On May 1st the Junior Board of Elisa Monte Dance held its Spring Mixer. This is the time that the Junior Board and the Dancers can hang out in a casual and fun atmosphere and get to know one another better. This year it was hosted by Board Chair Elia Monte-Brown and dinner was graciously cooked by Board Member Jack Howard-Potter.
LtoR: Dancer Liz Beres, Dancer Daquan Thompson, Junior Board Member Ola Oyinsan, Dancer India Bolds, Junior Board Member Ronnie Spruill, Dancer Clement Mensah, Dancer Sam Turner
LtoR: Dancer India Bolds, Dancer Liz Beres, Dancer Rachel Holmes, Junior Board Member Ronnie Spruill, Dancer Sam Turner, Dancer Daquan Thompson
Our New Dancers! LtoR: Liz Beres, Alicia Pegues, Sam Turner
Recently the company added 3 new dancers to the company! Here are their bios to help you get to know them better.
LIZ BERES (dancer), a proud Wisconsinite, completed her BFA at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2009. While in school, she worked with Ronald K. Brown, Jill Johnson of The Forsythe Company, and Brook Notary, and served as KEIGWIN + COMPANY’s administrative intern. Liz has performed at Danspace’s Food for Thought summer series, 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center’s Fridays at Noon, and LaMaMa Moves Dance Festival. She has been privileged to train outside of NYC at Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance and Bates Dance Festival.
Alicia Pegues (dancer), A Texas native, began her training at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma. She has toured internationally with the Modern Repertory Dance Theatre, and attended the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center’s Fellowship Program. Alicia is a former member of Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn. She has worked with choreographers such as, Ray Mercer, Nejla Yatkin, Hope Boykin, Christopher Huggins, Jessica Lang and many more. Alicia joined Elisa Monte Dance in March, 2009.
Samuel Turner (dancer), a native of West Palm Beach, FL, began his training at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts and continued with the Academy of Ballet Florida. He then went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Kinesiology from Indiana University where he studied with Violette Verdy. Shortly after college, Mr. Turner went on to dance with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Dance Theater, and Roxey Ballet. In 2007 he joined American Repertory Ballet under the direction of Graham Lustig, performing in works by Graham Lustig, Lisa de Ribere, and Twyla Tharp. Mr. Turner moved to New York City in 2008 and has since worked with various renowned choreographer such as Karen Gayle of Xodus Dance Collective , Jennifer Archibald of Arch Dance Company, and Mark Morris; dancing in his revival of Orfeo ed Euridice at the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center.
Opening night of Elisa Monte Dance at The Joyce Theater is one week from today! The dancers are incredibly busy with rehearsals and will be doing tech in the theater next week. The oldest piece on the program, dating back to 1984, is Elisa Monte’s Audentity, set to music by Klaus Schulze. Audentity is a composite word describing identity through sound, and fittingly, the piece itself is a visual interpretation of the music’s rhythm and flow. The dancers are dressed in all white and the pace runs from fast to slow. According to Elisa Monte, Audentity is a unity of body, soul, and mind, weaving together the unexpected.
The Joyce program also includes the NY premiere of Zydeco, Zaré, the world premiere of Arrow’s Path, and Slope of Enlightenment. Tickets can be ordered online or by calling 212-242-0800. Watch the video below to see excerpts from several of EMD’s pieces.
Elisa Monte Dance’s season at The Joyce Theater is just two weeks away, and the company is hard at work as they prepare for the performances. The program is definitely an exciting one: the NY premiere of Zydeco, Zaré, the Joyce-commissioned Slope of Enlightenment, the revival of Audentity, and finally, the world premiere of Arrow’s Path. This is an intimate duet that intertwines and juxtaposes emotional and physical relationships, featuring music by contemporary composer Kevin Keller.
Since arriving in New York in 2002, Keller has collaborated with several choreographers, creating original music ranging from classical to electronic. According to choreographer Mariana Beckerman, “Kevin Keller’s music not only makes the dance breathe its own life, but he himself is a composer who makes it his duty to fulfill the mood and energy of the work.” You can listen to excerpts of Keller’s compositions for dance under the dance section of his website. His music for cello and piano is beautiful, and Arrow’s Path will certainly be enhanced by Keller’s strong score.
We hope you’ll join us at one of the Joyce performances.
Happy Holidays from Elisa Monte Dance
Your support in the past has been indispensable to the success of our company and your continued support will help us to keep pursuing our mission of bridging cultural barriers through the universal language of dance. Because of you, we have reached our 28th Anniversary and can continue to explore, create and present works throughout the world.
There are numerous ways you can help us this year!
- You could donate, at any level! If done by Dec 31st you could use it for a 2008 tax deduction.
- You could subscribe to our email newsletter
- We have one for general information
- and one for classes, workshops and auditions
- You can subscribe to this blog!
- You can purchase a ticket to our show at the Joyce.
No matter what you do we appreciate the fact that your part of our family. Happy Holidays from everyone at Elisa Monte Dance.
This past October, Elisa Monte Dance presented the world premiere of Zydeco, Zaré at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. The piece incorporates the syncopated sounds and movements of Zydeco music, which is a derivative of Creole culture and a cousin of Cajun music, while exploring Louisiana’s rich and diverse landscape. Now Monte’s Zydeco, Zaré comes to New York City for the company’s upcoming season at the Joyce Theater, allowing audiences to immerse themselves in this eclectic piece. Featuring music by a six-piece Zydeco band, Jeffrey Broussard & The Creole Cowboys, and Monte’s innovative choreography, Zydeco, Zaré is a unique addition to the company’s repertoire. Watch the video above, and don’t forget to order tickets!
