Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to Return to Paris, Basel, Germany and Copenhagen
By: BWW News Desk Jun. 22, 2017
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congress as "a vital American cultural ambassador to the world," returns to Paris, Basel, several German cities, and Copenhagen to perform 15 ballets from July 4 - September 10.
The Paris engagement (July 4 - 22) kicks off the tour, and marks the debut dance performance at La Seine Musicale, a new state of the art concert hall on an island in the Seine River, which opened in April 2017. The eight-city tour, led by Artistic Director Robert Battle, includes the Company's first-ever performance in Mannheim (August 1 - 6) at the National Theater, and culminates at the Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen (September 6 - 10). Bank of America is the lead sponsor of the Company's 2017 international tour.
After a 20-city U.S. tour and an exciting spring season at New York City's Lincoln Center, European audiences have the opportunity to experience the unparalleled artistry of Ailey's 32 dancers, as they perform an expansive repertory of new works and classics. The tour opens with a celebratory reception at the La Seine Musicale in Paris on Tuesday, July 4, featuring excerpts of six ballets, and culminating with Alvin Ailey's signature masterpiece - Revelations. The tour continues with performances of several international premieres: Artistic Director Robert Battle's Ella, a tour-de-force tribute to Ella Fitzgerald performed during her centennial, and No Longer Silent, which brings to life a score by composer Erwin Schulhoff, who died in a concentration camp in 1942; and Ailey dancer Hope Boykin's r-Evolution, Dream., inspired by the speeches and sermons of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The dancers will also perform in Alvin Ailey's classic works: Night Creature, a dazzling ballet set to music by Duke Ellington; Cry, the female solo made famous by Judith Jamison and dedicated to "all black women everywhere - especially our mothers;" and his must-see American masterpiece, Revelations, which is a tribute to his heritage and a testament to his genius. Seen by more people than any other modern dance work since its debut in 1960, Revelations has moved audiences around the world through its powerful storytelling and soul-stirring music, evoking timeless themes of determination, hope and transcendence.
"As we prepare to launch a two-month international tour, I'm prouder than ever of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's role as a vital American "Cultural Ambassador to the World," which brings together and inspires people of all different backgrounds," said Artistic Director Robert Battle. "We look forward to breaking new ground with the inaugural concert dance performances at Paris' La Seine Musicale, and to sharing warm welcomes in Basel, Copenhagen and five cities in Germany, including our first-ever visit to Mannheim. The 32 extraordinary dancers of Ailey will touch the hearts and minds of people throughout the tour with premieres, new productions and, of course, Alvin Ailey's American masterpiece Revelations - a must-see for all."
Support enabling Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and other major American performing arts organizations to tour internationally is part of Bank of America's strategy to increase cultural understanding and open opportunities for dialogue through the arts.
"Bank of America's support of the arts reflects our belief that the Arts Matter as they help economies thrive, help individuals connect with each other and across cultures, and educate and enrich societies," said Rena DeSisto, Global Arts & Culture executive for Bank of America. "We are extremely proud to help Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in their important role as cultural ambassador by being their international tour sponsor for the third year in a row."
"We are profoundly grateful for Bank of America's sponsorship of Ailey's international tours, which continues an exemplary record of support," shared Bennett Rink, Ailey's Executive Director. "Their generous commitment extends the reach of Ailey's performances and programs that use the power of dance to not only entertain, but to enlighten and uplift."
Additional repertory highlights include innovative hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris' stirring Exodus and beloved choreographer Ronald K. Brown's Cuban-inspired Open Door, set to music by Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (both German premieres); Paul Taylor's sizzling Piazzolla Caldera (a Swiss premiere); Billy Wilson's The Winter in Libson, a rhythmic and colorful celebration of the great Dizzy Gillespie performed during his centennial; Brown's powerful Four Corners; Christopher Wheeldon's dreamlike After the Rain Pas de Deux; Battle's gripping In/Side, and his percussive works The Hunt and Takademe.
