Baryshnikov Arts Center Presents Dorothée Munyaneza in New York Premiere of UNWANTED

Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) is pleased to present Rwanda-born, France-based choreographer Dorothée Munyaneza in the New York premiere of her new work, Unwanted. Performances areThursday, September 21, and Friday, September 22, at 7:30pm, at BAC's Jerome Robbins Theater, 450 West 37th Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues), in Manhattan.

Dorothée Munyaneza is an artist whose work examines the scars of history. She made her New York debut in 2016 at The Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival with Samedi Détente, which powerfully evoked her childhood memories before fleeing the genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda at age 12. With Unwanted, she continues her examination of the generational wound of genocide and specifically, the physical and mental repercussions of rape used as an instrument of war. As part of her research to develop the work and in a commemorative journey, Munyaneza traveled to Rwanda to conduct interviews with women survivors and their children. Munyaneza writes, "I want to share their testimonies, I want to sing their sorrows and hopes, I want to dance their lives, their scars, their marks, for they leave some behind. We cannot remain indifferent." Through a potent mix of movement, song, and text, Unwanted gives voice to their stories and investigates how the female body holds, moves, and operates within the confines of a lived trauma.

Unwanted is performed by Munyaneza and Portland, OR-based experimental musician Holland Andrews (aka Like a Villain), who uses looping pedals to create unique multiple vocals ranging from deeply guttural to lyrical, and is created in collaboration with French electronic composer Alain Mahé and South African visual artistBruce Clarke. The work includes scenography by Vincent Gadras, lighting design by Christian Dubet, and costume design by Stéphanie Coudert. Artistic advisor is Faustin Linyekula.

Unwanted marks Munyaneza's second choreographic work. It was developed, in part, during a BAC Artist Residency and premiered at Festival d'Avignon in July 2017.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online or by phone at bacnyc.org / 866-811-4111. Running time: 75 minutes.

Dorothée Munyaneza is supported by FACE Contemporary Theater, a program developed by FACE Foundation and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States with lead funding from Florence Gould Foundation, Institut français, and the French Ministry of Culture and Communication.

Lead support of dance programming at BAC is provided by the Rudolf Nureyev Endowment. Major support for dance programming and activities provided by the Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Harkness Foundation for Dance.

About the Artists

Dorothée Munyaneza is a choreographer, dancer, actor, and singer. Originally from Rwanda, she is of British nationality and currently lives in Marseille, France. After completing her musical studies at the Jonas Foundation in London and studying social sciences at Canterbury Christ Church University, Munyaneza took part in Afro Celt Sound System's Anatomic album, and composed and sang part of the original soundtrack of the film Hotel Rwanda. In 2010, Munyaneza released her first solo album, produced by Martin Russell. Munyaneza then collaborated with English composer James Brett releasing the album Earth Songs in 2012. Upon meeting choreographer François Verret in 2006, Munyaneza entered the contemporary dance scene and performed in four of his productions. Since then, Munyaneza has worked with such artists and choreographers as Nan Goldin, Mark Tompkins, Robyn Orlin, Alain Buffard, Rachid Ouramdane, and Maud Le Pladec. In 2013, Munyaneza founded Compagnie Kadidi and created Samedi Détente, which premiered in November 2014 at the Théâtre de Nîmes. Unwanted is her second piece as a choreographer.

In early 2010, Holland Andrews began a solo project under the alias Like a Villain. She pulls her influences from such notable minimalist composers as Arvo Pärt, contemporary vocalists like Diamanda Galás, modern experimental musicians like Björk, and she is also heavily influenced by Broadway and opera music. By creating a tapestry of live loops using her voice, clarinet, and glockenspiel, she aims to emphasize the roots of organic sounds, creating an emotional realm of sonic healing and magic.

