Steps Repertory Ensemble

 

 

STEPS REPERTORY ENSEMBLE, directed by Claire Livingstone , former member of London's Royal Ballet, will perform a varied program of works, including two world premieres,  by choreographers Shannon Gillen, Zvi Gotheiner, Ricky & Jeff Kuperman, Yesid Lopez, Nathan Trice, and Manuel Vignoulle, April 18-20, 7:30 PM, at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 West 55 Street.    

 

Steps Repertory Ensemble, the resident contemporary dance company of Steps on Broadway, continues its mission of  giving  opportunities to dancers to work in a repertory-based company through commissioning emerging and established American and interntaional choreographers.   The Ensemble has performed in concerts in New York and South Africa, in 2010, and will be appearing this summer in Southampton and as part of the Inside/Out Series at Jacob's Pillow.    Under the guidance of Artistic Director Claire Livingstone, former nine-year member of the Royal Ballet Company, the Ensemble has grown to a company of 10-12 professional dancers selected by audition, and with credits that include Armitage Gone! Dance, Take Dance, Brian Brooks Moving Company, Sean Curran, Stephen Petronio, and more.

 

The April 18-20 performances will feature works by six choreographers:

 

SHANNON GILLEN will show the world premiere of  her "On Certainity," set to music by Frank Bretschneider and Ryoji Ikeda.   Ms. Gillen was selected by choreographer Christopher Wheeldon as part of the Ensemble's Emerging Choreographers Project.

 

Famed Israeli choreographer ZVI GOTHEINER will present an excerpt from his "Chairs," a fierce, visually stunning work for nine dancers and nine chairs, set to a collage of music that ranges from Rachmaninoff to Russian Orthodox liturgical to movie music.

 

RICK & JEFF KUPERMAN's "Tit for Tat," set to music by Mark Korven, treats viewers to  "a resounding triumph of masculine aggressive energy, athletic prowess, and visual acumen....an audience favorite."  (www.theasy.com, 2012)

 

By YESID LOPEZ is "Hooked," a duet set to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata exploring  the connection between two people in any relationship.

 

The Ensemble will give an encore performance of NATHAN TRICE's popular "Conversations," inspired by a lively conversation by a group of his friends over dinner on the always fascinating subject of love, and set to music by Keith Jarrett.

 

French dancemaker MANUEL VIGNOULLE will present the premiere of "Le Moi Sauvage" (The Wild Side of Me).  The piece deals with the acknowledgement and celebration of the many emotions and aspects of a woman's personality.    Sound score includes music by Lisa Gerrard and Marcel Dettmann.

 

 

 

 

Steps on Broadway is not only a dance studio offering classes, morning to night, in all forms of dance, but is also a true epicenter of New York's professional dance community.  It is home to many of the dance world's most respected teachers and is a training ground for generations of dancers.  Through their Steps Beyond division, it is also a center for dance education  workshops, lectures, film series, performances, and the home of the Steps Repertory Ensemble, a group of professional dancers performing works by both emerging and well established choreographers.  Steps was founded in 1979 by Artistic Director Carol Paumgartner; Diane Grumet is co-Artistic Director.

 

www.stepsnyc.com