In addition to the performances, the tour features an educational outreach component, continuing Mr. Ailey's mission of bringing dance to the people. Ailey dancer and rehearsal director Matthew Rushing - one of the most revered modern dancers of our time - will lead master classes at the Georges Bizet Dance & Music School from Monday, June 26 - Friday, June 30, presented by the U.S. Embassy. The Ailey School Co-Director Tracy Inman will lead workshops at Les Étés de la Danse from Monday, July 10 - Friday, July 14, and will hold auditions on Saturday, July 15 for The Ailey School.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater uses the African-American cultural experience and the American modern dance tradition in a universal celebration of the human spirit. Having performed in 71 countries on six continents for an estimated 25 million people worldwide, Ailey's moving performances are renowned for bringing audiences around the globe to their feet with an incomparable sense of joy, freedom, and spirit.
Detailed 2017 international tour programming information and schedule is below (subject to change). For further details on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Ailey organization's performances, training programs, and educational activities, visit www.alvinailey.org
Bank of America is the International Tour Sponsor of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
(Programs are subject to change)
Paris, France La Seine Musicale 01 74 34 54 00 www.laseinemusicale.com/fr/
Tue 7/4 @ 8:30pm CELEBRATION - Act I / Act II / Revelations
Wed 7/5 @ 8:30pm The Winter in Lisbon / Piazzolla Caldera / Ella, Revelations
Thu 7/6 @ 8:30pm r-Evolution, Dream. / Open Door, In/Side / The Winter in Lisbon
Fri 7/7 @ 8:30pm Exodus / No Longer Silent / Revelations
Sat 7/8 @ 3:00pm r-Evolution, Dream. / Open Door, In/Side / The Winter in Lisbon
Sat 7/8 @ 8:30pm Four Corners, After the Rain / In/Side, Ella, The Hunt / Exodus
Mon 7/10 @ 8:30pm Night Creature, Cry / Blues Suite / Revelations
Tue 7/11 @ 8:30pm Exodus / No Longer Silent / Revelations
Wed 7/12 @ 8:30pm r-Evolution, Dream. / Open Door, In/Side / The Winter in Lisbon
Thu 7/13 @ 8:30pm The Winter in Lisbon / Piazzolla Caldera / Ella, Revelations
Fri 7/14 @ 8:30pm r-Evolution, Dream. / Open Door, In/Side / The Winter in Lisbon
Sat 7/15 @ 3:00pm Four Corners, After the Rain / In/Side, Ella, The Hunt / Exodus
Sat 7/15 @ 8:30pm Exodus / No Longer Silent / Revelations
Mon 7/17 @ 8:30pm Four Corners, After the Rain / In/Side, Ella, The Hunt / Exodus
Tue 7/18 @ 8:30pm The Winter in Lisbon / Piazzolla Caldera / Ella, Revelations
Wed 7/19 @ 8:30pm Night Creature, Cry / Blues Suite / Revelations
Thu 7/20 @ 8:30pm Exodus / No Longer Silent / Revelations
Fri 7/21 @ 8:30pm Four Corners, After the Rain / In/Side, Ella, The Hunt / Exodus
Sat 7/22 @ 3:00pm Night Creature, Cry / Blues Suite / Revelations
Sat 7/22 @ 8:30pm The Winter in Lisbon / Piazzolla Caldera / Ella, Revelations
Basel, Switzerland Musical Theater 41 44 265 56 56 www.musical.ch/en/musicaltheaterbasel
Tue 7/25 @ 7:30pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Wed 7/26 @ 7:30pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Thu 7/27 @ 7:30pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Fri 7/28 @ 7:30pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 7/29 @ 2:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 7/29 @ 7:30pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sun 7/30 @ 5:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Mannheim, Germany National Theatre Mannheim 0621 1680 150 www.nationaltheater-mannheim.de
Tue 8/1 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Wed 8/2 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Thu 8/3 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Fri 8/4 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 8/5 @ 2:30pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 8/5 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sun 8/6 @ 5:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Köln, Germany Kölner Philharmonie 0221 280 280 www.koelner-philharmonie.de
Tue 8/8 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Wed 8/9 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Thu 8/10 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Fri 8/11 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 8/12 @ 2:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 8/12 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Sun 8/13 @ 2:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Sun 8/13 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Hamburg, Germany Staatsoper Hamburg 49 (0) 40 356 868 www.staatsoper-hamburg.de
