Dark Circles Moves Downtown After a Premiere in South Korea
By: BWW News Desk Sep. 19, 2017
Through a partnership between the AT&T Performing Arts Center & the City of Dallas' Office of Cultural Affairs, The Elevator Project brings Dark Circles Contemporary Dance's Big Bad Wolf and Les Fairies to the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, 6th Floor Studio Theatre October 19-21 after three performances at South Korea's foremost art and culture venue.
Hailed as "Best Dance Company" by D Magazine (2015 & 2016) and Dallas Observer (2016), Dark Circles has continually crafted and curated inspiring, innovative, and accessible dance works. In just four seasons, the company has commissioned and produced 21 world premieres by some of today's top choreographers.
The company celebrates the opening of its fifth anniversary season with two new creations by Founder and Artistic Director Joshua L. Peugh.
Big Bad Wolf is inspired by cautionary tales people worldwide use to frighten naughty children. Influenced by characters described in stories by Heinrich Hoffmann, the Grimm Brothers, and Charles Perrault (among others), the work will be grandly theatrical and will also draw from vaudeville. The new creation will have an international premiere at Seoul Arts Center in conjunction with Korea National Contemporary Dance Company October 13-15, just days before moving to the Wyly Theatre in the heart of the Dallas Arts District.
A brand-new score for the work has been commissioned from composer and SMU Meadows School of the Arts alumnus Brandon Carson.
The second work is a world premiere modern reimagining of the classic ballet Les Sylphides titled Les Fairies. With music by Fre?de?ric Chopin performed live by Meadows School of the Arts Staff Musician Richard Abrahamson, the new creation will feature the brilliant dancers of Dark Circles in a romantic style ballet with a twist.
The production will feature a lighting design by Roma Flowers, whose credits include work for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Donald Bird, Doug Elkins Dance Company, Urban Bush Women, Doug Varone, Dance Theatre of Harlem and many other distinguished dance companies and artists. Susan Austin will provide the costume design.
Big Bad Wolf and Les Fairies will take place October 19 through 21 at Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, 6th Floor Studio Theatre, Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25. More information about our performances can be found online at darkcirclescontemporarydance.com along with additional details about our Fifth Anniversary Season.
Dark Circles Contemporary Dance (DCCD) was founded in 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. The Company's newest branch-based in North Texas and lead by internationally award-winning choreographer and Dance Magazine "25 to Watch" breakout star of 2015, Joshua L. Peugh-has been hailed as "the area's most exciting dance company" (Star-Telegram) and as the "Best Dance Company" by D Magazine (2015 & 2016) and Dallas Observer (2016). The young company has been praised as "frequently stunning, and always fascinating" (DFW.com) and commended for innovative combinations of classical technique and modern movement styles. Since its inception, the company has performed nationally and internationally at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Theater am Aegi, in Hannover, Germany, and at the Ailey Citigroup Theater in New York, among others. Repertory includes works by Joshua L. Peugh, Gregory Dolbashian, Mike Esperanza, James Gregg, Fabio Liberti and MADBOOTS. DCCD is dedicated to bringing the progressive work of international choreographers and dancers to a worldwide audience.
ABOUT JOSHUA L. PEUGH
Joshua L. Peugh is the Founder and Artistic Director of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance. After graduating from Southern Methodist University, Joshua moved to South Korea to join Universal Ballet Company. Since then, he has created work for festivals in Asia, Europe, and North America winning awards for his choreography in Korea, Japan, Canada, and the USA. He is the recipient of the Grand Prize at the McCallum Theatre's 18th Annual Choreography Festival. He was chosen as one of Dance Magazine's 2015 "25 to Watch," and was named "an important discovery" by The New York Times. Joshua has been commissioned to create for BODYTRAFFIC, BalletX, Ballet Memphis, Tulsa Ballet, Whim W'Him, Company E, Dallas Theater Center, METdance, and Korea National Contemporary Dance Company, among others.
ABOUT ELEVATOR PROJECT
The Elevator Project is a series of performances by Dallas-based arts groups, presented on the AT&T Performing Arts Center campus. The series provides performance space in the Dallas Arts District to local talent, while giving audiences exposure to the vibrant arts scene around them. Drawing from all genres of performing arts, the projects are chosen through an annual submission process and curated by an independent panel of arts professionals. The Elevator Project was created in 2014 by the AT&T Performing Arts Center and is presented with support from the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs.
ABOUT THE AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
The AT&T Performing Arts Center is a nonprofit foundation that operates and programs a 10-acre campus comprised of three premier performance venues and a park in downtown Dallas. Audiences enjoy the best and most recent from Broadway and off-Broadway; the finest dance companies from across the globe co-presented with TITAS Presents; and top concerts, performers and cutting-edge speakers. Thousands of students explore and more deeply experience the arts through the Center's education program, Open Stages. The Center also offers free programming for audiences from every part of the community.
The Center's five resident companies are among the city's leading arts institutions: Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, The Dallas Opera, Dallas Theater Center and Texas Ballet Theater.
Designed by internationally acclaimed architects, the Center's campus includes the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, Annette Strauss Square, and Elaine D. and Charles A. Sammons Park are some of the finest performance venues in the world.
The Center's mission is to provide a public gathering place that strengthens community and fosters creativity through the presentation of performing arts. For more information about the AT&T Performing Arts Center and to purchase tickets, become a member, or make a donation, visit www.attpac.org.
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