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SKIRBALL SEASON OPENS TUESDAY -- TOMORROW NIGHT!
Advance word: What the press says
Friday gala honoree: NYSCA's Beverly D'Anne
Meet the company part I
(featuring 8 out of 13 dancers) --
the casts of Little Rhapsodies
and Love's Stories
Rasta Thomas, Sean Stewart, Charlaine Mei Katsuyoshi,
Jay Franke, Harumi Terayama, Charlie Neshyba-Hodges,
Kate Skarpetowska, Marty Lawson
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The Lar Lubovitch Dance Company opens its 39th anniversary season tomorrow evening at NYU Skirball Center, 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South. Through Saturday, you can see the company in three premieres:
Little Rhapsodies - a world premiere, set to Schumann piano etudes, played live by concert pianist Pedja Muzijevic
Dvorák Serenade - another world premiere, inspired by the composer's romantic Op. 22 for strings
Love's Stories - the company premiere of a work originally created in collaboration with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, featuring jazz vocalist Kurt Elling's expressive interpretations of classic love songs like "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "Prelude to a Kiss"
Meet Lar Lubovitch for a post-performance Q&A session on Wednesday evening. On Thursday and Friday, the Limón Dance Company joins the program to perform Recordare, Lubovitch's 2005 lively homage to José Limón.
To buy tickets, order on-line or call Ticket Central at 212.279.4200. Use code 4FOL for preferred seating.
For more info, visit the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company web site. |
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Notable quotes: Advance word on the season
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“Lubovitch, one of the greatest living modern choreographers, and his exquisitely talented company present a follow-up to their highly acclaimed 2005 season…”
-- New York Magazine
“Known for the rich flow of his modern-dance choreography, Mr. Lubovitch and his eloquent dancers will present two programs…”
-- The New York Times
“It’s about trying to capture the delicacy and humanity of the music … It all comes from the music ... even though it is really about how the dancing is a wonderfully uplifting and profound art.”
-- Lar Lubovitch, quoted on Dvorák Serenade (Staten Island Advance)
“Lush, sensuous, grandly flowing movement has certainly played a major part in his work. His ensembles surge like waves rolling into shore, and his dancers often are called upon to move with openhearted expansiveness. But he has also created dances that explore character traits and narrative…”
-- New York Press
THE COMPANY (PART I) |
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Spring gala honoree: Beverly D'Anne |
The Lar Lubovitch Dance Company celebrates its 39th anniversary with our spring gala on Friday, April 20. This year, the company is very pleased to honor Beverly D’Anne, Director of the Dance Program of the NY State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), the state funding agency that seeks to maintain New York's paramount position as a world cultural center by supporting the activities of non-profit arts and cultural organizations. Ms. D’Anne (a former dancer) first joined the staff of NYSCA in 1977, and has headed the agency's dance program since 1980. During her 30 years of service at NYSCA, she has been a tireless champion of the arts – fostering the emergence of new dance artists, providing resources for artists in their prime, and working to preserve the legacies of established masters. Because of her efforts, New York remains a vital center of the dance world.
For more information on our spring gala, visit the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company web site.