Tue 8/15 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Wed 8/16 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Thu 8/17 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Fri 8/18 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 8/19 @ 2:30pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 8/19 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sun 8/20 @ 3:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
München, Germany Deutsches Theater 089/55 234 - 444 www.deutsches-theater.de
Tue 8/22 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Wed 8/23 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Thu 8/24 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Fri 8/25 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 8/26 @ 2:30pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 8/26 @ 8:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Sun 8/27 @ 11:30am Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Sun 8/27 @ 5:00pm Four Corners / Exodus / Takademe, Revelations
Frankfurt, Germany Alte Oper Frankfurt 49 69 1340 400 www.alteoper.de
Tue 8/29 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Wed 8/30 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Thu 8/31 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Fri 9/1 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 9/2 @ 2:30pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Sat 9/2 @ 8:00pm Open Door / Piazzolla Caldera / Takademe, Revelations
Copenhagen, Denmark The Tivoli Concert Hall 45 33151001 www.tivoligardens.com
Wed 9/6 @ 7:30pm The Winter in Lisbon / r-Evolution, Dream. / Ella, Revelations
Thu 9/7@ 7:30pm Four Corners, After the Rain / No Longer Silent / Revelations
Fri 9/8@ 7:30pm The Winter in Lisbon / r-Evolution, Dream. / Ella, Revelations
Sat 9/9@ 12:30pm Four Corners, After the Rain / No Longer Silent / Revelations
Sat 9/9@ 5:30pm The Winter in Lisbon / r-Evolution, Dream. / Ella, Revelations
Sun 9/10@ 2:30pm The Winter in Lisbon / r-Evolution, Dream. / Ella, Revelations
Sun 9/10@ 7:30pm Four Corners, After the Rain / No Longer Silent / Revelations
2017 International Tour Program: Ailey's European Engagement Led By Artistic Director Robert Battle
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the Paris, Basel, several German cities, and Copenhagen to perform 15 ballets from July 4 - September 10. The Paris engagement (July 4 - 22) kicks off the tour, and marks the debut dance performance at La Seine Musicale, which opened in April 2017. The eight-city tour, led by Artistic Director Robert Battle, includes the Company's first-ever performance in Mannheim (August 1 - 6) at the National Theater, and culminates and The Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen (September 6 - 10). Bank of America is the lead sponsor of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's 2017 international tour. Ailey's acclaimed dancers will perform a diverse repertory featuring the international premieres of Artistic Director Robert Battle's Ella and No Longer Silent, and Ailey Dancer Hope Boykin's r-Evolution, Dream. The tour will also feature a variety of new productions and repertory favorites, including Alvin Ailey's American masterpiece, Revelations.
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERES:
Ella (2008 / 2016 Company Premiere)
Choreography by Robert Battle Music: Ella Fitzgerald
Originally created as a solo, this high-energy comical dance was reinvented as a duet by the Ailey company for its December 2016 Opening Night Gala benefit, "An Evening of Ailey and Jazz" - in anticipation of the legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald's centennial in April 2017. Using a live concert recording of Fitzgerald performing the song "Airmail Special," Ella matches the iconic singer's virtuosic scatting with lightning-fast, articulated movement in an irresistible tour-de-force that leaves audiences (and the dancers) breathless.
No Longer Silent (2007 / Company Premiere 2015)
Choreography: Robert Battle
Music: Erwin Schulhoff
No Longer Silent is a large ensemble work featuring the imaginative interplay of four groups of dancers evoking a complex and mysterious ritual to Erwin Schulhoff's percussive score "Ogelala." Originally created in 2007 for The Juilliard School, Robert Battle's alma mater, it was part of a concert of choreography that brought to life long-forgotten scores by composers whose work the Nazis had banned. Powerful phrases stir the imagination with images of flight and fatigue, chaos and unity, and collectivity and individualism as dancers travel in military rows. Created between 1922-1924, the music tells the story of a pre-Columbian Mexican warrior and its ever-shifting mechanical cadence is the backdrop against which the dancers, dressed in all black, dramatically build to the work's piercing conclusion. Lamentably, the composer was denied employment after the Germans occupied Czechoslovakia and, after being prevented from emigrating, died of tuberculosis in the Wülzburg concentration camp in 1942.
