The Joyce Announces Spring/Summer 2020 Season

Linda Shelton, Executive Director of The Joyce Theater Foundation, unveiled the full slate of programming for the organization's Spring/Summer 2020 season, featuring a diverse roster of companies from across the U.S. and around the world. From classical ballet and seminal contemporary dance to some of the most in-demand choreographers and dancers creating new work today, the New York City organization continues to pave the way for dance as one of the world's most renowned presenters of the art form. The Joyce Theater's Spring/Summer 2020 season will see dance artists and companies celebrate monumental milestones and boundary-breaking world premieres, creating a unique blend of revered tradition and future classics across genres that will both delight dance aficionados and engage new audiences all season long.

Five esteemed companies will celebrate their 50th anniversaries with engagements at The Joyce Theater in 2020. In its golden year, Ballet Vlaanderen, locally known as Ballet Flanders, will make its Joyce debut with a mixed bill featuring a blend of contemporary dance - Crystal Pite's much-lauded Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue - and traditional Kathak dance from India - Akram Khan's Kaash. In April, three companies in the half-century club will take the stage commemorating their contributions to the dance world: Honoring generations of Latinx choreographers, Ballet Hispánico presents, New York premieres from both Gustavo Ramírez Sansano and Annbelle Lopez Ochoa, among other works; Trisha Brown Dance Company marks its anniversary with a double bill of Brown's collaborations with Robert Rauschenberg; and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's repertory program, focusing on human relationships, concludes with the premiere of a dance-multimedia work by Staycee Pearl. Charlotte Ballet returns in May for its 50th celebration with a mixed bill of thrilling contemporary works, all having their New York premieres.

The Joyce celebrates the LGBTQ+ community with the return of its Pride Festival, featuring a pair of companies in repertory, both making their Joyce debuts. Ballez examines the feminine fragility idealized in the world of classical dance with Giselle of Loneliness. Known for ostentatious visual feasts of dance, Christopher Williams Dance stages an all-male version of Les Sylphides and welcomes guest artists and New York City Ballet principals Taylor Stanley and Russell Janzen.

Two of the dance world's brightest stars will take center stage in their very own Joyce Theater Productions. New York City Ballet Principal Sara Mearns continues her artistic exploration by collaborating with artists and partners in an array of styles and disciplines, simultaneously building on and breaking down the barriers of her classical ballet training. With Swing 2020, wunderkind choreographer Caleb Teicher brings the unadulterated joy of Lindy Hop to the stage in this world premiere, culminating in an on-stage jam session accompanied by the fabulous Eyal Vilner Band that lets audience members make their Joyce debut.

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE and Parsons Dance will both toast their 35th anniversary season with company favorites capped off by recent works. Brown's signature blend of traditional African movement and contemporary dance are showcased in revivals of both High Life and Grace, followed by Mercy, set to original music by Meshell Ndegeocello. Parsons Dance's annual two-week season at The Joyce is highlighted by a pair of premieres-one from David Parsons set to the music of Yusuf/Cat Stevens and another from co-founder of BalletX, Matthew Neenan.

A host of thrilling international companies will make return appearances at The Joyce throughout the coming season. Opening the Spring/Summer 2020 season, Compagnie Hervé KOUBI showcases their signature athleticism and tenderness in an evening-length work exploring the theme of barbarism. The Joyce's long-standing artistic exchange with Cuba continues with Malpaso Dance Company in a mixed bill that includes a work by Mats Ek as well as a piece by company artist Daileidys Carrazana with live music from Arturo O'Farrill. Two international ballet companies bring their grand style to the intimate Joyce stage, giving dance enthusiasts a rare, close look at their esteemed artists. Scottish Ballet returns with a pair of radically contrasting works, including a U.S. premiere from Angelin Preljoçaj, while Lyon Opera Ballet celebrates three remarkable female choreographers-Maguy Marin, Lucinda Childs, and Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker- with Trois Grandes Fugues, in which each woman choreographs in their own distinct style to the same Beethoven selection.

There will also be several world premieres by companies familiar to Joyce audiences. In what is sure to be a thrilling Joyce Theater debut, Paul Taylor Dance Company combines the old and the new with the inaugural program of The TaylorNEXT Series, with both early Taylor works and world premieres from Peter Chu and Michelle Manzanales. Continuing its longheld mission of performing rousing traditional Spanish dance across America, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana presents the world premiere of LATIDO, celebrating universal rhythms that connect humanity. Among a bill of restagings, Stephen Petronio Company will premiere a commissioned solo performed by Johnnie Cruise Mercer.

