Vuyani Dance Theater to Return to The Joyce Theater in April With CION: REQUIEM OF RAVEL'S BOLERO

The Joyce Theater Foundation will bring literature to life with the return of Vuyani Dance Theater's production of Cion: Requiem of Ravel's Boléro, back by popular demand following a wildly successful sold-out engagement in January 2020. Based on the South African novel of the same name, this mournful yet ultimately hopeful evening-length work about banding together to share grief will return to The Joyce Theater from April 12-16. Tickets, ranging in price from $10-$55, can be purchased at www.Joyce.org, or by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at West 19th Street. For more information and to read about The Joyce Theater's detailed health and safety protocols, including required face-coverings and proof of vaccination policies, please visit www.Joyce.org.

A visually striking, physically powerful work, Cion: Requiem of Ravel's Boléro marks the return of Vuyani Dance Theater to The Joyce stage. The brainchild of South African choreographic genius Gregory Maqoma, the work draws inspiration from creations by two artists: South African author Zakes Mda's novel Cion and French composer Maurice Ravel's Boléro. With live music delivered by a quartet inspired by Isicathamiya -an a cappella style originating from the Zulu people-the disquieting setting of a graveyard only accentuates the dancers' evocation of souls lost and the emotions that accompany such grief. Ultimately, Cion: Requiem of Ravel's Boléro is a haunting piece that stands in the face of death and darkness, bringing audiences hope for humanity.

* * *

ABOUT THE VUYANI DANCE THEATER

Vuyani Dance Theater is a contemporary African dance company founded in 1999 by Artistic Director Gregory Maqoma that performs innovative, visually stunning full-length works that bring literature to life. The company seeks to produce work that questions and challenges social values while simultaneously exploiting history as a launch pad for material research and development. They consistently find new co-creators and performers from around the world, having appeared in various venues at home in South Africa and internationally.

ABOUT The Joyce Theater

The Joyce Theater Foundation ("The Joyce," Executive Director, Linda Shelton), a non-profit organization, has proudly served the dance community for almost four decades. Under the direction of founders Cora Cahan and Eliot Feld, Ballet Tech Foundation acquired and renovated the Elgin Theater in Chelsea. Opening as The Joyce Theater in 1982, it was named in honor of Joyce Mertz, beloved daughter of LuEsther T. Mertz. It was LuEsther's clear, undaunted vision and abundant generosity that made it imaginable and ultimately possible to build the theater. Ownership was secured by The Joyce in 2015. The theater is one of the only theaters built by dancers for dance and has provided an intimate and elegant home for over 400 U.S.-based and international companies. The Joyce has also expanded its reach beyond its Chelsea home through off-site presentations at venues ranging in scope from Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater, to Brooklyn's Invisible Dog Art Center, and outdoor programming in spaces such as Hudson River Park. To further support the creation of new work, The Joyce maintains longstanding commissioning and residency programs. Local students and teachers (K-12th grade) benefit from its school program, and family and adult audiences get closer to dance with access to artists. The Joyce's annual season of about 48 weeks of dance now includes over 340 performances - both digital and in-person - for audiences of over 150,000.

The Joyce Theater presents Vuyani Dance Theater in Cion: Requiem of Ravel's Boléro from April 12-16. The performance schedule is as follows: Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm. Tickets, ranging in price from $10-$55, can be purchased at www.Joyce.org, or by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at West 19th Street. For more information and to read about The Joyce Theater's detailed health and safety protocols, including required face-coverings and proof of vaccination policies, please visit www.Joyce.org.