The evening will include the world premiere of Dorian's Reflection, inspired by the classic Oscar Wilde novel, and the world premiere Jewish-themed Anusim.
Dance NOW! Miami (DNM) returns to the Broward Center's Amaturo Theater stage on Saturday, May 15 at 8:00 pm, with their Program III of the season. One of the leading contemporary companies in Florida, the evening will include the world premiere of Dorian's Reflection, inspired by the classic Oscar Wilde novel, and the world premiere Jewish-themed Anusim, as well as the company's reconstruction of dance great José Limón's iconic La Malinche, as part of their annual Masterpiece In Motion series. Seating will be reduced to allow for social distancing, and mask wearing required.
Dorian's Reflection, choreographed by DNM Artistic Co-Directors Hannah Baumgarten and Diego Salterini, is a contemporary treatment of the story and characters from Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, a foundational part of the gay literary canon. The ballet, with an original score by internationally recognized composer Davidson Jaconello, explores the themes of fear, loneliness, loss, and moral deterioration, embodied in Dorian, who remains forever young while his portrait ages instead. The dance work updates the narrative to our modern time of selfies and social media, plastic surgery, Tinder and Grinder, flipping the story so that Dorian's projected image stays young while the character of Dorian ages.
"In our youth-obsessed culture, Wilde's novel really still speaks to us, and inspired us to create a piece that looks at today's tendency towards self-absorption and indulgence," says Salterini. The other world premiere on the program, Anusim, what is hidden is never lost, is also a Baumgarten and Salterini collaboration. It is inspired by the 1497 decree in Portugal forcing all Jews to be baptized as "New Christians," but allowing them to practice their own religion in secret. It will travel with the company in June when they go on tour to Portugal.a??
La Malinche, which fills out the evening, is the first piece José Limón choreographed for his own company in 1947. It is based on the real life story of an indigenous Nahua woman who played a key role in the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, and is a legendary character in Mexican cultural history. The piece is reconstructed on DNM by Daniel Lewis, Limón's protégé and former Artistic Director of the Limon Dance Company after the founder's death, well known in South Florida as the Founding Dean of the Dance Department of New World School of the Arts. La Malinche is presented in collaboration with the José Limón Foundation and the 75th anniversary of the Limón Company.a??
Tickets for the Saturday, April 3 Program III are $40, and $15 for students. Tickets for this event will only be available in allotments or 2 or 4 patrons seated together. Ticketmaster is the only official ticketing service of the Broward Center, Parker Playhouse and affiliated venues. Buy tickets online through www.dancenowmiami.org/events/dorian and BrowardCenter.org/events; by phone at 954.462.0222 or the Broward Center's AutoNation Box Office.
The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is located in the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District at 201 SW Fifth Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. The Center is fully wheelchair accessible, with adjacent parking. To request materials in accessible format, or any disability accommodation, visit www.dancenowmiami.org or contact Dance NOW! at (305) 975-8489 and info@dancenowmiami.org.
Seating at this event allows for six feet of physical distance for safety. Face coverings are required for all guests, staff and volunteers. The latest Health and Safety Guidelines are at BrowardCenter.org.
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