Wayne McGregor, Dada Masilo, Lar Lubovitch and More Set for Spring/Summer 2018 Season at The Joyce Theater

Linda Shelton, Executive Director of The Joyce Theater, announced today the organization's programming for its spring/summer 2018 season, kicking off with the celebrated British choreographer and director Wayne McGregor's contemporary dance company, Company Wayne McGregor, performing the U.S. premiere of his latest work, Autobiography. Another international highlight is the return of acclaimed South African choreographer Dada Masilo with the U.S. premiere tour of her new work, Giselle.

The Joyce will play host to several U.S. dance troupes such as Brian Brooks Dance, Midwest ballet company Tulsa Ballet, in its first Joyce presentation since 2008, and American dance legend Lar Lubovitch, who celebrates the 50th Anniversary of his company Lar Lubovitch Dance Company.

The Joyce will also host the debut of MADBOOTS DANCE, bringing a world premiere and the New York premiere of MASC, and the highly-anticipated New York premiere of THE MISSING GENERATION by trailblazing transgender choreographer Sean Dorsey and his company Sean Dorsey Dance.

This season will also feature audience favorites like Stephen Petronio Company, MOMIX, Parsons Dance, RIOULT Dance NY, Limón Dance Company, and A.I.M (Abraham.In.Motion).

In addition, The Sarasota Ballet will return after its 2016 smash-hit engagement with a program comprised of selections from their vast repertoire by world-renowned choreographers such as Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, Dame Ninette de Valois, Twyla Tharp, Sir David Bintley, Christopher Wheeldon, and Sir Matthew Bourne.

For the first time ever, The Joyce Theater will offer a Pay What You Decide option during three of its presentations this season. This initiative attempts to remove the financial barrier to seeing dance, opening The Joyce's doors to anyone whose interest is piqued by these performances. Therefore, instead of paying a fixed price before coming to the theater, patrons will be able to see the show and, after the curtain falls, pay an amount that feels right to them.

Joyce Theater memberships are on sale now; general tickets go on sale December 14.

---

The following is a complete roster of companies who will be appearing at The Joyce Theater this spring and summer.

Company Wayne McGregor

Autobiography

Feb 27-Mar 3

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

Pay What You Decide: Sat, Mar 3 at 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Feb 28

Tickets: $10-$40 (Joyce Members $23; $30)

British choreographer and director Wayne McGregor brings his hip contemporary dance company to New York with Autobiography, a new piece with stunning set design and projections by artist Ben Cullen Williams, an electronic score by critically acclaimed producer Jlin, lighting by award-winning lighting designer Lucy Carter, costumes by artist and designer Aitor Throup, and dramaturgy by writer Uzma Hameed. InAutobiography, McGregor meditates not only on notions of selfhood, but creates movement informed by the sequence of his own genome.

Tulsa Ballet

Mar 6-10

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

Curtain Chat: Wed, Mar 7

Tickets: $10-$50 (Joyce Members $26; $38)

Tulsa Ballet returns for the first time in nine years, with refreshing dancers who "move with breadth and weight and joy" (Financial Times). Under the leadership of Artistic Director Marcello Angelini, the company has built a powerful repertory that pairs innovative new creations with some of the most influential works of classical ballet. With a roster of 28 stunning dancers from 10 countries, Tulsa Ballet is one of North America's most beloved ballet companies.

Brian Brooks Dance

Wed, Mar 14-18

Wed 7:30pm, Thu-Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm

Pay What You Decide: Sun, Mar 18 at 2pm

Curtain Chat: Thu, Mar 15

Tickets: $10-$40 (Joyce Members $23; $30)

Contemporary dance maker Brian Brooks returns with the New York premiere of Prelude, commissioned by Chicago's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, where Brooks is currently the inaugural Choreographer in Residence. As if in a perpetual state of rewind, Prelude traces actions back to their original inception. Also on the program is Division, featuring an original score by composer Jerome Begin and made with support from a Joyce Theater Creative Residency.