Other companies returning to The Joyce this season include MOMIX, celebrating its 40th anniversary by falling down the rabbit hole with Alice, their adaptation of the enduring Lewis Carroll classic. In their annual Joyce season, Limón Dance Company sticks with tradition, honoring founder José Limón with a repertory bill of his original works. Up-and-coming dancers of Ballet Tech Kids Dance will return with their annual program. Rennie Harris brings his study of spirituality and movement in LIFTED, and Sarasota Ballet, closing out the Spring/Summer 2020 season, celebrates their legacy of works by Sir Fredrick Ashton, featuring the first New York performance of Varii Capricci since its 1983 world premiere.

The following is a complete roster of companies who will appear at The Joyce Theater this spring and summer:

Compagnie Hervé KOUBI

Les nuits barbares ou les premiers matins du monde

February 18-23

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Feb 19

Family Performance: Sun, Feb 23 at 2pm

Tickets: $10-$55 (Joyce Members $26; $41)

France's celebrated Compagnie Hervé KOUBI returns to The Joyce for its 20th Anniversary season with Les nuits barbares ou les premiers matins du monde, an athletic and poetic look into the shared history of the Mediterranean basin, where the sense of belonging proves more ancient than the concept of nations. Featuring an all-male cast of 13 dancers from Algeria, Morocco, France, and Burkina Faso, the company investigates themes of barbarism by combining capoeira, martial arts, hip-hop, and contemporary styles with virtuosity that "is a touch of theatrical magic" (The New York Times).

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE

February 25-March 1

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Feb 26

Family Performance: Sat, Feb 29 at 2pm

Tickets: $10-$45 (Joyce Members $19; $34)

Ronald K. Brown/Evidence celebrates its 35th anniversary with the return of High Life and Grace, two works that exemplify Brown's contemporary African style. High Life celebrates the idea of what one brings and what one leaves behind when striving for "a better life," paying homage to the African-American migration from rural areas to cities. Grace, performed first by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 20 years ago, is an ode to God's love and Alvin Ailey's legacy. A newly commissioned companion piece, Mercy, is an ethereal movement meditation featuring original music by Meshell Ndegeocello.

Ballet Vlaanderen

March 3-7

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Mar 4

Tickets: $10-$55 (Joyce Members $26; $41)

"One of Europe's top ballet companies" (New York Times), Ballet Vlaanderen, locally known as Ballet Flanders, celebrates its 50th anniversary with a Joyce debut. Top-notch dancers perform Akram Khan's Kaash, merging contemporary and Kathak dance with set design by Anish Kapoor; artistic director Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's Faun, inspired by Vaslav Nijinsky's iconic solo, transforms into a sensual and enchanting pas de deux. In her acclaimed Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue, acclaimed choreographer Crystal Pite offers a highly personal and moving take on the themes of desperation and rescue.

Scottish Ballet

March 10-15

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Mar 11

Tickets: $10-$55 (Joyce Members $26; $41)

"Characterized by vibrant energy, brilliant coherence, and an effortless visual elegance" (The Daily Telegraph), Scotland's national dance company returns to The Joyce with THIS IS MY BODY..., a double bill that showcases radically contrasting dance styles, equally compelling in emotional impact. Sophie Laplane's Sibilo demonstrates a joyful, unrestricted perspective on everyday human emotions and situations. A U.S. premiere, Angelin Preljoçaj's MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps) is a meeting of the spiritual and the carnal. Juxtaposing the glorification of strength and the condemnation of brutality, religious allusions collide in this raw and powerful work.

Lyon Opera Ballet

March 18-22

Wed-Thu 7:30pm; Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Mar 19

Tickets: $10-$55 (Joyce Members $26; $41)

The "versatile and daring" (New York Times) Lyon Opera Ballet, under the direction of Yorgos Loukos, returns to The Joyce Theater with an inquiry into translation. Movement and musicality interact in distinct ways in Trois Grandes Fugues, a stunning triple bill presenting the work of trailblazing choreographers Maguy Marin, Lucinda Childs, and Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker. These women each undertake the musical complexity of Beethoven's "Grosse Fuge" in three different choreographic imaginings, performed exquisitely by a striking ensemble of dancers.

Malpaso Dance Company

A Joyce Theater Production

March 24-29

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Mar 25

Tickets: $10-$55 (Joyce Members $26; $41)

"Sparklingly present...and remarkably strong," (The New York Times), Havana's Malpaso Dance Company returns to New York with its dazzling, classically trained dancers. This Joyce Theater Production includes WWW, an intimate work by Mats Ek; Elemental, a spellbinding dance by Robyn Mineko Williams; and Duo de la Escoba - Revisited, a piece by the company's own Daileidys Carrazana, featuring live music by Arturo O'Farrill.

