Fun Lee Dance Theater, Ellis Wood Dance, and special guests. 425 Lafayette Street at Astor Place. Tickets $15. Telecharge (212) 239-6200 or telecharge.com. May 7 & 8 at 9:30 p.m.
Lar Lubovitch Dance Company celebrates its 35th anniversary season with the world premiere of “Pentimento” the choreographer’s latest creation made specifically for the space in which it will be performed. Washington Square United Methodist Church, 135 West 4th Street. Tickets $40. (212) 868-4444 or smarttix.com. May 11 and 13 and 17 and 20 at 8 p.m.; May 14 & 15 and 21 & 22 at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Drastic Action, under the artistic direction of Aviva Geismar, presents “All Fall Down,” a quartet that is described as part Dr. Seuss and part Hieronymus Bosch, and continues the choreographer’s interest in the connections between grotesque and comic aspects of human behavior.
The program also includes work by the witty craftsman David Parker. The West End Theater, 263 West 86th Street (B’way/West End Ave.) Tickets $10. Reservations (212) 337-9565. May 20 and 22 at 7p.m.; May 23 at 5p.m..
Clare Byrne Dance in association with The Flea Theater presents “Tetrapod and social dances for Four-Legged Vertebrates,” which looks at square manners and formal structures in twos and fours and brings them into an unstable alignment with odd numbers. Set to Mozart’s string quartet “The Hunt” and live recordings of jazz musician Rahsaan Roland Kirk. 41 White Street (B’way and Canal). Tickets $15. Reservations (212) 352-3101. May 26 and 28 at 7 p.m., May 29 & 30 at 3p.m. and 7 p.m..
Eiko & Koma, known for their explorations of the body as an extension of natural landscape, perform “Tree Song” at twilight in the graveyard of St. Mark’s Church to songs sung live by Sharon Dennis Wyeth. The work first presented last summer at the American Dance Festival is being presented in NY by Danspace Project at St. Mark’s Church in association with the Asia Society. 10th Street and Second Avenue. Free. (212) 674-8194. May 27 and 30 at 8:30 p.m..
—Brian McCormick
