Carolyn Dorfman Dance to Bring Bold, Dramatic Works to Morris Museum

Carolyn Dorfman Dance, whose bold and dramatic works connect life and movement, will present an afternoon of repertory at the Bickford Theatre in the Morris Museum on November 6, 2016.

The company's broad scale program showcases the athleticism and grace of the dancers and reflects a spirit and passion for life. Carolyn Dorfman Dance will present their signature work Echad (One), Doug Elkins' Narcoleptic Lovers, and Dorfman's newest work Traces, featuring shifting sets and bold video images.

"The repertory for this performance represents a range of work that spans across time periods, personal experiences and global issues. It invites both my dancers and the audience to explore different worlds, themes and stories through movement, connection, and music," expresses Artistic Director Carolyn Dorfman.

Traces, Dorfman's 2016 premiere for 10 dancers, weaves global images and stories of individual and collective lives and events-sorrow and joy, failure and triumph-and explores interconnectedness across time, distance and circumstance. Accompanied by erupting projections by videographers Kate Freer and David Tennent, Traces serves audiences a cautionary tale of a divided reality.

Echad represents imprisonment and embrace, visually displayed with a 120lb, 8ft diameter aluminum wheel, a metaphorical symbol for the circle of life. Masterfully loosing and restoring balance, Echad represents the regular loss and gain of equilibrium within society and within the pages of a life's storybook.

Lastly, the program will be completed by excerpts of an audience favorite, Narcoleptic Lovers, created by guest choreographer Doug Elkins. Known for his electric and comedic undertones, this work draws on the varied dance disciplines of modern, hip-hop, ballet and martial arts, employing his signature eclectic movement vocabulary for both dancers and audiences.

Tickets are $35, with a $30 ticket for seniors and museum members, $15 for students (18 & under or a valid college ID). Tickets may be purchased online at morrismuseum.org, by phone at (973) 971-3706, or in person at the Bickford Theatre Box Office.

The Bickford Theatre is an integral part of the Morris Museum, located at 6 Normandy Heights Road in Morristown, NJ, and offers free parking and full accessibility. Box Office hours for phone sales are Monday through Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Walk-up hours are Tuesday through Friday, 11:00am to 5:00pm.

Season Repertory Details:

Traces (2016)
Choreography: Carolyn Dorfman
Composer: Svjetlana Bukvich
Lighting: Marika Kent
Video/Projection Design: Kate Freer (IMA)
Costumes: Anna-Alisa Belous
Set Design: Ben Hobbs

Traces explores the forces that create and change us across time, distance and circumstance, and features an electro-acoustic score encompassing a vast range of musical vocabulary. Images, music, and text interweave with choreography to transport audiences through time, location and purpose. The work is driven by a strong sense of immediacy and connection.

Narcoleptic Lovers (2012)
Choreography: Doug Elkins, restaged by Fritha Pengelly
Music: Gavin Bryars, Mio Morales, Mozart, Urban Species, and Sinead O'Connor
Costumes: Anna-Alisa Belous

Narcoleptic Lovers is guest choreographer Doug Elkins' electric and oft hilarious, full company work. Using his signature eclectic movement vocabulary, the work draws on modern, hip-hop, ballet and martial arts with an equally broad range of music-Mozart, hip-hop by Urban Species and spoken word and music by Sinead O'Connor and Lenny Bruce.

Echad (One) (2002)
Choreography: Carolyn Dorfman
Music composition/arrangement/adaptation: Greg Wall
Original Lighting and Set Design by John Evans
Costumes: Russell Aubrey
Length: 32 Minutes

Dorfman's popular work featuring an iconic 120 lb., 8-foot diameter, aluminum wheel. Echad, the Hebrew word for "one" refers to the power of one community; the uniqueness or oneness of each individual and the delicate balance between the two, that is the essence of our humanity.

Carolyn Dorfman Dance connects life and dance in bold, athletic and dramatic works by Carolyn Dorfman and nationally renowned choreographers. The company's eleven multi-ethnic and stunning dancers present high-energy and technically demanding dance that unleashes the powerful storytelling and imagery of its visionary creator. This distinctive combination takes audiences on intellectual and emotional journeys that ultimately illuminate and celebrate the human experience. The highly acclaimed ensemble is known for emotional resonance and artistic excellence in both performance and its interactions with audiences, students and community. For over 30 years, Carolyn Dorfman Dance has appeared at major theaters, dance festivals, universities, schools, museums and galleries regionally, nationally and internationally.

The Bickford Theatre is a professional theater that produces and presents year-round entertainment, including a Main Stage Series, two Children's Theatre series, a Jazz Showcase, and other concerts. The theatre is a Senior Member of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, a not-for-profit organization of 30 professional theaters throughout the state, and works in conjunction with Actors' Equity Association (AEA) and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC). From its beginnings in 1994 to the present, tens of thousands of theater-goers from across the tri-state area have enjoyed the Bickford Theatre's many entertaining and diversified offerings in theatre, music and dance.

Founded in 1913, the Morris Museum is an award-winning, community-based arts and cultural institution which serves the public through high caliber exhibitions in the arts, sciences and humanities. The Museum also offers educational programs, family events, and is home to the Bickford Theatre and its wide range of performing arts offerings. Continuously serving the public since 1913, the Morris Museum has been designated a Major Arts Institution and has received the New Jersey State Council on the Arts' Citation of Excellence, among other awards. The first museum in New Jersey to be accredited, the Morris Museum was re-accredited in 2013 by the American Alliance of Museums.

The Morris Museum is a Blue Star Museum, offering free admission to active duty military personnel and their families, from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

The Museum is located at 6 Normandy Heights Road (at the corner of Columbia Turnpike) in Morristown, NJ, and is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday, 12:00 to 5:00pm. In addition, the Museum is open evenings from 5:00 to 8:00pm on the second and third Thursday of the month. Admission to the Museum is $10 for adults and $7 for children, students and senior citizens. Admission is always free for Museum members. For more information, call (973) 971-3700, or visit www.morrismuseum.org.

Photo Credit: Christopher Duggan

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