Limón Dance Company

March 31-April 5

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Apr 1

Tickets: $10-$65 (Joyce Members $34; $49)

Limón Dance Company showcases the range of founder's choreographic mastery in a timely and moving program performed by dancers known for their "humility, unpretentiousness, and faith" (New York Times). In The Traitor, Limón draws from the archetypal power struggle between Judas and Jesus, a charged indictment of political fear mongering that is fiercely relevant today. Live piano accompanies his sparkling Mazurkas, choreographed as a gift to his dancers. Orfeo, one of Limón's final works, is a lyrical lament of love set to the music of Beethoven.

Ballet Hispánico

April 7-19

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm & 7:30pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Apr 8

Tickets: $10-$55 (Joyce Members $26; $41)

To celebrate the Company's 50th anniversary, Ballet Hispánico's two week run at The Joyce Theater honors generations of renowned Latinx choreographers with the New York premiere of Gustavo Ramírez Sansano's 18+1 and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Tiburones, a take on the media's power over representation of Latinx cultures. Jardi Tancat, the award winning work that launched the career of renowned choreographer Nacho Duato, and returning repertory from Andrea Miller, Pedro Ruiz, and Ramón Oller round out the program.

Trisha Brown Dance Company

April 21-26

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Apr 22

Tickets: $10-$65 (Joyce Members $34; $49)

Trisha Brown Dance Company marks its 50th anniversary season by celebrating Brown's extraordinary creative partnership with visual artist Robert Rauschenberg. In Foray Forêt (1990) Brown employs a vocabulary of movements generated by the subconscious-what she called "delicate aberrations" -juxtaposing athleticism against subtle physical gesture. Set to the music of John Cage, the revived Astral Converted (1991) features a mobile set that uses motion sensors to detect and respond to the dancers' movements.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

April 28-May 3

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Apr 29

Tickets: $10-$65 (Joyce Members $34; $49)

Celebrating 50 years of dance, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre returns to The Joyce with a program focused on human relationships. Mark Morris's joyous Maelstrom, set to Beethoven's "Ghost Trio," features a mosaic of bodies in motion. Nacho Duato's Duende creates a visual world for Debussy's sculptural score where dancers possess radiating charm. The company premieres a new dance production by Pittsburgh choreographer Staycee Pearl, where music provides the backbone for connection.

Charlotte Ballet

May 5-10

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, May 6

Tickets: $10-$55 (Joyce Members $26; $41)

Charlotte Ballet returns under the artistic direction of Hope Muir, with three contemporary works including San Francisco-based choreographer Myles Thatcher's Redbird, which explores themes of grief; international choreographer Bryan Arias's When Breath Becomes Air, a cinematic visualization of Ezio Bosso's minimalist score; and former Nederlands Dans Theater dancer Medhi Walerski's Petite Cérémonie, a work rooted in satire and theatricality.

Stephen Petronio Company

May 12-17

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, May 13

Tickets: $10-$65 (Joyce Members $34; $49)

Stephen Petronio Company is back with a command performance of American Landscapes (2019), a collaboration with artist Robert Longo, which features original music by Jozef van Wissem and Jim Jarmusch. Paying homage to postmodern masters, the company continues its Bloodlines project with a restaging of Steve Paxton's duet, Jag Vill Gärna Telefonera (1982). Bloodlines(future), a new series focused on the next generation, culminates with a commissioned solo, _Ashadowprince, choreographed and performed by emerging artist Johnnie Cruise Mercer. Also included is a revival of Full Half Wrong (1992), Petronio's woman powered answer to Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.

Parsons Dance

May 19-31

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, May 20

Family Performance: Sat, May 23

Tickets: $10-$65 (Joyce Members $34; $49)

Parsons Dance takes the Joyce stage with a program packed with new works and company classics. Highlighting the bill is a world premiere by David Parsons, set to Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Yusuf/Cat Stevens' iconic songs like Peace Train and Trouble, which uses captivating movement to echo the songwriter's emotional journeys. Also on tap is a new piece by choreographer Matthew Neenan, co-founder of Philadelphia's acclaimed BalletX, who selected Baroque composer Pietro Locatelli's Concerto No. 1 in D major as a backdrop for creating a powerful community work.

Ballet Tech Kids Dance

June 4-7

Thu-Fri 7pm; Sat-Sun 2pm & 7pm

Tickets: $10-$45 (Joyce Members $19; $34)

Ballet Tech Kids Dance is "a New York City Treasure" (New York Times). And here we are again, delighted and eager to dance for you! Returning to the repertory is that zany Meshugana Dance, the kaleidoscopic A Yankee Doodle, and the high-steppin' A Stair Dance - all choreographed by Eliot Feld. For the cherry on top, John Heginbotham offers a high-spirited happening for 93 zippy youngsters. Bring your kids to see these remarkably poised and impeccably rehearsed performers - it's the future of dancing!

