Neville Dance Theatre to Present EXPOSED in Brooklyn This Fall

Neville Dance Theatre, a NY-based theatrical Dance Company with contemporary innovation, presents the works of Brenda Neville and guest choreographers Billy Blanken and Ursula Verduzco. The program, titled EXPOSED, will feature four world premieres-ensemble works Exposed and Blessed by Neville, Epidermis a duet by Verduzco, and Brahm's Double Concerto a quintet by Blanken. EXPOSED will have two performances on November 5 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at The Actors Fund Arts Center in Brooklyn.

Set to the music of Todd Reynolds, Hauschka & Hildur Gudnadottir and Matmos, Exposed, after which the program is named, is a social commentary on internet stalking and increasing public surveillance. Danced in three movements-contemporary, classical, and postmodern-the piece uses hand-held lighting to create a snapshot of the blurred boundaries between personal and public, and the unfortunate diminishment of individual privacy. In contrast, Blessed, inspired by Karl Jenkins' 'Benedictus' arranged and performed by 2Cellos, depicts the journey into the afterlife. Choreographed in couples, Neville's choreographic focus lies in the representation of each cello's musical phrasings.

"With a legacy of ten years of innovative and theatrical repertory, this season has a cohesive thread that transcends movement and channels the human spirit," explains Neville, founder and Artistic Director of Neville Dance Theatre. "This collection of dancers help to bring to life these important concepts presented by this seasons dance makers, and challenges audiences to consider the impact of the work in their own lives and the ways they see the world."

Epidermis, a duet for two females, by Ursula Verduzco, continues the social conversation in an exploration of our need to portray a fake version of ourselves, perfectly well-groomed and re-touched at all times. In an exchange of decomposed classical ballet lines, spirals, waves and joint articulations, Epidermis is a plea for audiences to consider their own revelations and the beauty that lies in the ugly, irreverent maskEd Mannerisms that are at times, our own truths that we hide from those around us.

The program is rounded out by a quintet, performed on pointe, choreographed by Billy Blanken. Brahm's Double Concerto is a neo-classical work set to a notable intricate score that highlights and challenges the dancers athleticism. While the history behind the score was a gesture of reconciliation from Brahms to a Joachim, a frequent collaborator, after siding with his colleague's wife in their separation, the format of the score is written in A- E -F, a permeation of Joachim's motto, FAE - frie aber einsam (free but lonely). The corps and soloist represent the storyline in the exchange of movement, formation and pattern.

Exposed, an evening of mixed repertory, will be performed on Saturday, November 5th at 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m at the Actors Fund Arts Center, located at 160 Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn. The theater is accessible by the A, C, or G trains to Hoyt-Schermerhorn, the 2, 3 to Hoyt Street, F, R to Jay St./Metrotech or the 4, 5 to Borough Hall.

Tickets are now on sale. Prices range from $18 to $35, and are available for purchase at nevilledance-exposed.eventbrite.com.

REPERTORY DETAILS:

Exposed (World Premiere)

Choreography: Brenda R. Neville
Original Music Composed by: Todd Reynolds, Hauschka & Hildur Gudnadottir and Matmos

Lighting: Brenda R. Neville

Length: 18 minutes

A three section work set to music by contemporary composers and told through contemporary dance, explores feelings, due to our era of over-sharing, online trolling, internet stalking and increasing public surveillance and data collecting, generates a sense of personal over exposure, loss of anonymity and invasions of privacy.

Blessed (World Premiere)

Choreography: Brenda R. Neville
Original Music Composed by: 'Benedictus' by Karl Jenkins; arranged and performed by 2Cellos

Costume Design: Brenda R. Neville and Benjamin Briones

Construction: UBCostumesDancewear.com

Length: 6:40 minutes

Inspired by Karl Jenkins' 'Benedictus' as arranged and performed by 2Cellos, this moving, ethereal piece conjures thoughts of the soul's ascension into heaven.

