BODYTRAFFIC to Return to The Joyce with Anton Lachky's PRIVATE GAMES

The Joyce Theater Foundation, Inc. will welcome back BODYTRAFFIC, one of L.A.'s leading contemporary dance companies, performing a program that includes the world premiere of Anton Lachky's Private Games: Chapter One, from January 18-22.

Tickets range in price from $10-$66 and can be purchased at www.Joyce.org, or by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street. For more information, visit www.Joyce.org.

Founded in 2007 by LillIan Rose Barbeito and Tina Finkelman Berkett, Los Angeles-based BODYTRAFFIC last appeared at The Joyce Theater in January 2015. The company returns now, kicking-off its 10-year anniversary, with a mixed-bill program featuring new works from acclaimed choreographers and anticipated works, including the world premiere of Anton Lachky's Private Games: Chapter One. In addition, the program will also feature 3 Preludes by Richard Siegal and Death Defying Dances by Arthur Pita.

Performances of The Joyce Theater's presentation of BODYTRAFFIC will take place January 18-22 at The Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street) according to the following schedule: Wednesday at 7:30pm; Thursday and Friday at 8:00pm; Saturday at 2:00pm & 8:00pm; Sunday at 2:00pm. Curtain Chat, a free post-performance talkback with the artists, will take place on Thursday, January 19. This enlightening discussion is open to all patrons attending that evening's performance. Please Note: the 2:00pm performance on Saturday, January 21 with be a special Family Matinee, featuring a special program designed for families with members of all ages to be announced. Tickets range in price from $10-$66 and can be purchased at www.Joyce.org, or by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street. For more information, visit www.Joyce.org.

BODYTRAFFIC is helping establish Los Angeles as a major center for contemporary dance. Founded in 2007 by LillIan Rose Barbeito and Tina Finkelman Berkett, BODYTRAFFIC has surged to the forefront of the concert dance world, recruiting great talent from around the globe to create world-class contemporary dance by distinctive choreographic voices. Named "the company of the future" by The Joyce Theater Foundation, Dance Magazine's 25 to Watch, and "Best of Culture" by The Los Angeles Times, the company is internationally recognized for their high quality of work. The Los Angeles Times says BODYTRAFFIC is "one of the most talked-about young companies - not just in LA, but nationwide".

BODYTRAFFIC has performed for sold-out audiences at prestigious theaters and festivals around the world, including The Joyce Theater, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the Israeli Opera/Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center, New York City Center's Fall for Dance Festival, Chutzpah! Festival in Vancouver, Laguna Dance Festival, The Broad Stage, Santa Monica, the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, World Music/CRASHarts in Boston, the Winspear Opera House in Dallas, and the American Dance Festival in North Carolina. In 2012, BODYTRAFFIC performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for its opening night gala conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. In 2014, the company collaborated with sculptor Gustavo Godoy for a site-specific endeavor at The Music Center. This fall BODYTRAFFIC made its Hollywood Bowl debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

In addition to performing, BODYTRAFFIC has an extensive outreach and education program that provides training opportunities for pre-professionals and customized dance experiences for inner-city schools in Los Angeles, as well as underserved populations around the globe.

BODYTRAFFIC has received generous support from the New England Foundation for the Arts, Princess Grace Foundation, The Joyce Theater Foundation, The Sydney D. Holland Foundation, Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, American Jewish University, and the Dance Department at Loyola Marymount University.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

LILLIan Rose BARBEITO (Artistic Director) has a BFA from The Juilliard School where she studied on a 4 year, full-tuition scholarship awarded by Tomorrow's Leaders of America. As a dancer, Lillian has had an extensive performance career that took her to Europe, New York, and then finally to Los Angeles, where she founded BODYTRAFFIC with Tina Berkett. She has taught internationally for organizations such as CALARTS, Idyllwild Arts Academy, L'Artere in Quebec City, Loyola Marymount University, Lyon Opera Ballet, Northwest Dance Project, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Southland Ballet Academy, The Wooden Floor, UCLA's department of World Arts and Cultures and Westside Academy of Dance. Lillian is one of 28 teachers in the world who is certified to teach Anouk van Dijk's groundbreaking Countertechnique. She has choreographed over 50 works for high schools, universities, competitions, and dance companies throughout the US and Canada.