Stephen Petronio Company

Mar 20-25

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

Curtain Chat: Thu, Mar 22

Gala: Wed, Mar 21 (Please call 212-473-1660 for gala tickets)

Tickets: $10-$60 (Joyce Members $26; $45)

Stephen Petronio Company returns to The Joyce Theater with the world premiere of Hardness 10. Titled in reference to the diamond as the hardest gem, Petronio's third collaboration with Nico Muhly arcs from amorphous rumblings to glimmering clarity. The fourth installment of the company's Bloodlines project, a series of revivals of works by titans of postmodern dance, continues with Merce Cunningham's playful and indeterminate Signals (1970), performed with live music from Composers Inside Electronics. Also on the program is an excerpt from Petronio's darkly abstract Underland (2003), inspired by the music of Australian legend, Nick Cave.

Dada Masilo/The Dance Factory

Giselle

Apr 3-8

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

Pay What You Decide: Sun, Apr 8 at 2pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, Apr 4

Tickets: $10-$50 (Joyce Members $26; $38)

Award-winning South African choreographer Dada Masilo presents a torrid retelling of the tragic-romantic ballet, Giselle. By setting the work in rural South Africa, Masilo imbues this version with African rituals and ceremonies as she highlights the themes of betrayal, heartbreak, grief, and revenge in the classic tale. Giselle is performed by 12 dynamic dancers and is set to an original score by South African composer Phillip Miller.

Ballet Hispánico

Apr 10-15

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

Curtain Chat: Wed, Apr 11

Tickets: $10-$60 (Joyce Members $34; $45)

Ballet Hispánico offers two distinct Spanish choreographers' takes on the literary icon Federico Garcia Lorca, as choreographer Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, who has made work for Nederlands Dans Theater, delves into the life of the celebrated Spanish poet and playwright during his time in New York City in 1929. Carlos Pons Guerra, who has created work for Rambert, reimagines Lorca's 1936 play, The House of Bernanda Alba, infusing the tale of family intrigue with the theatricality of Latin film.

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company

Apr 17-22

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

Curtain Chat: Wed, Apr 18

Tickets: $10-$60

One of America's most revered master choreographers, Lar Lubovitch celebrates his company's 50thanniversary with two programs that highlight his "ravishing...complicated and mysterious [work]" (The New Yorker ). Lubovitch presents a haunting world premiere, set to seldom-heard choral music by Schubert, as well as signature works, like Men's Stories. During the run, the Martha Graham Dance Company and The Joffrey Ballet will also take the stage to perform seminal dances by Lubovitch, in honor of this rare milestone.

Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève

Une autre passion

Apr 24-29

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

Curtain Chat: Wed, Apr 25

Tickets: $10-$50 (Joyce Members $26; $38)

Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, a thrilling company featuring classically trained dancers performing contemporary ballet choreography, takes The Joyce stage with Swedish choreographer Pontus Lidberg's abstract take on Johann Sebastian Bach's Saint Matthew Passion. Originally written as a devotional retelling of the agony and death of Christ, Lidberg's Une autre passion juxtaposes suffering with beauty.

A.I.M

May 1-6

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

Curtain Chat: Wed, May 2

Tickets: $10-$50 (Joyce Members $26; $38)

A.I.M. (Abraham.In.Motion) brings its "lush movement, infectious music and magnetic dancers" (The New York Times) to Joyce audiences. Returning to the stage with his first solo in nearly a decade, Artistic Director Kyle Abraham presents INDY, a Joyce commission created in collaboration with fabulous composer-pianist Jerome Begin. The program also features works by guest choreographers Bebe Miller, Doug Varone, and Andrea Miller, who presents a world premiere.

Limón Dance Company

May 8-13

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

Curtain Chat: Wed, May 9

Family Matinee: Sat, May 12 at 2pm

Tickets: $10-$60 (Joyce Members $34; $45)

Limón Dance Company's engagement features works that highlight the resilience of the human spirit. Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Missa Brevis, Limón's masterful evocation of a community rebuilding, the Company unites with international dancers. Also included are Artistic Director Colin Connor's The Body is a House Without Walls, addressing the regenerative power of memory; and The Unsung, Limón's homage to Native Americans.

