June 15 , 2007
Washington, DC—CityDance Ensemble announces
the programs and repertory for its 2007-2008 home season, featuring
the company’s debut performances in the Lansburgh
Theatre at the Harman Center for the Arts and
the return of the company’s In the Studio concerts
in Studio 405 at the Music Center at
Strathmore. Under the direction of Artistic Director Paul
Gordon Emerson, CityDance’s upcoming season features
guest performances by international dance star Rasta
Thomas, the premiere of the company’s original
family production of Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle
Books, and choreography by Lar Lubovitch,
Roger C. Jeffrey, Doug Varone, and others.
CityDance Ensemble’s 2007-2008 home season consists
of 17 performances within five programs, with three programs
in the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC)
and two programs in Strathmore’s Studio 405 (5301 Tuckerman
Lane, N. Bethesda, MD).
“Performing at both the Harman Center and Strathmore
next season is an exceptional opportunity for CityDance,” says
Mr. Emerson. “These venues provide audiences with two
different perspectives and experiences. Our in-studio concerts
at Strathmore deliver an intimate, face-to-face performance,
while the beautiful Lansburgh Theatre offers a more traditional
performance setting.”
The new season marks CityDance’s first as an artistic
partner with the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Under
this partnership, CityDance will present an annual four-weekend
season in the 451-seat Lansburgh Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre
Company’s current theatre which will become part of the
new Harman Center for the Arts.
“Collaboration has been at the foundation of the Harman Center for the
Arts from the very beginning,” notes Nick Goldsborough, Managing
Director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company. “Having world class dance
and music to accompany the work that the Shakespeare Theatre Company does is
the realization of a dream for both myself and Michael [Kahn]. As an artistic
partner, CityDance exemplifies what we are looking for in a collaboration and
we are delighted to have such a rich season from them to look forward to.”
The upcoming season also marks CityDance’s third year
as the resident dance company and educator at the Music Center
at Strathmore. CityDance Ensemble rehearses in its home studios
at Strathmore and runs the CityDance Center at Strathmore, an
in-studio education facility offering dance and fitness classes
for youth and adults of all levels. When performing in Studio
405, CityDance transforms the studio into an intimate 150-seat
performance space that brings audience members face-to-face
with the dancers and choreography.
“CityDance is a crucial part of what we do at the Music
Center at Strathmore,” comments Eliot Pfanstiehl, President
and CEO of Strathmore. “The company is constantly expanding
the borders, boundaries, and ideas of what is possible in this
building. Next season will be a real highlight for them and
for us.”
Rasta Thomas returns to CityDance next season as artist-in-residence,
performing in two programs and engaging his contacts in the
international dance community to bring the highest caliber
artists and choreographers to CityDance. Mr. Thomas, widely
regarded as one of the top male dancers in the world, has danced
with such companies as American Ballet Theatre, Dance Theatre
of Harlem, and the Kirov Ballet. He performed the lead role
in Twyla Tharp’s Movin’ Out both on Broadway
and in the national tour.
Also joining CityDance as rehearsal director for the 2007-2008
season is Christopher Morgan, a seasoned dancer
and choreographer, who has danced for David Gordon, Liz Lerman
Dance Exchange, Fabulous Beast Dance Theater (UK) and as a
soloist with the Washington National Opera, New York City Opera,
and Houston Grand Opera. Mr. Morgan is currently the artistic
director of the New York based pick-up company Muse, and has
had his work commissioned and presented in Germany, Lithuania,
Ireland, Poland, Hong Kong and throughout the United States.
“Rasta and Christopher will be a true asset to
CityDance as we move in to next season,” notes Mr. Emerson. “They
both bring a unique set of talents and capabilities that will
help drive CityDance to the next level.”
The upcoming season is host to a variety of programs, choreographers,
and musicians that highlight the versatility, dynamism, and
athleticism of CityDance Ensemble. Complete with world premieres,
celebrated favorites, and new performances for the whole family,
the 2007-2008 season promises to engage and educate an audience
of long-time dance fans and new dance enthusiasts alike.
CITYDANCE
ENSEMBLE 2007-2008 SEASON
Born to Run
Friday, September 7, 2007 • 8pm
Saturday, September 8, 2007 • 8pm
Lansburgh Theatre, Harman Center for the Arts
In an anthem to youth, adventure, and growing up in America, Paul
Gordon Emerson’s Born to Run delivers
fresh, electrifying movement set to the iconic music of Bruce
Springsteen. The concert program also includes Jane
Dudley’s legendary Harmonica Breakdown and Lar
Lubovitch’s male solo Little Rhapsodies.