To request an invitation or order tickets for the event, please call director of development and marketing Dan Feinstein at 212.221.7909. |
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| Rasta Thomas |
| Rasta Thomas first danced with the Lubovitch company in 2005. He was born in California and raised in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He studied at the Kirov Academy in Washington D.C. He made dance competition history with honors including the Special Jury Prize from the 1994 Paris Int’l Dance Competition, the Gold Medal in the Junior Men’s Division of the 1996 Varna Int’l Ballet Competition, and the Gold Medal in the Senior Men’s Division of the Jackson, MS USA-IBC. In 1995, he became a member of Le Jeune Ballet de France, and in 1997 a Principal Dancer with the Hartford Ballet. His guest credits include the Russian Imperial Ballet, National Ballet of China, Victor Ullate Ballet of Spain, Inoue Ballet of Japan, Ochi Ballet, Universal Ballet of Korea, Joffrey Ballet, Washington Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Philadanco, Lines Contemporary Ballet, Complexions and Pacific Northwest Ballet. He has been featured at many galas, including Le Gala Des Etoiles and Spoleto. In 2001 he was the first American to become a member of the Kirov Ballet. In 2003 he joined Dance Theatre of Harlem. He has danced diverse roles in Giselle, Don Quixote and Le Corsaire. TV credits include a Bravo documentary in 1997, CBS Breakfast with the Arts, Sesame Street, a featured solo during the 1999 Academy Awards and the Spring 2000 international ad campaign for The GAP. He appears as “Timmy Chambers” in the feature film, One Last Dance, starring Patrick Swayze. He most recently starred in Tharp’s Movin’ Out and will be guesting with American Ballet Theatre for their 2007 Met season. |
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Sean Stewart |
| Sean Stewart first danced with the Lubovitch company in 2005. He grew up in California, where he began dancing with Lisa Clark and Yanina Cywinska. At 14, he moved to NYC to dance with the Joffrey II Dancers. He studied at the Paris Opera Ballet School before joining American Ballet Theatre. He stayed there for six seasons performing several principal roles such as Lankendem and Birbanto in Le Corsaire, the Nutcracker Prince in The Nutcracker, Hortensio in Taming of the Shrew, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, Benno in Swan Lake, as well as in pieces by Tharp, Morris, Lubovitch, Weir, Welch, Taylor, Neumeier, Duato, Kylian, Tudor and Ashton. He had a featured dance role in the film Centerstage, produced by Lawrence Mark. He was an original cast member of the Old Globe production of The Times They Are A’Changin by Tharp. He has performed as a freelance artist with various companies around the world, including the Washington Ballet, Alabama Ballet, Chamber Dance Project, Midwest Ballet Theatre and Ballet Hawaii. |
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Charlaine Mei Katsuyoshi |
| Charlaine Mei Katsuyoshi is originally from Hawaii. In 1994, she left to attend UC/Irvine. In three years, she graduated cum laude earning her BFA in Dance Performance. While at UC/I, she was a founding member of Donald McKayle’s Etude Ensemble, as well as the recipient of both the Arts Bridge and Tierney Scholarships. Living in LA after graduation, she made her film debut in Paramount’s movie “Blade”, and her TV debut in the series “Fame LA”. She then moved east to tour worldwide with MOMIX under the direction of Pendleton and Quinn. From 1999 to 2006, she continued her career with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago under the direction of Conte and Vincent. She recently joined the touring cast of Disney’s Broadway Musical “The Lion King”. She is honored and thrilled to take part in the Lubovitch company’s NY season. She would like to thank her wonderful family and friends for their love and support. |
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Jay Franke |
| Jay Franke first danced with the Lubovitch company in 2005. Franke began his formal training at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, Texas. In 1993 he was selected as a Finalist for Presidential Scholar in the Arts and accepted into the Julliard School, were he furthered his studies by working with choreographers such as Harkarvy, Tetley, Perry and York. Upon receiving his BFA in Dance from the Julliard School, Franke went to work with the Twyla Tharp Dance Company, “THARP!” Franke has since danced with The 58 Group, Lyric Opera Ballet Chicago, and most recently Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. |
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Harumi Terayama |
| Harumi Terayama was born in Osaka, Japan where she received formal training from Yasuko Noma, Yoko Tsukamoto and Tazuru Ichiyanagi. She graduated from Walnut Hill School in Massachusetts, and received a BFA from the Juilliard School in 2006, where she performed works by Forsythe, Taylor, Brown, and Lang. She has worked with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Pier Group, Nilas Martins Dance Company and Sidra Bell Dance NYC. |