Parsons Dance

May 15-27

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

Gala: Tue, May 23 at 7pm

Curtain Chat: Wed, May 23

Family Matinee: Sat, May 19 at 2pm

Tickets: $10-$60 (Joyce Members $34; $45)

Known for its incredible athleticism and stunning dancers, Parsons Dance presents a world premiere by artistic director David Parsons, as well as Ma Maison, Trey McIntyre's vivid exploration of Mardi Gras, with music by New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Also on the bill: Wolfgang, Parsons' humorous, virtuosic depiction of Mozart's Symphony No. 25 in G Minor, and Caught, the company's signature stroboscopic solo.

RIOULT Dance NY

May 30-Jun 3

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

Curtain Chat: Thu, May 31

Tickets: $10-$50 (Joyce Members $26; $38)

RIOULT Dance NY celebrates the historic connection between choreographers and composers with Artistic Director Pascal Rioult's "keenly musical choreography" (The Washington Post). The engagement features a world premiere with an original score by wunderkind Polina Nazaykinskaya, performed live. Also included is Rioult's contemporary take on romanticism, Dream Suite, set to Tchaikovsky's Orchestral Suite No. 2 in C Major; and Les Noces, a sexually charged deconstruction of the marriage ritual danced to Stravinsky's score of the same name.

Ballet Tech Kids Dance

Jun 7-10

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

Curtain Chat: Fri, Jun 8

Family Matinee: Sat, Jun 9 at 2pm

Tickets: $10-$40 (Joyce Members $23; $30)

The New York Times called Kids Dance "a New York City Treasure." Like swallows to Capistrano, the kids return with Apple Pi e, The Jig Is Up, Meshugana Dance, and Paper Tiger, too. There'll be a world premiere, as well - Eliot Feld is choreographing Pointing 2 (to go along with last year's Pointing 1) - and yes, they're both danced in pointe shoes! Gather your family and say hello to the future.

PHILADANCO!

Jun 12-17

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

Curtain Chat: Wed, Jun 13

Family Matinee: Sat, Jun 16 at 2pm

Tickets: $10-$40 (Joyce Members $23; $30)

The virtuosic and powerful PHILADANCO! is comprised of dancers who move "like arrows in flight" (The Washington Post). The company returns with a program that includes the poetic Folded Prism, by Vietnamese choreographer Thang Dao, which infuses beautiful imagery with a hypnotic score by John Levis. Also featured is A Movement for Five, an emotionally-charged work by Dawn Marie Bazemore inspired by the events surrounding the "Central Park Five" in New York City; and New Fruit, a poignant piece by resident choreographer Christopher Huggins that offers a glimpse into the unchanged social landscape.

MADBOOTS DANCE

Jun 19-23

Tue 7:30pm, Thu 8pm, Sat 8pm

Curtain Chat: Thu, Jun 21

Tickets: $10-$40 (Joyce Members $23; $30)

MADBOOTS DANCE makes its Joyce debut with a program featuring the New York premiere of MASC, as well as a world premiere. Led by Jonathan Campbell and Austin Diaz, the queer, all-male company is known for its fearless athleticism and unashamed intimacy. Tackling topics related to male identity, the company was named "25 to Watch" by Dance Magazine in 2016.

Sean Dorsey Dance

THE MISSING GENERATION

Jun 20-23

Wed 7:30pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm

Curtain Chat: Fri, Jun 22

Tickets: $10-$40 (Joyce Members $23; $30)

Making its highly anticipated New York premiere, THE MISSING GENERATION is a love letter to longtime survivors of the early AIDS epidemic. Trailblazing transgender choreographer Sean Dorsey created this powerful work after recording oral history interviews with LGBTQ longtime survivors across the US. Highly physical, accessible, rooted in story, and danced with precision and guts, THE MISSING GENERATIONfeatures a multi-generational ensemble.