In the Studio I (Eclipse)
Saturday, October 27, 2007 • 8pm (A post-performance
discussion will follow this concert)
Sunday, October 28, 2007 • 7pm
Studio 405, Music Center at Strathmore
The premiere of this season’s In the Studio series
showcases the return of Doug Varone’s Eclipse,
a poignant trio set to the haunting music of Michael
Gordon. Paired with striking choreography from Roger
C. Jeffrey, Paul Gordon Emerson, and Meisha
Bosma, this concert transcends convention and invites
reflection.
Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Books
Saturday, December 8, 2007 • 1pm & 4:30pm
Sunday, December 9, 2007 • 1pm & 4:30pm
Saturday, December 15, 2007 • 1pm & 4:30pm
Sunday, December 16, 2007 • 1pm & 4:30pm
Lansburgh Theatre, Harman Center for the Arts
Presented by Washington Performing Arts Society and
funded by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, the
world premiere performance of CityDance’s adaptation
of Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Books is a colorful
show for the whole family. Breathing new life intoMowgli, Baloo,
Shere Khan, and other characters from the classic tales, the
company will take audiences on a wild ride of adventure and
imagination.
Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Friday, March 7, 2008 • 8pm
Saturday, March 8, 2008 • 8pm
Sunday, March 9, 2008 • 7pm
Lansburgh Theatre, Harman Center for the Arts
The immortal words of Shakespeare’s treasured,
yet rarely heard, Sonnets come alive in CityDance’s
spirited interpretation of transcendent literature and universal
meaning. Partnering with the Shakespeare Theatre Company to
mix original choreography and new music with the ageless poems
of Shakespeare, CityDance explores the esteemed playwright’s
unceasing relevancy throughout the last four centuries.
In the Studio II (Bold Steps: Warmer)
Saturday, April 12, 2008 • 8:30pm (A post-performance
discussion will follow this concert)
Sunday, April 13, 2008 • 7pm
Studio 405, Music Center at Strathmore
A long-time audience favorite, CityDance’s annual Bold
Steps program takes a new turn this season. Centered on
the reality that our planet is getting warmer, this concert
invites CityDance company members and other
choreographers to tackle the question of global warming and
the impact that art will have on this issue. Bold Steps:
Warmer—a concert for today and about tomorrow—promises
to unfold intriguing voices, surprising insight, and a challenging
reality.
TICKETS
Tickets for Born to Run and Shakespeare’s
Sonnets are priced at $35 and $20 and are available through
the Harman Center for the Arts Ticket Office. Tickets
will be on sale online and by phone June 15, 2007, and also
in person starting in late September. Tickets are available
in three easy ways:
1) Online: www.HarmanCenter.org
2) Phone: 202.547.1122 • Toll Free: 877.487.8849 • TTY:
202.638.3863
3) In Person: Harman Center for the Arts Ticket Office
610 F Street NW • Washington,
DC • 20004
10am-6pm Monday-Saturday • 12-6pm
Sunday
A limited number of $100 VIP tickets will be available for
premiere seating and a post-concert reception at the Saturday
evening performances of Born to Run and Shakespeare’s
Sonnets. For information on the VIP tickets, call 202.347.3909
or email tickets@citydance.net.
Tickets for Jungle Books are priced at $30 for adults
and $18 for youth (up to age 12) and are available through
the Washington Performing Arts Society Ticket Office. Jungle
Books tickets will be on sale online August 20, 2007 and
also by phone and in person on September 10, 2007. Tickets
are available in three ways:
1) Online: www.wpas.org
2) Phone: 202.785.WPAS (9727)
3) In Person: WPAS Ticket Office
2000 L Street NW • Suite 510 • Washington,
DC • 20036
9:30am-5pm Monday-Friday
Tickets for In the Studio I (Eclipse) and In
the Studio II (Bold Steps: Warmer) are priced at $15
and are available through the Music Center at Strathmore
Ticket Office. Tickets are available in three ways:
1) Online: www.strathmore.org
2) Phone: 301.581.5100 • Toll Free and TTY: 800.735.2258
3) In Person: Strathmore Ticket Office
5301 Tuckerman Lane • North
Bethesda, MD • 20852
10am-5pm Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri • 10am-9pm
Wed • 10am-2pm Sat
(Summer hours from May 21-Aug 20 • 10am-5pm
Mon-Fri)
ABOUT CITYDANCE ENSEMBLE, INC.
CityDance Ensemble, Inc. is the parent organization to CityDance
Ensemble, an award-winning contemporary repertory
dance company; Early Arts, an arts outreach
program for youth serving more than 25,000 students each year; CityDance
Education Centers, facilities committed to excellence
in dance training for youth and adults; and FilmWORKS, a
creator and presenter of dance-on-camera. The mission of CityDance
Ensemble, Inc. is to advance the appreciation for and participation
in the art of dance through excellence in performance, education,
film, and artistic innovation.
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