New York Live Arts Welcomes niv Acosta and Tess Dworman, Now thru 2/1

New York Live Arts will present the world premieres of niv Acosta's i shot denzel and Tess Dworman's macromen during a shared evening of new work, today, January 30 - February 1, 2014, at 7:30pm.

In i shot denzel, Acosta presents the sixth incarnation of a three-year series of "denzels." Representing black masculine identity in performance, the character of "denzel" is seen from Acosta's perspective as a queer trans-masculine identified young black artist. In the work, Acosta explores ideas including death, grieving, original philosophical text, vogueing and fear, and challenges normativity, complacency and impossibility. i shot denzel is devoid of the presence of past "denzels" and includes a physically challenging solo that explores blackness within the context of contemporary or classical movement. i shot denzel features Acosta along with performers Yessenia Acosta, Lydia Berg-Hammond, Lee Free, Amy Gall, Caitlin Marz, Jo Pang, Julia Read, Aleksei Wagner and Gary Zema.

Dworman, who appeared on New York Live Arts' stage most recently in Tere O'Connor's Secret Mary, will present her newest work, macromen. This work zooms in, on a micro scale, to physical states that construct theatricality in the body. Balletic postures are affected by abstract qualities and textures that explore virtuosity on a molecular level. In addition to Dworman, the work features dancers Kyli Kleven and Caitlin Marz, with lighting design by Elliott Jenetopulos and an original score by Steve May.

Performances will take place in New York Live Arts' Theater. A Come Early Video Installation by Anna Pinkas and Lani Rodriguez on view in the Lobby and a Stay Late Discussion with the artists moderated by Marissa Perel will also be featured with the shows. Tickets are $20 and $15. Tickets may be purchased online at tickets.newyorklivearts.org, by phone at 212-924-0077 and in person at the box office. Box Office hours are Monday to Friday from 1 to 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 8pm.

niv Acosta and Tess Dworman
i shot denzel; macromen
Jan 30 - Feb 1 at 7:30pm
New York Live Arts Theater, New York Live Arts
?219 W 19th Street, New York, NY 10011
Tickets: $20, $15
212-924-0077 | www.newyorklivearts.org
Box Office hours: Monday-Friday 1 - 9pm | Saturday-Sunday 12 - 8pm

Schedule of Related Events:

Jan 30 - Feb 1 Come Early Video Installation created by Anna Pinkas and Lani Rodriguez

Jan 31 Stay Late Discussion: none-other: regarding the alien and the uncanny in the work of niv Acosta and Tess Dworman moderated by Marissa Perel

About the Artists:

niv Acosta is a Brooklyn based artist born and raised in Washington Heights, Manhattan. Acosta is 25 years old, Black-Dominican and transgender. he trained at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance as an adolescent, attended California Institute of the Arts, briefly, and also attended American Dance Festival for a number of summers. Acosta has shown his work at various events/spaces including Pieter Performance Space in Los Angeles, The Community Education Center in Philadelphia, New York Live Arts through the Fresh Tracks Residency Program, through AUNTS at The New Museum, at The Tank, Danspace Project in Ralph Lemons "Marathon. The End." event, The Meulensteen Gallery in Manhattan and at Brooklyn Arts Exchange and MoMA PS1. he has previously and is currently working on projects with Andrea Geyer's Three Chants Modern at MoMA, Vanessa Anspaugh's Original Document at Danspace Project, Moving Theater: Reusable Parts/Endless Love at Danspace Project, Larissa Velez-Jackson: Star Crap In Progress, Ishmael Houston-Jones, Hilary Clark, iele paloumpis, Phialdelphia Dance Projects and Deborah Hay during Blues at MoMA.

Tess Dworman is a Brooklyn-based choreographer and performer originally from Chicago, IL. She studied at the Laban Centre in London and graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.F.A. in Dance. From 2008-2009, she was a LinkUP Residency artist at Links Hall in Chicago. In New York, her work has been presented by AUNTS, Center for Performance Research, Danspace Project, Dixon Place, Movement Research at the Judson Church and Roulette Intermedium. Dworman has also had the pleasure of performing in the works of Strauss Bourque-LaFrance, Kim Brandt, Yanira Castro, Tere O'Connor, Moriah Evans, Marissa Perel and Mariana Valencia.

New York Live Arts is an internationally recognized destination for innovative movement-based artistry offering audiences access to art and artists notable for their conceptual rigor, formal experimentation and active engagement with the social, political and cultural currents of our times. At the center of this identity is Bill T. Jones, Executive Artistic Director, a world-renowned choreographer, dancer, theater director and writer.

We commission, produce and present performances in our 20,000 square foot home, which includes a 184-seat theater and two 1,200 square foot studios that can be combined into one large studio. New York Live Arts serves as home base for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, provides an extensive range of participatory programs for adults and young people and supports the continuing professional development of artists. Our influence extends beyond NYC through our international cultural exchange program that currently places artists in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.