MorDance Announces Spring Season Of Three World Premieres

MorDance, known for its commitment to creating new works that straddle the classical and contemporary ballet vernacular, presents their Spring season, April 29-30 at Peter Norton Symphony Space.

Originally planned to premiere in April of 2020, the company will present three new works woven together by themes of humanity, pushing ballet to its limits with fast-paced bravura, intricate footwork, and scenic innovation. An ensemble of eight diverse and dynamic movers are joined by composer Polina Nazaykinskaya, pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski and lighting designer Becky Hiesler.

Mirroring a layered, bright, and nuanced score by Terry C. Riley, In C utilizes backdrops layered throughout the premiere to represent the overlapping musical phrases. Choreographer Morgan McEwen plays with this layering and the music's constant C note played in repeated eighth notes to personify pulse, ephemerality, and the entropy of life. With a classical allegro vocabulary juxtaposed with pedestrian snapshots, this fast paced and mathematical premiere shines a light on the ensemble's virtuosic technique. Additionally, Encounters, a somber and ethereal work composed by Nazaykinskaya and performed by the captivating pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski, contrasts the divine and the earthly, exploring the effects of their meeting by those attuned to the energies of a higher power. In the true spirit of collaboration, Soukhovetski, who will play on stage in close proximity to the dancers, will execute port de bras and gestures in relation to the dancers while one hand continues to play the piano, calling the dancers to act and react to the movement. To close the evening, Humanism shines a light on the spoken words of civil rights activists with sound bites of resonant speech, spanning across the globe and throughout time. Contemporary in its movement language, the work highlights the voices and causes that both called for change and justice throughout history, while bringing to life a vision for the future generations.

"Since the moment my husband and I got the news that we were expecting and about to bring a new life into the world, I began to see things through a different lens," explains Morgan McEwen, choreographer, and Artistic Director of MorDance. "The value of a breath, the miracle of creation, and a better more just world I wish for my child to live in are all inspirations for our seventh season and have led my choreographic and collaborative process in a real way."

Season Seven will be performed April 29-30 at Peter Norton Symphony Space, located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street on Manhattan's upper west side. Tickets start at $25 and are available at https://www.mordance.org/calendar. All performances begin at 8:00 p.m.

Peter Norton Symphony Space is accessible by the 1,2 and 3 train to the 96th Street station.

Symphony Space requires that all staff, artists, and patrons be fully vaccinated and remain masked at all times. At this time, unvaccinated children will not be permitted to attend.