Bruce Clarke is a visual artist and photographer based in France. He attended the fine arts school at Leeds University. Deeply anchored in a school of critical figuration, his artistic research integrates codes, using them to criticize and demystify structures of power and injustice. With the writing and transmission of this history he hopes to stimulate thought on the contemporary world and its representations. Upon his arrival in Paris, he became deeply involved in the mobilization of French public opinion against the South African apartheid regime, becoming an important figure in that movement in France. In 2000, he started working on the creation of a memorial site in Rwanda near Kigali called the Garden of Memory, an ongoing monumental installation project made in close collaboration with survivors' families, civil society associations, and Rwandan institutions, as well as UNESCO. He later worked on Upright Men (www.uprightmen.org), a large-scale mural project for the twentieth commemoration of the genocide in Rwanda. It has been shown in Rwanda and elsewhere in the world (Ouidah, Geneva, Lausanne, Brussels, Paris, and Montreal). As a photographer he has also published reportages on South Africa, the reconstruction of Rwanda, the return of Liberian refugees, and Palestine. Clarke is represented by ARTCO gallery in Germany. His work has been exhibited in Europe, Africa, and the United States.

Alain Mahé develops electroacoustic and electronic music. He founded the music group Bohème de chic in 1983 and since then has played and composed with Jean-François Pauvros, Carlos Zingaro, Carol Robinson, Kamal Hamadache, Thierry Madiot, Pascal Battus, Emmanuelle Tat, Patrick Molard, Keyvane Chemirani, Dorothée Munyaneza, Hélène Breshant, and Bao Luo. Mahé has also composed music and sound for live performances. He has worked with stage director François Tanguy, choreographers Carlotta Ikeda, Ko Murobushi, and François Verret,?the painter Miquel Barcelò, and with Josef Nadj on Paso Doble, and Nan Goldin on Soeurs, Saintes & Sybilles and Scopophilia. He has collaborated with Pierre Meunier since 1999. Mahé plays an important role in bringing projects of the collective Ultimo Round to fruition, and composes and plays with plastic artist Michel Caron and designer Vincent Fortemps.

About Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC)

BAC is the realization of a long-held vision by artistic director Mikhail Baryshnikov to build an arts center in Manhattan that would serve as a gathering place for artists from all disciplines. BAC's opening in 2005 heralded the launch of this mission, establishing a thriving creative laboratory and performance space for artists from around the world. BAC's activities encompass a robust residency program augmented by a range of professional services, including commissions of new work, as well as the presentation of performances by artists at varying stages of their careers. In tandem with its commitment to supporting artists, BAC is dedicated to building audiences for the arts by presenting contemporary, innovative work at affordable ticket prices. For more information, please visit www.bacnyc.org.

Baryshnikov Arts Center is grateful for the support of its generous individual and institutional annual fund donors in 2016-­­2017.