r-Evolution, Dream. (2016 World Premiere)
Choreography by Hope Boykin Music: Ali Jackson
Veteran Company member Hope Boykin was inspired by the sermons and speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to create r-Evolution, Dream. after immersing herself in this historical material after a visit to the Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, during Ailey's U.S. tour. Convinced of the timely relevance of the messages, she staged the large ensemble work that melds creative storytelling, new music composed by Ali Jackson (Jazz at Lincoln Center), and historic and original writings narrated by Tony Award winner Leslie Odom, Jr. (Hamilton).
RETURNING FAVORITES
Exodus (World Premiere 2015 - 2017 German Premiere)
Choreography by Rennie Harris
Music: Original compositions by Raphael Xavier, "A New Deal" by Ost & Kjex
Acclaimed hip-hop choreographer Rennie (Lorenzo) Harris created a work that explores the idea of "exodus" - from one's ignorance and conformity - as a necessary step toward enlightenment. Set to gospel and house music along with spoken word, the work underscores the crucial role of action and movement in effecting change. Exemplifying his view of hip hop as a "celebration of life", Exodus marks Harris' latest invitation to return to spiritual basics and affirm who we are. His previous contributions to the Ailey repertory include Home (2011) and Love Stories (2004), Judith Jamison's dynamic collaboration with Harris and Robert Battle.
Open Door (2015 / 2017 German Premiere)
Choreography by Ronald K. Brown
Music: Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Celebrated choreographer Ronald K. Brown's Cuban-inspired Open Door is a work for 10 dancers set to the music of Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, including their recent Grammy-Award winning album Cuba: The Conversation Continues. Brown's travels to Cuba inspired much of the movement, from the salsa partnering to the references to Elegba - the Santería god who opens pathways. A testament to the power of dance and music as vehicles for culture and compassion, Open Door marked Brown's sixth work for the Company.
Piazzolla Caldera (1997 / Company Premiere 2015 / 2017 Swiss Premiere)
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Music: Astor Piazzolla and Jerzy Peterburshsky
Set to music by Astor Piazzolla and Jerzy Peterburshsky, Piazzolla Caldera is a finely wrought work sizzling with erotic energy by modern dance master Paul Taylor that captures the essence of tango culture. Men and women engage in a series of fiery encounters, in turns playful and predatory, in vivid duets and trios through the work's four sections, in this passionate homage to tango's Argentinian working class roots.
After the Rain Pas de Deux (2005 / Ailey Company Premiere 2014)
Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon
Music: Arvo Pärt
An instant hit at New York City Ballet in 2005, Christopher Wheeldon's dreamlike duet - praised for its sublime simplicity and intricate partnering - is revealed in a fresh light as the Ailey dancers make it their own. Set to music by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, the sensual male?female pas de deux has resonated deeply with audiences and marked the first work by Christopher Wheeldon to enter the Ailey repertory.
Four Corners (2013)
Choreography by Ronald K. Brown
Music: Carl Hancock Rux, Yacoub & Various Artists
Four Corners brings to life the vision of four angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds. Drawing inspiration from the lyrics of Rux's Lamentations, Four Corners trails 11 dancers as they rise to seek a life of peace on the "mountaintop"; a powerful and hope-filled journey of tribulation, devotion and triumph.
In/Side (2008)
Choreography by Robert Battle
Music by Nina Simone
The vivid emotions of Nina Simone's "Wild is the Wind" play out in Robert Battle's gripping solo. The bold, unrestrained style that has become his signature is evinced in this visceral cry of pure physicality. The piece, originally commissioned by Dance New Amsterdam, was created as part of its annual series "In the Company of Men," a celebration of the spirit of male dancers in New York [in light of the AIDS epidemic].
