Dance Pioner Margaret Beals to Appear Live, on Film at Cloud House Studio This Spring

Impulses Dance Theatre Arts presents six Sunday and Monday evening dance film screenings in March at 7pm and one Marathon screening on Monday, March 28, 2pm-9pm, of major dance works by Margaret Beals, choreographer, solo dancer and pioneer in the art of dance improvisation.

The innovative Ms. Beals will begin each evening with a story about the creation of the work being shown and her collaboration with other performing artists, musicians and directors. A brief discussion with the audience will follow the screenings.

Events take place at Beals' friendly Cloud House Studio located at 104 West 17thStreet, Studio 2e, New York City. For more information info@margaretbeals.org.

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Impulses Dance Theatre Arts (IDTA) presents

MARGARET BEALS in 'FILMS AND STORIES'

The first Sunday/Monday presentations will take place March 6 & 7 at 7 PM (followed by March 13, 14, 20, 21 at 7 PM and Marathan March 28 from 2 to 9 PM)

At Cloud House Studio, 104 West 17th Street, 2E (just west of 6th Avenue)

Suggested donation: $20; $15 for students | Reservations: 917.710.0050

OPENING PERFORMANCES:

SUNDAY MARCH 6 at 7 PM

Margaret in performance with pianist Liz Story at the iconic New York downtown nightclub, The Bottom Line (1979)

MONDAY MARCH 7 at 7 PM

"The Teak Room" (1982) - stories from a dancer's life. Beals' engaging, impeccably written and directed autobiographical work, written and performed by Beals and directed by Tony award-winning director Tony Tanner.

All events will have live introductions and comments by Margaret Beals.

Nightly Programs:

March 13:

the award-winning film "Impulses" (1974), a film about Margaret Beals and Impulses Company (three musicians, including Collin Walcott of the group Oregon, singer, monologist and dancer). This film was selected for the original PBS Dance in America series;

March 14:

"MadHonor, Madonna" (1974), a dance in silence...a metaphor for the artist's vision. Followed by excerpts from "Pathways" (1977) - "the dead honor their own lives." Five monologues with movement, written and performed by Margaret Beals and directed by Lee Nagrin. .

March 20:

"Bottom Line Live!" (1979)

March 21:

Four Dance Solos: "Tulip" 9173) poem by Sylvia Plath choreographed and performed by Margaret Beals; "Haiku" (1987) dance and piano improvisations with pianist Paul Spong; "Improvisations to Prepared Piano at St. Marks" (1988) with pianist Andre Gribou. The evening will conclude with the classic dance solo "The Desperate Heart" (1974), conceived, spoken and choreographed by Valerie Bettis and performed by Margaret Beals.

Monday March 28, 2 PM to 9 PM -

Marathon Screening - filmed dance works of Margaret Beals including "Impulses" (1974), Ragas for Swami Satchidananda"(1974) with music by Ravi Shankar: "MadHonor, Madonna" (1974), "Bottom Line Live!" (1979); "The Desperate Heart" (1974); Four Dance Solos - "Tulips" (1973) poem by Sylvia Plath choreographed and performed by Margaret Beals; "Haiku" (1987) dance and piano improvisations with pianist Paul Spong; "Haunted" music by pianist Liz Story; and "Improvisations to PreparedPiano at St. Marks" (1988) with pianist Andre Gribou.

Margaret Beals is a dancer, choreographer and a unique theatrical performer. Ms. Beals began her professional career at 18 touring with the famous 50's dance team of Rod Alexander and Bambi Linn in the national tour of Dance Jubilee under the aegis of Columbia Artists Management. She continued her career appearing in both summer and winter stock in many musicals including Finian's Rainbow, Where's Charley?, Can-Can and The Boyfriend. In the '60s, she also began her exploration of dance improvisation, performing at cabarets and nightclubs in New York and Chicago. Working with jazz musicians Collin Wolcott, Cecil Taylor and Stan Strickland, and others, and performing a club schedule of three to four shows each night allowed her to hone both her technique and understanding of spontaneous performance. Ms. Beals has appeared with Jose Limon, Anna Sokolow, Lucas Hoving and Valerie Bettis' The Dancers Studio. She is acclaimed for her interpretation of Ms. Bettis' classic dance solo, The Desperate Heart.

As a solo artist she started presenting her own work, Margaret Beals in Concert, in the 70's appearing at Jacobs Pillow, American Place Theatre, 92nd Street Y, NY Dance Umbrella and venues and theaters nationally and internationally. Her continued passion for improvisation led her to form her own company, Impulses - three musicians, singer, dancer and lighting designer. From 1969 - 1976 the group created fully improvised evenings in the same style as a "jazz set".

Her full length works include The Teak Room; Stings based on the Ariel poems of Sylvia Plath, co-directed with Lee Nagrin; Working Girls", 39 Margarets, a revue directed by Donald Saddler, Improvisations to Chopin with Chopin Master pianist, Thomas Hrynkiv; and, Pathways directed by Lee Nagrin.

Ms. Beals was one of the first yoga teachers in New York City and is known for her abilities as a coach for dancers and artists in the art of improvisation. For more than twenty years she has conducted a weekly class with a group of remarkable dancers, The Improv Group, - now in their 50's, 60's and one in their 90's.