TINA FINKELMAN BERKETT (Artistic Director) grew up in New York City. Under the tutelage of Michele Cuccaro Cain, she trained and learned to love dance. Tina attended Barnard College, Columbia University. Upon graduation she joined Aszure Barton & Artists and performed with the company throughout the United States, including Jacob's Pillow and Spoleto festivals. Tina became Aszure Barton's assistant and taught alongside Barton both in the US and abroad. She had the incredible honor of being a founding member of Mikhail Baryshnikov's Hell's Kitchen Dance. In 2007, she moved to Los Angeles and founded BODYTRAFFIC with Lillian Barbeito. Tina and her husband Bryan are proud parents to their son Jack.

ANTON LACHKY (Choreographer) was born in 1982, and studied at the J.L. Bellu Conservatory, the University of Bratislava and P.A.R.T.S. He became member of Akram Khan Company in 2004 and followed a long international tour of MA (48 countries all over the world). Anton Lachky is co-founder of Les SlovaKs Dance Collective. Mind a Gap (2013) was his first autonomous creation and it toured all over the world. As a guest choreographer, he made Perfect Day To Dream, which won best choreography for Iceland Dance Company. He has also created choreographies for the Biennale of Venice, and for the Scottish Dance Theater, Helsinki City Theater and Prague's DOT 504. As a teacher, Anton Lachky has been invited to most of the European countries and has been teaching in Asia, and North and South America. Anton currently resides in Brussels, Belgium.

Arthur Pita (Choreographer) was born in South Africa and studied dance in Johannesburg. He came to London in 1991 to train at the London Contemporary Dance School, graduating with a master's degree. He has worked internationally in opera, musicals, plays and film, and created several original commissions for dance companies including Phoenix Dance Theatre, Candoco and Ballet Black. In 2011 he created his award-winning dance theatre piece The Metamorphosis, an adaptation of Kafka's short story. Other works include And Then Gone for Bare Bones and God's Garden for DanceEast and ROH2. In 2014 he brought his dance marathon The World's Greatest Show to the Paul Hamlyn Hall. For The Royal Opera he has created the choreography for Carmen, La donna del lago, and Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. In 2015 he created The Ballad of Mack and Ginny on Wendy Whelan and Edward Watson as part of Whelan/Watson: Other Stories. Pita's original productions include BoomShe SheBoom, Bugger: a fairytale and Camp, all performed at The Place, and The Little Match Girl for Jerwood DanceHouse - DanceEast, where Pita is currently Artist in Residence. He adapted his God's Garden for Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in their Solo for Two programme in 2014. Most recently, Pita was handpicked by Paris Opera Ballet as one of the choreographers to create a scene in their version of The Nutcracker.

RICHARD SIEGAL (Choreographer ) is the founder and artistic director of The Bakery Paris-Berlin (2005). Recognized by a New York Dance and Performance Bessie Award, The German National Theater Faust Award, S.A.C.D. Prize, a Beaumarchais, and The Mouson Award, Richard Siegal has generated international attention for a body of work that includes performances, new media projects, workshops and publications. Richard Siegal has been Artist/Choreographer-in-Residence at ZKM/Karlsruhe, Bennington College and The Baryshnikov Arts Center. As a faculty member of the American Dance Festival, he curated the annual Forsythe Festival. Siegal is a MacDowell Fellow and honorary member of The Bolshoi Ballet's Benoit de la Danse.

ABOUT THE Joyce Theater Foundation

The Joyce Theater Foundation ("The Joyce," Executive Director, Linda Shelton), a nonprofit organization, has proudly served the dance community for over three decades. Under the direction of founders Cora Cahan and Eliot Feld, Ballet Tech Foundation acquired and The Joyce renovated the Elgin Theater in Chelsea. Opening as The Joyce Theater in 1982, it was named in honor of Joyce Mertz, beloved daughter of LuEsther T. Mertz. It was LuEsther's clear, undaunted vision and abundant generosity that made it imaginable and ultimately possible to build the theater. Ownership was secured by The Joyce in 2015. The theater is one of the only theaters built by dancers for dance and has provided an intimate and elegant home for over 400 U.S.-based and international companies. The Joyce has also presented dance at Lincoln Center since 2012, and launched Joyce Unleashed in 2014 to feature emerging and experimental artists. To further support the creation of new work, The Joyce maintains longstanding commissioning and residency programs. Local students and teachers (K-12th grade) benefit from its school program, and family and adult audiences get closer to dance with access to artists. The Joyce's annual season of about 48 weeks of dance now includes over 340 performances for audiences in excess of 150,000.