MorDance Announces Season IV

MorDance, in its mission to create modern, relevant movement that maintains the integrity of classical ballet, returns to New York's newest performing arts center as its resident ballet company this spring with Season IV, From the Center. The first company to perform on the Sheen Center stage in 2014, MorDance returns to its black box theater April 21-24 to present Propinquity and Apart from the Peripheral, two world premieres and The Shape of Voice, a continuation of a work commissioned by the Columbia Ballet Collaborative in November, 2015.

Rooted in a classical ballet vocabulary but spoken in a contemporary dialect, the ensemble of seven will reconfigure the Bleecker street space to perform in the round, surrounded by audiences on four sides of the stage. In providing a unique experience and view of these works for each patron, an athleticism, musicality and employment of innovative ideas, music and line redefine the lens through which Artistic Director Morgan McEwen creates.

"As an artist I am constantly seeking ways to bring the audience into my work," explains Mordance Artistic Director, Morgan McEwen. "This season I am quite literally doing that by creating a body of work that will be viewed from all sides, from the center and in the round. The effort that goes into a project where the audience sits on every side of the dancer calls for a heightened level of attention to detail-there is no moment a dancer can turn their backs to sneak in an extra breath or work to make a one dimensional shape like we often do. It is challenging, wonderful and can be daunting."

REPERTORY DETAILS

Apart from the Peripheral| World Premiere

Music: Niko Andreas

Lighting Design: Benjamin Williams

Set to an original score, Apart from the Peripheral delves into the concepts and misconceptions of erosion. While the word typically encompasses the breakdown and decline of something, many of the earth's most beautiful geographical landscapes have been caused by erosion. This concept is celebrated in humans as well, for when we are broken down and our excess is stripped, we exist in a genuine and honest state who can relate most naturally to the world around us. Celebrated composer and classical guitarist Nilko Andreas has been commissioned to create and perform his original score along side a string trio for this new work.

Propinquity| World Premiere

Music: Evening Side by Four Tet

Lighting Design: Benjamin Williams

Created in residency at the Silo at Kirkland Farm, American Ballet Theatre dancer Stephanie Williams joins MorDance in an exploration of nearness in place, time, order and relation. With proximity of these conditions, the work explores the consequences and effects of how these measures of connection can change the outcome of an event, connection or experience.

The Shape of Voice| Re-Staging

Music: Caroline Shaw's Partita for Eight Voices

Lighting Design: Benjamin Williams

Originally commissioned in November 2015for the Columbia Ballet Collaborative, this work, now in its completion, is inspired by the piece of music composed solely of voices. In hearing and connecting with the breath and sound, this work connects to a raw and earthy texture found when both voices and bodies intertwine to create song and movement.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Thursday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 22 at 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 23 at 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 24 at 2:00 p.m.

TICKETS AND VENUE INFORMATION

Tickets to Season IV, From the Center, are $25, $15 for students. Tickets can be purchased in advance at http://sheencenter.org/events/dance

The Sheen Center is located at 18 Bleecker Street in Manhattan and is accessible by the N or R Train to Prince Street, B, D, F, and M to Broadway-Lafayette or the 6 to Bleeker Street.