Jennifer Adams, Anonymous (7), Pierre Apraxine, Darcy Bacon, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Lisa Rinehart, Dr. Phillip Bauman, Carol Baxter and Loren Plotkin, Talia Bilodeau, Leon and Debra Black, Tina and Jeffrey Bolton Family Fund, Catherine Brennan, Clyde Brownstone, Valentino D. Carlotti, Lydia and Mats G. Carlston Charitable Fund, Carroll Cartwright, Meredith Caruso, Fadi, Terri, and Claudine Chartouni, Mirjana Ciric and Dino Buturovic, Lori Cohen and Christopher Rothko, Brian Coleman and Olga Smagarinskaya, Frank and Monique Cordasco, Nancy Dalva, Edoard Dejoux, Michael and Denise Deleray, Richard and Jennie DeScherer, Michael Devins, Joseph and Diana DiMenna, Katie Dixon and Richard Fleming, Elizabeth Doud, Debbie and Harry Druker, James H. Duffy, Cheryl Lee and Steven C. Dupré, Jennifer and Russell Echlov, Gwen Edelman, Ehrenkranz Family Foundation, Brittawnee Enos, Daniel Ezralow, Barbara File, Michele Lee Fine, Barbara Fleischman, Richard and Nicole Fortson, Sandra Foschi, Natasha Frank, Alex and Jenia Fridlyand, Randy Gaugert, Edward Geffner and Suzanne Spinrad, Philip Giambanco, Paola Gianturco, Jon Gilman & Brad Learmonth, Brianna Gitnik, Slavka B. Glaser, Rebecca Gradinger, Peter Greenleaf, Louise Guenther, Agnes Gund, Dr. Ayele Hadero, Annie and John Hall, Elaine M. Halpin, Charles Hamlen, The Hare Family, Nicole and Paul Harman, Elisabeth Hayes, Brian and Tania Higgins, Roger and Joan Hooker, In Honor of Roger Hooker, Sarah Hooker, Huong Hoang, FredEricka Hunter, Mary Anne Hunting and Thomas Remien, Susan Israel, Laith and Adele Jazrawi, Bobbo Jetmundsen, Carine Joannou, Stephanie Joel, Annie Jordan, Zuzana Justman, Julia and Michael Katz, Carolyn Katz and Michael Goldstein, Colleen Keegan, Drs. Nadine and Leo Keegan, Donald M. Kendall, Paul and Teresa Kim, Joan Konner and Alvin Perlmutter, Sonja Kostich, Herman Krawitz, Sali Ann Kriegsman, Iya Labunka, Mark Ladner and Julie Ross, Nicole Leibman, Tania J. Leon, The LeRoy Family, Charlie and Lorie Levy, Harvey Lichtman and Lauren Best, Jarrett and Maritess Lilien, Julie Lilien, Topper Lilien, Jane Lipton, Lew Lloyd, Nicholas Lloyd and Megan Craig, Marianne Lockwood and David Bury, Nick and Cass Ludington, David M. and N. Heller McAlpin, Paul and Caroline McCaffery, Sarah and Alec Machiels, Elizabeth Manigault, Cheryl Yeager Marshall, Patrick A. Meere, MD and Ingrid E. Weigel, MD, Jane & Richard Mescon, Adam Miller, Valerie and Stuart Mogul, In Honor of Natalie Moody, Aidan Mooney, Mark Morris, Cheri Mowry, Marion Nestle, Elizabeth Osha, Hubert and Joanna Parzecki, Ray Pepi and Karen Arrigoni, Steven and Michèle Pesner, Steve and Randi Piaker, Georgiana Pickett, Darryl Pinckney, Lily Potter, Tamar Quillen, Aidan and Elizabeth Quinn, Judith Regan, Laila Robins, James Roe, John S. Rockwell, Leslie Ruff, David Saltonstall,Hillary Schafer and Mark Shafir, Dorothy Scheuer, Natasha Schlesinger, Laura Schoen, Fiorenza Scholey, Sherry Schwartz, Tatiana Segal, Joel Shapiro and Ellen Phelan, Wallace Shawn, Jeremy Smith, Ellen Sorrin and David York, Christina Sterner and Steve Poses, Keith Stubblefield, Lev Sviridov, Rosalie Swedlin, Teresa Thrun, Jennifer Tipton, Rosanna and John Troiano, Igor Tsukanov, Robert Warshaw and Debbie Schmidt, Robert Thorpe and Laurie David, Mary R. Waters, Suzanne Weil, Roger Weisberg and Karen Freedman, Carolyn F. Wiener, World Wide-Holdings Fund in The New York Community Trust, In Honor of Victor Elmaleh, Yelena Yoffe and Serge Troyanovsky, and Tony Zisa.

Affirmation Arts Fund, American Chai Trust, Anonymous (2), Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust, Blavatnik Family Foundation, Capezio-Ballet Makers Dance Foundation, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, The Enoch Foundation, FACE Foundation, Ferriday Fund Charitable Trust, Anne and Chris Flowers Foundation, Ford Foundation, Marshall Frankel Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Harkness Foundation for Dance, Irving Harris Foundation, Francena T. Harrison Foundation Trust, The Jim Henson Foundation, Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Kaye Foundation, Kent-Lucas Foundation, Kiwi Partners, The Luce Della Vite Estate in Montalcino, Italy, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Rudolf Nureyev Dance Foundation, The Mark E. Pollack Foundation,The Muriel Pollia Foundation, Princess Grace Foundation-USA, rag & bone, The Reed Foundation, Renova USA, The Jerome Robbins Foundation, Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation, Soros Fund Charitable Foundation, St. John, The Thompson Family Foundation, Trust for Mutual Understanding, UNIX Gallery, and the Walter Family Foundation.

Lead support of dance programming at Baryshnikov Arts Center is provided by the Rudolf Nureyev Endowment.

Baryshnikov Arts Center is also grateful for support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Funding is also made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Yamaha is the official piano of the Baryshnikov Arts Center.

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