Times Square Arts to WORKSHOP OF MOTION, 10/12

Choreographer Kyle Abraham and Blue Note recording artist Otis Brown III will come together to conduct a multi-generational, collaborative, entry workshop in movement called "Improvisation and Statements of Freedom in Jazz and Movement" on Monday, October 12th from 2:00 pm- 4:30 pm on the Broadway Plaza in Times Square between 42nd and 43rd Streets.

The workshop calls dancers and non-dancers alike to explore the conversation of movement centered on ideas of freedom and social change against the backdrop of the ways in which it celebrates and challenges us every day. It will stand partly alone and be performed for the first time outdoors.

Anyone interested in participating in the workshop should email Arts@TimesSquareNYC.org in advance.

It was first presented by Abraham.In.Motion at the Alabama Dance Festival to evoke conversation about the Civil Rights Movement. Abraham.In.Motion participated in the Festival as the guest company and performed several residency activities with communities in Selma, Montgomery, and Birmingham to stimulate conversations about the civil rights movement.

On November 10-15, 2015 Abraham.In.Motion presents The Gettin' and Absent Matter at The Joyce Theater. Otis Brown III plays live as part of the Robert Glasper Trio. The workshop in Times Square is leading up to this mainstage performance.

The mission of Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion is to create an evocative interdisciplinary body of work. Born into hip-hop culture in the late 1970s and grounded in Abraham's artistic upbringing in classical cello, piano, and the visual arts, the goal of the movement is to delve into identity in relation to a personal history. The work intertwines a sensual and provocative vocabulary with a strong emphasis on sound, human behavior, and all things visual in an effort to create an avenue for personal investigation and exposing that on stage. A.I.M. is a representation of dancers from various disciplines and diverse personal backgrounds. Combined together, these individualities create movement that is manipulated and molded into something fresh and unique.

Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram via the hashtag #AIMJazzTSq.

Times Square Arts, the public art program of the Times Square Alliance, collaborates with contemporary artists and cultural institutions to experiment and engage with one of the world's most iconic urban places. Through the Square's electronic billboards, public plazas, vacant areas and popular venues, and the Alliance's own online landscape, Times Square Arts invites leading contemporary creators to help the public see Times Square in new ways. Times Square has always been a place of risk, innovation and creativity, and the Arts Program ensures these qualities remain central to the district's unique identity. Generous support of Times Square Arts is provided by ArtPlace America and ArtWorks. Visit TimesSquareNYC.org/Arts for more information. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @TSqArts.