Dancers performing Zydeco, Zaré at the Heymann Performing Arts Center, photo by James Edmunds
The dancers of Elisa Monte Dance are currently performing in Europe, but they’ll be back in the US at the end of the week and then will focus all their attention on the upcoming season at The Joyce Theater, January 21st – 25th. Along with a New York premiere, a world premiere, and a revival from the repertoire, EMD will perform Slope of Enlightenment, a 2007 work commissioned by The Joyce. This unique piece is a collaboration between choreographer Elisa Monte and jazz musician Richard Bennett, and is a tribute to long-standing company member Fabrice Lamego. It explores an individual’s transformations through unexpected circumstances, and his ability – both physical and emotional – to survive.
In March 2008 dance critic Allan Ulrich wrote,”You might call this a quest piece, and an affecting one, too…With the members of the ensemble sauntering on and off and posing like monoliths, the piece achieves the quality of a life journey.”
Werner Figar (left) and Fabrice Lamego in Slope of Enlightenment, photo by Marilynn K. Yee
Slope of Enlightenment promises to be a compelling addition to EMD’s quadruple bill program at The Joyce. Tickets can be ordered online or by calling Joyce Charge at 212-242-0800.
Posted by Evan
Photo: Roy Volkmann
Elisa Monte Dance’s 28th anniversary season at The Joyce Theater will be a special one, as it includes the NY premiere of Zydeco, Zaré and the world premiere of Arrow’s Path, along with the Joyce-commissioned Slope of Enlightenment and the revival of Audentity. In addition Zydeco, Zaré will feature LIVE music, direct from Louisiana, by Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys.
The first three performances will be particularly celebratory and audiences are encouraged to join in the festivities:
- Wednesday, January 21st is the opening night and the companies Gala.
- Thursday, January 22nd is Humanities Night.
- Friday, January 23rd is the Junior Gala.
Opening night performances are always memorable and exciting for both the audience and the dancers, especially when they include a world premiere. At Thursday evening’s Humanities Night, you can get an even closer look at dance by joining EMD for a post-performance discussion. This is a unique opportunity to learn more about the work that goes into producing and presenting a performance. On Friday, the Junior Board will host the Junior Gala, geared toward newer audiences with the hopes of cultivating the next generation of dance supporters. Since forming in August 2007, the Junior Board has hosted a gala, an open rehearsal, and a spring showing, while also taking on two fundraising initiatives. The first was The New Choreographers Production Fund, which supports dancers with choreographic aspirations, and the second was The Emergency Health Care Fund, which helps cover the health care and medical expenses of the company’s dancers.
The first three performances at The Joyce provide audiences with an opportunity to get an intimate look at Elisa Monte Dance while celebrating the company’s 27th anniversary. We hope you’ll join us and bring along some friends – either newcomers or long-time dance devotees.
Tickets for just the performances can be purchased here.
Tickets for the performances and either Gala are directly through Elisa Monte Dance.
Posted by Evan
Photo: Roy Volkmann Dancers: Rachel Holmes, Maya Taylor, India Bolds
Last Thursday, I attended my first company event. The Junior Board of Elisa Monte Dance hosted an open rehearsal for their friends in order to give everyone a sneak preview of the company’s upcoming performances at The Joyce Theater, January 21-25. About 40 people and I filled the spacious studio to watch excerpts from Zydeco, Zaré, which will have its New York premiere at The Joyce, and Volkmann Suite, which debuted in 1996. The event was a fabulous opportunity to see the dancers in action before they head to Europe next week for several performances. It also provided an opportunity for the junior board to further its mission: to broaden EMD’s audience by reaching out to a younger generation.
The dancers were energetic and looked thrilled to share their hard work in an informal setting. Volkmann Suite was filled with sensual images and inventive partnering, while Zydeco, Zaré depicted an upbeat gathering of people celebrating the sounds and movements of Zydeco. The showing was followed by cocktails and mingling with artistic director Elisa Monte and the dancers. Everyone was buzzing about the wonderful rehearsal and seemed eager to see the full performance at The Joyce in January. In fact, many of the attendees had never seen a contemporary company and knew little about dance. For them, getting an intimate, behind-the-scenes glimpse of EMD was a particularly unique opportunity. The open rehearsal was a festive, successful evening and a great preview for the company’s Joyce season – only 8 weeks to go!
Elisa Monte Dance will perform at The Joyce Theater January 21 to 25, with its opening night gala on the 21st, Humanities Night on the 22nd, and the Junior Gala on the 23rd. Tickets can be ordered online or by calling Joyce Charge at 212-242-0800.
Posted by Evan
Greetings, and welcome to Elisa Monte Dance’s blog! My name is Evan and I’m excited to be working with the company as they prepare for their upcoming season at The Joyce Theater. I’ll be contributing to the blog on a weekly basis and encourage you to check in often for updates, photos, posts from the dancers (who depart for a tour to Europe next week), and more information about the repertoire being performed at The Joyce. This is an exciting and busy time for EMD, so this blog is a way for me and the company to communicate with readers and keep everyone in the loop. Enjoy!
-Evan
