Tabula Rasa Dance Theater to Premiere Two New Works in September

With the support of a CUNY Dance Initiative residency, Tabula Rasa Dance Theater will premiere two compelling dance works at the intersection of art and social justice: Animus Necandi and Ship of Fools. Performances are Friday-Saturday, September 20-21 at 7:30pm at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, 524 W. 59th Street, New York, NY 10019.

Tickets are $45-$85 and can be purchased at https://bit.ly/TabulaRasa_Sept2024. Tabula Rasa has a strong commitment to inclusion and access, and offers reduced ticket prices for students ($25) and immigrants and formerly incarcerated individuals and their families ($0.63, which is the average hourly wage paid to incarcerated individuals in New York State.)

Animus Necandi explores the pain of families who have lost relatives condemned to the death penalty. It also questions the morality of capital punishment, which remains legal in 27 U.S. states and more than 55 countries around the world.

Ship of Fools is a dance-theater parable that critiques the rise of authoritarian leaders world-wide. The piece examines the human cost of despotism and upholds the values of knowledge, wisdom, and justice.

Both works are choreographed by Tabula Rasa's artistic director, Mexican-born Felipe Escalante. Collaborators include Lausanne prize-winning composer Felix Huerta, lighting designer and Princess Grace award winner Christopher Annas-Lee, and Columbia University professor and concert pianist John Gavalchin.

About Tabula Rasa Dance Theater

Felipe Escalante, an immigrant from Queretaro, Mexico, founded Tabula Rasa Dance Theater in 2018 in New York City with a deep commitment to addressing complex social issues onstage. Felipe trained at Ballet Nacional de Mexico, where he started choreographing at age 14 and received a strong foundation in classic modern dance under the mentorship of Guillermina Bravo. TRDT's previous works have explored mass incarceration, the experiences of refugees, conversion therapy, gender-based violence, disabilities caused by social media, and the psychological toll of pandemic lockdowns. The company has received support from the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Brothers. www.tabularasadancetheater.com