Epidermis (World Premiere)

Choreography: Ursula Verduzco
Original Music Composed by: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Bach

Costume Design: Ursula Versuzco

Length: 7:00 minutes

Show your epidermis and lie to me, you are not who you portray. You rather show me fake beauty and composed maskEd Mannerisms than the true life inside of you.

Brahm's Double Concerto (World Premiere)

Choreography: Billy Blanken AD SMDT
Original Music Composed by: Johannes Brahms

Length: 8:35 minutes

Brahms Double Concerto is an athletic neo-classical work set to an intricate and rich score in a portrayal of conflict and resolution.

Brenda R. Neville is an international performer, accredited teacher and choreographer, with her work having been described as "compelling", "imaginative" and a "pure delight" by critics. Since 2006 she has choreographed and staged three full length ballets and numerous contemporary dance works for her New York based company Neville Dance Theatre, which performs throughout the New York area and beyond at venues and prestigious festivals including Dixon Place, the 92nd Street Y, The Ailey Theatre, The Riverside Theatre and Jamaica Performing Arts Center. She is a faculty instructor at both The Ailey School and Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn where she teaches ballet and pointe classes. She is a nationally renown pointe shoe fitter and consultant for students and prestigious schools across the country and is currently the head of the US Retail Sales Department at Freed of London, USA. Brenda performed classical and contemporary ballet for over two decades and in more than 18 countries with the Milwaukee Ballet School, Butler Ballet and Indianapolis Dance Company; Argentine Tango, Flamenco and Irish Step Dance with international touring company All Nations Dance Company and artists from Riverdance and Cirque de Soleil, and lead roles in productions of Crazy for You, La Cage aux Folles and Footloose to name a few. She has a BA in Dance Pedagogy from Butler University, training method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in NYC and is a certified teacher of the ABT National Training Curriculum.

Billy started his professional career as a principal with the Amy Marshall Dance Company before joining Les Ballets Grandiva. Some of Billy's freelance credits include; principal guest artist with Brooklyn Ballet, Dances Patrelle, CoDa21 of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Catherine Gallant Dance, Atlantic City Ballet, York Dance Works, Mobile Ballet, Flexicurve, Northwest Florida Ballet, Lane & Co Arts, Eidolon Ballet, Sun Valley Ballet, the East Village Dance Project, Yuka Kawazu/Danse En L'air, Northeastern Ballet Theatre, Neville Dance Theatre, isadoraNOW, Ballet Mink Colbert, and performing Michael Foley's work in the Howl on the Road Festival at Lincoln Center. He is a frequent collaborator with Project In Motion and has been commissioned to stage several of his works on their company. He is currently a Senior Artist with Ajkun Ballet Theatre and is the Showcase Coordinator for their annual New York Winter Festival. This is Mr. Blanken's first piece for Neville Dance Theatre.

Ms. Verduzco is a freelance dancer and choreographer residing in NYC, she has created several commissioned works for The Staten Island Ballet, Ellison Ballet, Benjamin Briones Ballet, Nomad Contemporary Ballet, Periapsis Music and Dance, as well as CounterPointe 2016.

She is currently working on several projects including a commissioned piece for the Columbia Ballet Collaborative, and More than a Londoner's short film project.Trained at Ballet Austin Academy and the Joffrey Ballet School with full scholarship, she has danced with several companies including Ballet Austin, New York City Opera, Benjamin Briones Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, Staten Island Ballet, Ajkun Ballet Theatre, Connecticut Ballet, Some Dance Company, Veracity Dance Theatre, New York Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre in Westchester, Ad Hoc Ballet, and Ballet Neo, performing in classical and contemporary repertoire. She was highlighted by Dance Magazine in their July 2010 issue, "Race & The Next Generation, " and has been a guest company teacher with Les Ballets Grandiva in NYC, a faculty member at The Joffrey Ballet School in NYC and has taught extensively throughout the NYC area as well as LEON Dance Arts and Southern New Hampshire Dance Theatre summer programs. Among her projects, she is Co-Founder of Mid-Pointe Project. As the Founder and Director of The Latin Choreographers Festival, Ms. Verduzco created this Festival in 2008 to empower the work of talented Latin Choreographers.

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