American Dance Machine to Present Works by Susan Stroman, Michael Bennett & More, 11/11

American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (ADM21) will present a benefit evening of classic musical theater dance numbers from A Chorus Line, Contact, Jerome Robbins' Broadway, 42nd Street and Promises! Promises on Monday, November 11 at New York City Center, Studio Five at 7:00 p.m. Each piece has been coached by artists intimately involved in their original productions. The evening will be directed by Artistic Director Margo Sappington and feature live music with musical direction by Eugene Gwozdz. ADM21 is a new non-profit Dance Company founded by Executive Director Nikki Feirt Atkins, dedicated to creating a living and vibrant archive of classic and current notable musical theater choreography.

The November 11 presentation will feature:

"Music and the Mirror" from A Chorus Line, choreography by Michael Bennett
Coached by Donna McKechnie
Featuring Jessica Lee Goldyn

"Turkey Lurkey" from Promises, Promises, choreography by Michael Bennett
Staged by Baayork Lee, Donna McKechnie and Margo Sappington
Featuring Rosie Lani Fiedelman, Jessica Lee Goldyn and Mara Davi

"Mr. Monotony" from Jerome Robbins' Broadway, choreography by Jerome Robbins
Staged by Robert La Fosse
Featuring Amra-Faye Wright and featuring guest artists courtesy of New York City Ballet
Georgina Pazcoguin, Amar Ramasar, Daniel Ulbricht

"Simply Irresistible" from Contact, choreography by Susan Stroman
Staged by Tome' Cousin, assisted by LeeAnna Smith
Featuring Naomi Kakuk with

Matt Baker, David Bushman, Tera Lee Brown, Sean Ewing, Heidi Friese, Steve Geary, Peter Gregus, Stephen Hanna, Kelly McHale, Fletcher McTaggart, Jeremy McQueen, Ariel Shepley, Matthew Steffens, Sarrah Strimel, and Kirsten Tucker.

A featured tap performance from 42nd Street, choreography by Randy Skinner, featuring Mara Davi

American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (ADM21) has been established to form a company and training facility led by distinguished professional dance artists to insure that significant musical theater choreography and the techniques that propelled such works are preserved, studied and shared with the present generation of dance artists. ADM21 is committed to presenting significant stage and film musical dance works with the integrity to which they were created.

Nikki Feirt Atkins, Founder and Executive Director of ADM21 and Artistic Director, Margo Sappington, are continuing the legacy of the late Lee Theodore, who established The American Dance Machine in 1976. Theodore created a "Living Archive" of Musical Theater Dance to address her belief that "many great choreographic works are lost with the musical they once embellished." Of concern was that the artistry of each dance would vanish with the artists who created them. That was the impetus that drove The American Dance Machine from its pilot program in 1976 to its final days following the death of Lee Theodore in the late 1980's.

"My goal is to continue Lee Theodore's legacy by establishing American Dance Machine for the 21St Century as New York City's leading center for musical theater dance," said Atkins. "I believe that when a show closes and the script, songs and designs are preserved for posterity, so too should its dances."

"The Broadway dance community is very excited and supportive of our current plans to revive The American Dance Machine," says Ms. Atkins. "The current enthusiasm for musical theater and dance, as a result of television programs such as "Glee," "Smash," "So You Think You Can Dance?" and "Dancing with the Stars," indicates a growing interest in this genre and ADM21 will be ready to share significant musical theater choreography and the techniques that propelled such works with this present generation of dancers, choreographers and theater dance enthusiasts.

The November 11 presentation will take place at New York City Center, Studio Five, 130 W. 56th Street (between 6 and 7 Aves). Tickets are $150 and are available at this link: http://americandancemachine21-rss.eventbrite.com/

For further information, visit www.americandancemachine21.org

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