The Winter in Lisbon (1992)
Choreography by Billy Wilson
Music: Dizzy Gillespie
The Winter in Lisbon is a sizzling, sensuous ballet celebrating four decades of Dizzy Gillespie's brilliant music. Choreographed by Billy Wilson, the work pays tribute to Mr. Gillespie, the consummate jazz musician, creating an atmosphere in which the dancers challenge, tease and romance against a backdrop of rhythm and color. Wilson's exuberant, playful ballet was conceived in celebration of Gillespie's birthday after Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison was approached by the musician's management to create a dance for his music. Confident in Wilson's ability to blend his ballet and modern dance training with Gillespie's boisterous music, Jamison commissioned him to bring the project to life. "It's a celebration of life," explains Ailey's Associate Artistic Director Masazumi Chaya, who restaged the work. "It's fun, it's full of energy, it's about life going on."
AILEY CLASSICS:
Cry (1971 / New Production 2015)
Choreography by Alvin Ailey
Music: Alice Coltrane, Laura Nyro, Voices of East Harlem
In 1971, Alvin Ailey choreographed the ballet Cry, as a birthday present for his mother Mrs. Lula Cooper, and created the dance on his stunning muse, Judith Jamison. It was an instant sensation and went on to become an enduring work of American art. This physically and emotionally demanding 16-minute solo is dedicated to "all black women everywhere - especially our mothers." The solo is made up of three parts -the first set to Alice Coltrane's Something about John Coltrane, the second to Laura Nyro's Been on a Train and the last has the Voices of East Harlem singing Right On, Be Free. Ms. Jamison, who has since taught the treasured role to subsequent generations of Ailey women, wrote of the work in her autobiography Dancing Spirit: "In my interpretation, she represented those women before her who came from the hardships of slavery, through the pain of losing loved ones, through overcoming extraordinary depressions and tribulations. Coming out of a world of pain and trouble, she has found her way-and triumphed."
Night Creature (1974)
Choreographer by Alvin Ailey
Music: Duke Ellington
Combining modern dance, classical ballet and jazz, Night Creature is a perfect fusion of Alvin Ailey's buoyant choreography and Duke Ellington's sparkling music. Duke Ellington first composed the phenomenal Suite For Orchestra in 1955, later adding the second and third movements in 1963. He said that "night creatures, unlike stars, do not come OUT at night - they come ON, each thinking that, before the night is out, he or she will be the star." This large ensemble work is full of such stars - strutting, leaping and slinking jazz babies and night owls. Night Creature is the definitive Ailey homage to the exuberance of The Duke's jazz, and remains one of Mr. Ailey's most popular works.
Revelations (1960)
Choreography by Alvin Ailey Music: Traditional Spirituals
More than just a popular dance work, Revelations has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans. An American classic acclaimed as a must-see for all, Alvin Ailey's signature masterpiece is a tribute to his heritage and genius. Using African-American spirituals, the work fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul. Seeing Revelations for the first time or the hundredth can be a transcendent experience, with audiences cheering, singing along and dancing in their seats from the opening notes of the plaintive I Been 'Buked to the rousing Wade in the Water and the triumphant finale, Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American "Cultural Ambassador to the World," grew from a now-fabled March 1958 performance in New York that changed forever the perception of American dance. Founded by Alvin Ailey, recent posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom - the nation's highest civilian honour, and guided by Judith Jamison beginning in 1989, the Company is now led by Robert Battle, whom Judith Jamison chose to succeed her on July 1, 2011. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on 6 continents, promoting the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. In addition to being the Principal Dance Company of New York City Center, where its performances have become a year-end tradition, the Ailey company performs annually at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in Miami, The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA and at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark where it is the Principal Resident Affiliate), and appears frequently in other major theatres throughout the United States and the world during extensive yearly tours. The Ailey organization also includes Ailey II (1974), a second performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School (1969), one of the most extensive dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts in Education & Community Programs, which brings dance into the classrooms, communities and lives of people of all ages; and The Ailey Extension (2005), a program offering dance and fitness classes to the general public, which began with the opening of Ailey's permanent home-the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City, the dance capital of the world -named The Joan Weill Center for Dance, at 55th Street at 9th Avenue in New York City. For more information, visit www.alvinailey.org.
Pictured: AAADT in Billy Wilson's The Winter in Lisbon. Photo by Teresa Wood taken at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
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