HopeBoykinDance Makes Long-Awaited Joyce Debut in October

The Joyce Theater Foundation  celebrates its second Joyce Theater Production of the Fall ‘23/Winter ‘24 season with the Joyce debut of HopeBoykinDance in States Of Hope. The world premiere dance theater piece, which draws on Boykin’s experiences and insights gleaned from decades of dance, will play The Joyce Theater from October 17-22. Tickets, ranging in price from $12-$72, 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 West 19th Street. For more information, please visit www.Joyce.org.

In a multifaceted excavation of self-discovery, HopeBoykinDance—the brainchild of choreographer, director, award-winning dancer, and October’s Dance Magazine cover artist Hope Boykin—makes its Joyce debut with the world premiere dance memoir States Of Hope. The Joyce Theater Production brings Boykin’s distinct movement-language to life in a fully-scripted, evening-length fusion of theater and dance performed by eight vocal bodies, including Boykin herself as narrator. The vulnerable tale of reshaping and renewal is set to an original score by composer and jazz percussionist Ali Jackson, along with poetic moments and prose, to create a contemplative and personal exploration of a prolific dance artist’s life.

Two-time Bessie Award winner Hope Boykin was an original member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, danced with PHILADANCO! The Philadelphia Dance Company, and completed 20 years with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Hope has choreographed for numerous dance companies including PHILADANCO! The Philadelphia Dance Company, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Minnesota Dance Theater, BalletX, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, Ballet Black of London, American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, The Philadelphia Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and has created three works for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Along with many commissions including Vail Dance Festival, Hope has choreographed and co-directed for off-Broadway and regional theater, including Cornelia Street for the Atlantic Theater Company in New York City.

Hope has garnered much acclaim with her virtual work for Carolina Performing Arts, Guggenheim Works And Process Virtual Commissions initiative, and the National Black Theatre. As a motivator, Hope has been an annual keynote speaker for Lincoln Center Activate, a national education forum, which has included a special Weekend With Hope, a series of talks with friends and dance industry professionals, discussing crucial topics in our dance world.

As a director and dance-maker Hope received a grant from the Mellon Foundation for her own Covid Safe residency #BoykinBubble and in the fall of 2021 premiered a full evening of her choreography, An Evening of Hope at 92nd Street Y in New York City, to much acclaim. In 2022, Hope choreographed and directed The Other Side, bringing Jacqueline Woodson’s children’s book of the same name to life for the Kennedy Center’s Family Theater, as well as joining the creative team as choreographer of the Kennedy Center’s 50th Anniversary Celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s MASS.

Hope serves as Artistic Advisor for Dance Education for the Kennedy Center and Artistic Lead for the Kennedy Center Dance Lab. She is Artist-In-Residence at USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and was advisor for the Howard University Department of Dance for their 2021 spring semester. She is currently a 2022-23 Fellow of The Center for Ballet and the Arts. Hope continues to build on her work as a writer and filmmaker, blending her words and cadence as the foundation of her developing movement-language. She released Beauty Size & Color, a short film commenting on what has changed in the first twenty years of the 21st century on PBS.org, which was nominated for a 2023 NY Emmy Award.