The 92nd St. Y's Dig Dance Presents Aileen Passloff, Stepping Forward: One Foot (in front of the other)

The 92nd St. Y's Dig Dance will present Aileen Passloff, Stepping Foward: One Foot (in front of the other), a program of dances by Aileen Passloff, noted choreographer, dancer, director, actor and teacher, along with rarely seen works, reconstructed by Passloff, of James Waring and Remy Charlip Sunday January 13 at 3 PM.. Passloff will present dances choreographed in the early 1960s, when she was one of the pioneers of the early Judson Church modern dance scene, to new works receiving their world premieres. Pianists Doug Schultz and Michael Cherry, and guitarist Arturo Martinez, will accompany most of the dances and provide short musical interludes during the performance.

The event is particularly meaningful to Passloff, who made her dancing debut at the 92nd Street Y when she was 13 - the year was 1944 - dancing with the company of James Waring. The two had met as students at the School of American Ballet and became lifelong friends. "Waring was my friend and mentor," noted Passloff. "We went to concerts together. He introduced me to electronic music and different kinds of poetry. Jimmy opened many doors to me, to kinds of music and art with which I was unfamiliar. Because we needed to see more ballet than we could afford, together we climbed up the fire escape in the alleyway of City Center. It is very special that at this time James Waring's work is being featured at the Museum of Modern Art, giving us the opportunity to see his choreography."

At beginning of the performance, there will be a screening of excerpts from Marta Renzi's film "Arthur and Aileen," documenting the rehearsal process between Passloff and Arthur Aviles, as well as an excerpt from Renzi's acclaimed "Her Magnum Opus," featuring early footage filmed in the 1960s of Passloff dancing Remy Charlip's "April and December."

The program features World Premieres of four Passloff dances: "Frolic," a group dance to piano music by Erik Satie for four hands, the solo "Yo," on the subject of speaking up for what one believes in, created for Charlotte Hendrickson and set to music by Brahms; "In the Window," a solo set to John Cage's "Suite for Toy Piano," played live by Doug Schultz, and a currently untitled duet for Arthur Aviles and Andy Chapman.

Chelsea Ainsworth and Louise Benkelman, members of David Parker's The Bang Group, will dance Passloff's 2002 "Nocturne for Bob." Her 2012 "Heads Together Whispering," will be danced by Charlotte Hendrickson and Arthur Aviles, and Hendrickson will also dance the 2002 solo "Sonnambula," music in the form of a Granadinas, played live on guitar by Arturo Martinez.

Passloff has also recreated her "He Dreams of Small Battles," first choreographed in 1978 to Romanian folk dances by Bartok. The solo is dedicated to James Waring, and the jacket worn by soloist Charlotte Hendrickson was designed and made by Waring.

Waring's choreography will be represented on the program by his 1958 solo "Octandre," made for Passloff and danced here by Nic Petry of The Bang Group.

The program will also feature the work of noted choreographer and artist Remy Charlip. His rarely seen dance "April and December" was first performed by Passloff in 1964, and danced here by Charlotte Hendrickson.

Photo Credit: Bob Vergara