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Charlie Neshyba-Hodges |
| Charlie Neshyba-Hodges was educated at Walnut Hill Performing Arts H.S., CSUS, Columbia University. He has danced with Sacramento Ballet, Twyla Tharp Dance, Complexions, Movin’ Out, and Times They Are A-Changin. He has been Assistant to Dwight Rhoden, Alan Hineline, Amy Seiwert, and Twyla Tharp. Appreciation to Jason McDole. |
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Kate Skarpetowska |
| Kate Skarpetowska is a native of Warsaw, Poland. She is an alumna of the NYC H.S. of Performing Arts and received a BFA from the Juilliard School in 1999 under Artistic Director Benjamin Harkarvy. In 1992 she performed in the Broadway production of Metro, directed and choreographed by Janusz Jozefowicz. She was a member of the Parsons Dance Company from 1999 until 2006. Currently, she is working for the Battleworks Dance Company. She has had the privilege of setting the works of Parsons and Battle. In addition, her own choreography has been performed by various universities, Houston Metro Dance Company, Hubbard Street 2 and the Parsons Dance Company. She is also a freelance teacher holding educational workshops throughout the world. She resides in NYC. |
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Marty Lawson |
| Marty Lawson, originally from PA, received a BA in Dance from Point Park College in Pittsburgh. At school, he performed over 30 works. He was awarded Outstanding Senior by the faculty. After college, he joined the Parsons Dance Company in NYC. He danced with the company for 3 yearsand was the recipient of a 2004 Princess Grace Award. He has also performed on Broadway in Tharp’s Movin' Out (Eddie/ensemble swing) and in Tharp’s The Times They Are A Changin'. Most recently he has performed with Battleworks Dance Company and DreDance. He has performed across the country as a guest artist for such events as the USA Int’l Ballet Competition, Youth America Grand Prix, and American Choreography Awards. He can also be seen on the covers of Dance Magazine and Dance Spirit Magazine. He was also featured in Lois Greenfield’s Breaking Bounds calendars for '04, '05 and '06. |
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Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
The Lar Lubovitch Dance Company was founded in 1968. Over the past 39 years it has gained an international reputation as one of the world's best dance companies. Celebrated for both its choreographic excellence and for its unsurpassed dancing, the company has created more than 100 new dances and performed before millions of people in virtually every state of America, as well as in more than 30 foreign countries.
Board of the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
Katherine M. Bristor, President
Richard J. Caples
Thomas C. Clark, President Emeritus
Ruta Jureviciute
Virginia Kinzey, Secretary
Kenneth F. Koen
Lar Lubovitch
W. Patrick McMullan III, Treasurer
Maxine Pollak, Vice President
Dale L. Ponikvar, Vice President
Jeffery Sholeen
Beth D. Tractenberg
In Memorium
Michele G. Falkow
PHOTO CREDITS - Heading by Nan Melville; Gala Invitation by Chris Callis
LAR LUBOVITCH DANCE COMPANY
Mission:
The Lubovitch company was created to realize the artistic vision of Lar Lubovitch, one of the foremost contemporary choreographers in the United States. The company exists: (1) to create new work; (2) to perform those works (and facilitate the performance of those works by others) both in our home base of New York City and around the world; and (3) to teach people of all ages, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds, in order to increase awareness and appreciation of dance.
History:
Over the past 39 years, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company has gained a reputation as one of the world's leading modern dance companies and has performed in virtually every state of the US and in more than 30 foreign countries. Lar Lubovitch has been cited by The New York Times as "one of the ten best choreographers in the world," and the company has been called a "national treasure" by Variety. The company is primarily focused on the creation of new dances, sometimes in collaboration with other top companies.
Contact:
The Lubovitch company is located at 229 West 42nd Street, New York NY 10036. You can reach us at (212) 221-7909 or Lubovitch@aol.com. Or visit our website atwww.lubovitch.org.
Support:
Programs of the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company are funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, as well as by Altria, Atlantic Philanthropies, US Trust Company of NY, Irene Diamond Fund, Brooke Garber & Daniel Neidich Fund, Harkness Foundation for Dance, Carl Jacobs Fund, McMullan Family Foundation, Rodgers Family Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, A. Woodner Fund and numerous additional generous individuals, corporations and foundations.
Memberships:
The Lubovitch company is a member of Dance/USA, Dance/NYC, ART/NY and the Arts & Business Council. |
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