Parsons Dance to Return to The Joyce Theater With World Premiers and More

Parsons Dance will return to The Joyce Theater for its annual two-week engagement from May 13-24, with a dynamic program featuring two world premieres and beloved repertory favorites. The season includes the world premiere of a solo by David Parsons for longtime company member Zoey Anderson, as well as Sheep’s Gothic, a world premiere by Rena Butler, inspired by Aesop’s “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.”

Performances from May 14-24 will present a compelling mix of new and established works that capture the vitality and theatricality that defines Parsons Dance. David Parson’s yet-to-be-titled world premiere solo for beloved Parsons Dance member Zoey Anderson will offer an intimate and deeply moving tribute to her decade with the company. Sheep’s Gothic by Rena Butler takes inspiration from the classic fable of deception and disguise, using fluid movement and shifting group dynamics to explore identity and transformation. Created for seven dancers, the work is a game of “spotting the wolf” through sinuous exchanges of pastoral and primal patterns sourced within wolf packs and sheep herds to conceal or reveal our truest form. The commissioned score, a percussive and cinematic conversation between New York composer Darryl J. Hoffman and Felix Mendelssohn’s Chöre für Männerstimmen, anchors the piece, with costumes by Asha Ama Bias Daniels (“Project Runway All Stars”), and lighting by Christopher  Chambers.

The Hunt, by Robert Battle, will be performed in an adaptation for four dancers, alternating between all-male and all-female casts, intensifying its raw and percussive energy. Parsons’ iconic Caught will once again astound audiences with its breathtaking use of strobe lighting to create the illusion of a dancer suspended in midair. Wolfgang, Parsons’ energetic and playful work set to the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, will bring a vibrant classical-meets-modern sensibility to the stage, while his In The End, set to the music of Dave Matthews Band, will close out the program with its buoyant, high-energy celebration of movement and music.

In addition to the evening performances, matinees on Saturdays and Sundays will provide audiences with more opportunities to experience the season’s dynamic program. A special Joyce Family Matinee on Saturday, May 17, will offer a welcoming introduction to dance for young audiences, featuring an engaging selection of works designed to captivate and inspire. 

The season will officially open on May 13 with a special Gala performance honoring Lake Placid Center for the Arts Directors James Lemons and Jon Donk, recognizing their generous support in providing artistic residencies that have allowed Parsons Dance to develop and premiere new work. This one-hour, no-intermission event will feature a curated selection of highlights from the season’s program, setting the stage for an exhilarating two-week engagement. 

May 13 Opening Night Gala 

Program to be Announced

May 14-24 Evening Program

Wolfgang (2005) by David Parsons
World Premiere Solo by David Parsons
Sheep’s Gothic by Rena Butler
The Hunt (2010) by Robert Battle
Caught by David Parsons
In The End (2005) by David Parsons

Joyce Family Matinee—Sat May 17