Batsheva - The Young Ensemble

Naharin's Virus

Jul 10-22

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

Curtain Chat: Wed, Jul 11

Tickets: $10-$75 (Joyce Members $38; $56)

Batsheva - The Young Ensemble performs Ohad Naharin's Bessie Award-winning dance, Naharin's Virus, inspired by the great Austrian writer Peter Handke's play, Offending the Audience. Originally created in collaboration with Batsheva dancers, the work explores the boundaries of language with Naharin's coolly seductive aesthetic. Naharin's Virus features a varied soundtrack which includes Classical music, original music by Karni Postel, and adaptations of traditional Arabic music by Habib Alla Jamal and Shama Khader.

MOMIX

Jul 24-Aug 12

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

Curtain Chat: Wed, Jun 25

Family Matinee: Sat, Jun 28 at 2pm

Tickets: $10-$60 (Joyce Members $34; $45)

Full of "beguiling, eye-filling and often impressive visual and movement theatrics" (The Wall Street Journal), MOMIX delights both young and old, year after year. Seamlessly blending illusion, physicality, magic and whimsy, this dazzling company returns with a compilation of company treasures from the beloved Botanica, Alchemia, Remix, Opus Cactus, and Lunar Sea.

The Sarasota Ballet

Aug 14-19

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

Curtain Chat : Wed, Aug 15

Tickets: $10-$60 (Joyce Members $34; $45)

Following the success of its 2016 Joyce engagement, The Sarasota Ballet returns with a special program comprised of selections from their vast repertoire by world-renowned choreographers like Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, Dame Ninette de Valois, Twyla Tharp, Sir David Bintley, Christopher Wheeldon, and Sir Matthew Bourne. Delight in this marvelous company's "meticulous, juicy performance" (The New York Times) of ballet classics.

---

CURTAIN CHATS

The Joyce Theater holds free post-performance dialogues with artistic directors and/or company members following the second performance of each company's engagement, unless otherwise noted. These dialogues are open to all audience members attending that evening's performance. The Curtain Chats schedule is subject to change.

FAMILY MATINEES

Created to help build dance audiences for the future, The Joyce's popular family-oriented performance series will return this spring/summer with five family-friendly matinees, each followed by a special chance to meet the artists. Kids' tickets are only $10. Children who see at least three of the family matinees automatically become Joyce Junior Members and save 40% on the price of their tickets ($10 reduced to $6). Children, ages 6-14, must be accompanied by an adult (maximum four kids to one grownup). Joyce Junior Members get a special "Backstage-at-the-Joyce" tour, a T-shirt, and gift coupons.

This spring/summer season's Family Matinee series is as follows (Kids (ages 6-14) must be accompanied by an adult):

LIMÓN DANCE COMPANY

Saturday, May 12 at 2pm

PARSONS DANCE

Saturday, May 19 at 2pm

BALLET TECH KIDS DANCE

Saturday, June 9 at 2pm

PHILADANCO!

Saturday, June 16 at 2pm

MOMIX

Saturday, June 28 at 2pm

---

The Joyce Theater Foundation ("The Joyce," Executive Director, Linda Shelton ), a nonprofit organization, has proudly served the dance community for over three decades. Under the direction of founders Cora Cahan and Eliot Feld, Ballet Tech Foundation acquired and The Joyce 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 presented dance at Lincoln Center since 2012, and launched Joyce Unleashed in 2014 to feature emerging and experimental artists. 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 for audiences of 125,000-150,000 annually.

To become a Joyce Member, ticket buyers simply purchase tickets to four different companies at the same time and they automatically save 25% on tickets (not applicable for $10 or $20 tickets). Joyce Members are entitled to the 25% discount on additional tickets purchased throughout the season - until August 2018. For more information on becoming a Joyce Member, visit www.Joyce.org or call JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. Single ticket prices range from $10-$75. Tickets can be purchased by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800, in person at the Box Office (Monday - Friday 12-6pm), or online by visiting www.Joyce.org. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue (at West 19th Street).