NYSSSA Faculty Concert Photographs
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DEBORAH FRIEDES |
Figuring out program order . . .
Part of what I love about the New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) is the program’s commitment to fostering dance literacy through mounting older modern dance repertory even as it invites younger choreographers to stage their work. The faculty concert is often a model of this philosophy, with historical reconstructions side-by-side with brand-new dances developed by choreographers-in-residence. This year’s concert was studded with some earlier gems of modern dance by Isadora Duncan, Anna Sokolow, and Paul Taylor along with existing repertory by faculty members Danny Grossman and Laura Bennett. Jessica Lang offered two works-in-progress, while Robert Battle premiered a moving duet and presented Juba (2003), originally made for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Dancer and NYSSSA counselor Laura Frank brought her camera to the dress rehearsal and agreed to share some of her fantastic photographs here on The Winger. Enjoy!
Dancers Rika Okamoto and Kanji Segawa in Jessica Lang’s “Conversation,” an excerpt from the work-in-progress Sadako and the 1,000 cranes.
Another stunning image from “Conversation.”
Laura Bennett’s Reverie, with dancers Melody Gamba, Marisa Ballaro, Jude Sandy, Amy Marie Burns, Erika Pujic and Laura Bennett herself. I served as rehearsal assistant for this dance and was thrilled to see the cast perform so beautifully!
Amy and Jude in the duet from Reverie.
The very versatile Kanji Segawa and Erika Pujic each performed in several works; here they are in the premiere of Robert Battle’s Still.
Kanji and Erika in Still.
The extraordinary Eddie Kastrau and marvelous Mairead Filgate in Danny Grossman’s Higher, which premiered in 1975.
Just one of the jaw-dropping moments in Higher.
Eddie and Mairead finally get a little closer.
Many thanks to these 4 choreographers and photographer Laura Frank for sharing these images!
