Dark Circles Presents World Premiere Works by Sidra Bell and Joshua L. Peugh

Dark Circles Contemporary Dance's 2018-19 Season continues with its Spring Series including the commission of a world premiere by the highly sought-after choreographer Sidra Bell, founder of the internationally recognized Sidra Bell Dance New York. A new creation by internationally award-winning choreographer and Dance Magazine "25 to Watch" Joshua L. Peugh featuring Tejas Dance-a Bharatanatyam Indian classical dance duo-closes the evening. Performances will run March 22 - 24, 2019 at WaterTower Theatre.

The Spring Series opens with a world premiere by commissioned choreographer, Sidra Bell. Bell has won several awards, notably a 1st Prize for Choreography at the Solo Tanz Theater Festival in Stuttgart, Germany and a National Dance Project Production Award from the New England Foundation for the Arts. She has received commissions from institutions and companies internationally and created over 100 new works for BODYTRAFFIC, Ailey II, The Juilliard School, River North Dance Chicago, Sacramento Ballet, Ballet Austin, Alonzo King's LINES Ballet School, Visceral Dance Chicago, Uppercut Danseteater (Denmark), and Motto Dans Kolektif (Turkey) to name a few. Her new work for Dark Circles' Spring Series will emphasize the exploration of movement as a way of understanding what is happening in the world around us while also excavating what she calls "stored history" from the bodies of the company dancers. Her work will maintain a high degree of playfulness while also delving into the darker latent spaces of humanity.

Dark Circles Founder and Artistic Director Joshua L. Peugh, who was the 2018 recipient of the Natalie Skelton Award for Artistic Excellence, has been commissioned to create for national and international dance and theater companies including BalletX, Ballet Memphis, BODYTRAFFIC, Bruce Wood Dance Project, Dallas Theater Center, Korea National Contemporary Dance Company (South Korea), Tulsa Ballet, and WaterTower Theatre among many others. Peugh's new creation for the Spring Series will be a mashup of contemporary dance and the enchanting classical Indian dance form Bharatanatyam. Dark Circles' artists will perform alongside Artistic Directors of Tejas Dance, Chintan Patel and Bhuvana Venkatraman, incorporating Bharatanatyam's exploration of pure movement, facial expressions, and highly stylized gestures with Peugh's signature blend of full-bodied athleticism and authenticity.

Peugh says, "The desire of all these artists to present work that is universal in scope and to leave audience members feeling connected to the work being presented and to each other is exhilarating to me. I'm very excited about sharing this program with audiences. The curiosity and otherworldliness of Sidra's work paired with the collaboration I'm doing with Tejas Dance should be both stimulating and very entertaining."

Spring Series opens March 22 at Addison Theatre Centre with performances through March 24. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling (972) 450-6232 or online at DCCDUSA.com.

Dark Circles Contemporary Dance was founded in 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. The Company's Dallas-based branch-lead by internationally award-winning choreographer and Dance Magazine "25 to Watch" breakout star of 2015, Joshua L. Peugh-has been hailed as "the area's most exciting dance company" (Star-Telegram) and as the "Best Dance Company" by D Magazine (2015 & 2016) and Dallas Observer (2016). The young company has been praised as "frequently stunning, and always fascinating" (DFW.com) and commended for innovative combinations of classical technique and modern movement styles. Since its inception, the company has performed nationally and internationally at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Theater am Aegi (Germany), Seoul Arts Center (South Korea), and at the Ailey Citigroup Theater (New York), among others. Repertory includes works by Joshua L. Peugh, Sidra Bell, Mark Caserta & Mikey Morado, Eoghan Dillon, Gregory Dolbashian, Mike Esperanza, James Gregg, Gabrielle Lamb, Fabio Liberti, and MADBOOTS. DCCD is dedicated to bringing the progressive work of international choreographers and dancers to a worldwide audience.

Joshua L. Peugh is the Founder and Artistic Director of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance. After graduating from Southern Methodist University, Joshua moved to South Korea to join Universal Ballet Company. Since then, he has created work for festivals in Asia, Europe, and North America, winning awards for his choreography in South Korea, Japan, Canada, and the USA. He was the recipient of the Grand Prize at the McCallum Theatre's 18th Annual Choreography Festival. He was chosen as one of Dance Magazine's 2015 "25 to Watch," and was named "an important discovery" by The New York Times. Joshua recently served as choreographer for legendary soprano Kathleen Battle's concert Underground Railroad - A Spiritual Journey. Joshua is the 2018 recipient of the Natalie Skelton Award for Artistic Excellence. He has been commissioned to create for BalletX, Ballet Memphis, BODYTRAFFIC, Bruce Wood Dance Project, Company E, Dallas Theater Center, Eisenhower Dance, Korea National Contemporary Dance Company, MADCO, METdance, Tulsa Ballet, WaterTower Theatre, and Whim W'Him, among others.

Sidra Bell is currently a Master Lecturer at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, an Adjunct Professor at Ball State University in Indiana, and an Adjunct Professor at Alonzo King LINES Ballet School BFA Program in San Francisco. She was artist in residence at Harvard University, an Adjunct Professor at Georgian Court University and an Adjunct Professor at Barnard College. She has a BA in History from Yale University and an MFA in Choreography from Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. She has created over 100 works for dance, theater, and film internationally.

Tejas dance was founded by Bhuvana Venkatraman in 2014 as a platform to enrich and popularize Bharatanatyam; identify and encourage talent in the field. Based on a strong belief in the ever- expanding potential of all art forms, Bharatanatyam in particular, Tejas Dance endeavors to blend the great art with changing times and concepts; and gain integration within different cultural milieus. As Artistic Directors of Tejas Dance, Chintan Patel and Bhuvana Venkatraman, are enthusiastic dancers/choreographers, strongly rooted in tradition striving to give new meaning to Bharatanatyam techniques and themes. The duo brings a great deal of innovation, creativity and enthusiasm through dynamic movements and expressions innate to this art form.

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