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana

June 9-14

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Tickets: $10-$65 (Joyce Members $34; $49)

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, one of America's leading flamenco companies, presents the world premiere of LATIDO by José Maldonado, whom The New York Times praised for "bursts of brilliance and uncommon invention." LATIDO, meaning "beat", explores rhythms that connect us all-from the heartbeat that sustains life, to the dynamic web of rhythms that ground and unify flamenco artists. Live musicians energize Flamenco Vivo's star-studded international cast featuring the New York debut of Karen Lugo, "a triumph of style and invention" (The Washington Post).

Paul Taylor Dance Company

June 16-21

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Tickets: $10-$75 (Joyce Members $41; $56)

In the inaugural program of The TaylorNEXT Series, Paul Taylor Dance Company highlights groundbreaking early works from the master choreographer's canon, Events II (1957), Fibers (1960), and Tracer (1962).World premieres by contemporary choreographers Peter Chu and Michelle Manzanales round out this intimate program, drawing a line from the company's beginnings to its future.

Pride Festival

June 23-28

Ballez

Tue 7:30pm; Fri 8pm; Sun 2pm

Tickets: $10-$45 (Joyce Members $19; $34)

Ballez reinvents the classical ballet canon with storytelling that champions the expression of queer, lesbian, -----transgender, and gender-nonconforming identities within ballet. Giselle of Loneliness, inspired by the tragic, romantic story-ballet Giselle, dives into its themes of despair and madness. This reimagining of a classic tale reveals the experience of dancers tortured by ballet itself, and asks, "What parts of ourselves do we have to give up, or kill off, in order to belong in ballet, and how do audiences participate in this demand?"

Christopher Williams

Wed 7:30pm; Thu 8pm; Sat 8pm

Tickets: $10-$45 (Joyce Members $19; $34)

Hailed for his "extraordinary feats of visual imagination" (New York Times), Christopher Williams brings a program of his own original, queer versions of the Ballets Russes' legendary works. In a reimagining of Nijinsky's "The Afternoon of a Faun," acclaimed New York City Ballet principal dancer Taylor Stanley stars as the Faun, and performs the title role in excerpts from Williams' new evening-length work, Narcissus, which features fellow principal dancer Russell Janzen. A cast of outstanding dancers join the dynamic duo in an all-male version of the ballet Les Slyphides.

MOMIX

Alice

June 30-July 19

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm & 7:30pm

(No evening performance on Sat, July 4 and Sun, Jul 19)

Family Performance: Sat, Jul 11 at 2pm

Tickets: $10-$55 (Joyce Members $26; $41)

Seamlessly blending illusion, acrobatics, magic and whimsy, MOMIX sends audiences flying down the rabbit hole in a new production inspired by Lewis Carroll's classic Alice in Wonderland. Join this dazzling company on a mind-bending adventure, as Alice encounters time-honored characters including the undulating Caterpillar, a lobster quadrille, frenzied White Rabbits, a mad Queen of Hearts, and a variety of other surprises.

Rennie Harris

LIFTED

July 21-26

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Tickets: $10-$55 (Joyce Members $26; $41)

According to the gospel of hip-hop dance artist Rennie Harris, "movement is how we worship life." In his latest work, Rennie Harris LIFTED, spirituality and movement traditions intertwine. Inspired by the tale of Oliver Twist, this story of a young black man's healing and redemption through community is told through live gospel music, hip-hop dance theater, and the rich movement history of house dance, celebrating how these traditions carry our histories and strengthen our reawakenings.

Sara Mearns

A Joyce Theater Production

July 28-August 2

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Tickets: $10-$75 (Joyce Members $41; $56)

New York City Ballet principal dancer Sara Mearns invites new collaborators into her artistic orbit in this upcoming Joyce Theater Production. Continuing her process of creative self-discovery, Sara challenges herself and her partners in a series of pieces that span mediums and reimagine genres. Unexpected pairings take center stage as this world-class ballerina reveals herself through the bold act of reinvention.

SWING 2020

A Joyce Theater Production

August 4-16

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Tickets: $10-$65 (Joyce Members $34; $49)

Acclaimed choreographer Caleb Teicher brings the best of the swing dance world to the concert stage. With live music by Eyal Vilner's Big Band, Lindy hop champions bring the joy, fire, and fight of competitive and social swing dancein this Joyce Theater Production. With new choreography by Caleb Teicher and his brain trust of collaborators Evita Arce, Latasha Barnes, and Nathan Bugh, the show features stunning improvisation by swing dance champions, and includes an on-stage post-show jam session, inviting audiences to join in the fun!

Sarasota Ballet

August 18-23

Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm

Tickets: $10-$65 (Joyce Members $34; $49)

"A triumph of courage, enterprise, and above all, choreographic felicity" (The New York Times), the Sarasota Ballet has established itself as the main exponent of the choreography of Sir Frederick Ashton. The company presents Ashton's 1956 pièce d'occasion Birthday Offering; followed by his 1940 wartime allegory Dante Sonata; and finally,