A Company Born Out Of Necessity: MorDance Provides Dancers A Positive Work Environment

Mordance, in its mission to create modern, relevant movement that maintains the integrity of classical ballet in collaboration with City College Center For the Arts, present Fats Waller's Rhythm, a one night only world premiere on February 8 at 7:00 p.m. With this evening-length work, Mordance brings eight dancers to Aaron Davis Hall to pay tribute to the Harlem stride pianist and composer Fats Waller.

An evening of explosive dance and live music, Fats Waller's Rhythm features five of New York's finest jazz musicians led by acclaimed bassist and composer Benjamin Gallina. Pulling from cultural themes from the 1920's and 1930's, Fats Waller's Rhythm is rooted in classical ballet, en pointe, with influences of modern and contemporary dance, mirroring the exuberance of Waller's life and body of work.

"After moving to Harlem four years ago, I've seen that the impact Harlem jazz has had on the community is undeniable," explains Morgan McEwen, Artistic Director of MorDance. "The stride, where the right hand plays the melody and the left a note on the strong beat and a chord on the weak, is full, round and intricate to the ear-- and the feet! We have had a challenging and wonderful time exploring the important music of this era and feels right to premiere this piece in the neighborhood where it all began."

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Fats Waller's Rhythm premieres on Thursday, February 8, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at Aaron Davis Hall. Tickets are $25 and $15 for students and seniors, available online at http://bit.ly/ModanceCDI.

Aaron Davis Hall is located on the campus of The City College of New York, at West 135th Street and Convent Avenue (129 Convent Avenue). Convent Avenue is one block east of Amsterdam Avenue and the extension of Morningside Avenue beginning at 127th Street. Aaron Davis Hall is accessible by the 1, B, C, D trains.

REPERTORY DETAILS

Fats Waller's Rhythm (2018 World Premiere)

Choreography: Morgan McEwen

Music Credit: Fats Waller with musical arrangements and additional material by Benjamin Gallina

Musicians:

James Jackson, vocals

David Drake, piano

Eli Asher, trumpet

Jon De Lucia, sax and clarinet

Benjamin Gallina, bass and arrangement

Joe Nero, drums

Lighting: Becky Heisler

Length: 45 minutes

A one night only world premiere, Fats Waller's Rhythm, by celebrated choreographer Morgan McEwen to music by legendary Harlem stride pianist and composer, Fats Waller, brings together eight of New York City's top ballet dancers and a quintet of jazz musicians led by acclaimed bassist and composer Benjamin Gallina. Described by the New York Times as "on her way to developing a distinctive voice, equipped with essential tools: an eye for shaping the arc of a dance as carefully as the transitions and details within it," Ms. McEwen brings both musicality and athletic rigor to the company's first premiere in over a year.

MORDANCE's residency and performance at City College Center for the Arts is part of the CUNY Dance Initiative, which receives major support from the Mertz Gilmore Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Jerome Robbins Foundation, the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, and the Harkness Foundation for Dance. CDI is spearheaded and administered by the Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College. www.cuny.edu/danceinitiative

ABOUT MORDANCE

Morgan McEwen, ballerina turned artistic director, launched MorDance in January of 2013. This young company, with dancers from some of the world's most prestigious companies, has playfully leapt to the edge of the classical ballet world. MorDance explores athleticism as part of its aim to modernize and innovate, while honoring the grace and beauty of classical ballet. MorDance premiered at Manhattan Movement and Arts center on May 3rd, 2013. The company has been invited to perform at numerous festivals, including Dance at Socrates, Counterpointe Project, and Sounds of the City. In 2014, MorDance helped The Sheen Center open their doors by being the first company to perform in their new black box theater. The company was then named the Sheen Center's 2016 resident dance company. MorDance has also been granted space residencies at The Silo at Kirkland Farm and Mana Contemporary. Artistic Director, Morgan McEwen, has been commissioned as a choreographer to create new works on Eglevsky Ballet and Columbia Ballet Collaborative, as well as to choreograph La Traviata for the New York Opera Exchange.

ABOUT THE CITY COLLEGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS:

The City College Center for the Arts hosts an ambitious, year-round calendar of student and professional performances. The mission of the City College Center for the Arts is to provide a creative arts center and focal point for the City College of New York, building a sense of community within the College, elevating the profile of Aaron Davis Hall in the greater New York area, and connecting the College to the surrounding community through the arts. For more information visit www.citycollegecenterforthearts.org.