Dance Month 2015 at the Kaplan Theatre
Dance Month 2015 at the Kaplan Theatre:
Celebrating 35 Years of Presenting Dance
IW Marks Theatre Center
The Gerald Rauch Cultural and Performing Arts Wing
January 14 – February 8, 2015
Houston, TX – Dance Month, observing its thirty-fifth season, continues its tradition of spotlighting prominent choreographers, master teachers, companies and dancers.
Tirkedu Houston! Workshop
Friday, January 16 – Sunday, January 18
Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd.
$70 ERJCC member/$100 public/$50 student with valid ID.
Family Folk Dance Session in Collaboration with Jewish Federation of Greater Houston’s
PJ Library
Thursday, January 15, 4:15 PM
K – 3rd grade
Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd.
FREE
Tirkedu Houston!, an Israeli folk dance workshop, is a fun filled weekend of enthusiastic Israeli dancing. Israeli choreographer/teacher, Ohad Atia, will lead this energetic workshop. To kick off the weekend on Thursday, January 15th at 4:15pm, join us for a Family Folk Dance Session in collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston’s PJ Library for Kindergarten through 3rd grade led by our guest Israeli teacher Ohad Atia. Following the afternoon family session on Thursday at 7:30pm will be the J’s weekly folkdance session with special guest instructor Ohad Atia. Ohad, born in Haifa, is world renowned in the genre of Israeli dance and has taught Israeli folk dance for many years not only in his native country of Israeli, but here in the states as well. Among some of the his most recent dances are Ha’chiaim, Bishvilech and Simanim Shel Ohavim which won 2nd place at Karmiel dance competition in 2010. The Tirkedu Houston! weekend workshop begins Friday, January 16 and will include a get together, teaching sessions for intermediate to advanced dancers with review at the end of each sessions and a Saturday night dance party. Visit the erjcchouston.org website to download the registration form. For more information call the Kaplan box office at 713-551-7255.
Four + Four
Celebration of Dance
Saturday, January 24, 7:30 PM Concert
Honoring Joan Karff
25-year Director of Joan Karff’s New Dance Group and now a mentor for “Women on the Way Up”
Featuring: NobleMotion Dance, Revolve Dance Company, Urban Souls Dance Company and Uptown Dance Company
Pre-show Motion Captured, Dance on Film
Saturday, January 24, 6:45 PM
Kaplan Theatre, IW Marks Theatre Center
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd.
$18 ERJCC member/$25 public/$13 senior adult and student.
To celebrate our 35th year, Four + Four, Celebration of Dance Concert features eight dance companies in two evenings, who have performed on the Kaplan Stage in years past and honors two outstanding community leaders, Joan Karff and Shelly Power, for their contributions to Dance Month at the Kaplan Theatre in its formative years. On Saturday, January 24th Joan Karff will be honored and NobleMotion Dance, Revolve Dance Company, Urban Souls Dance Company and Uptown Dance Company will perform.
NobleMotion Dance exploded onto the Houston dance scene in 2009 and has since received critical acclaim for their “extraordinary athleticism” and “cutting edge” programming. NMD seeks to make work that is emotionally daring and honest; inspires discourse and understanding amongst diverse communities; and integrates dance, theatre and technology in unique ways. Artistic Directors, Andy Noble and Dionne Sparkman Noble are long time collaborators who have been entertaining audiences for over fifteen years. NobleMotion Dance has been invited by numerous organizations to perform in events including The Dance Gallery Festival New York, Weekend of Texas Contemporary Dance, ERJCC Triple Focus, and Dance Houston.
Revolve Dance Company, under the direction of Amy Cain and Dawn Dippel, was established in 2004 by seven owners of NHPAÒ dance studio as a means to present new works in the community with intentions of motivation, inspiration and education in and through the art of dance. Revolve has performed in such notable Houston events as Weekend of Texas Contemporary Dance, the ERJCC Houston Choreographer’s X6, Dance Houston and The Dance Gallery Festival.
Urban Souls Dance Company, a Houston based dance company believes in bridging gaps between the worlds of urban life and dance theater. Directed by Harrison Guy, the company embodies exceptional artistry and a profound sense of spirituality. The company presents a wide spectrum of works that are multicultural, socially and visually appealing to all audiences.
Uptown Dance Company, strives to break boundaries and provide a unique place for dancers and choreographers to convey their passion for the art we create. It’s UDC’s mission to create and present contemporary, diverse, and innovative choreography that expands the imagination of dance audiences.
Four + Four
Celebration of Dance
Sunday, January 25, 7:00 PM Concert
Honoring Shelly Power
Dancer, Teacher, Choreographer, Houston Ballet Academy Director
Featuring: Chapman Dance, HIStory, Houston Ballet II and MET dance
Pre-show Motion Captured, Dance on Film
Sunday, January 25, 6:15 PM
Kaplan Theatre, IW Marks Theatre Center
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd.
$18 ERJCC member/$25 public/$13 senior adult and student.
In our second evening of Four + Four, Celebration of Dance Concert on Sunday, January 25th, Shelly Power will be honored and Chapman Dance, HIStory, Houston Ballet II and
MET dance will perform. As a pre-show to Four + Four, audience members can experience the visual feat of Motion Captured, Dance on Film that features site specific, innovative choreography that combines dance and technology curated by Ashley Horn.
Chapman Dance, is directed by Teresa Chapman as Associate Professor at the University of Houston where she teaches dance technique, aesthetics and pedagogy. As a performer in Houston, she has worked exclusively with Karen Stokes Dance. Her work has been presented at DiverseWorks Art Space, Miller Outdoor Theatre and the ERJCC to name a few. Full bodied and athletic, Chapman Dance’s choreography highlights the strength and vulnerability of the female physique.
HIStory Dance Company, is a unique ensemble committed to exploring the artistic
nature of the Hip Hop culture through choreography, and while performance is the highlight of the group, mentoring and education is the cornerstone. Making work that is emotionally engaging and daring, HIStory Dance Company through the dynamics of dance and integration of theater, hopes to inspire amongst diverse communities.
Houston Ballet II, is Houston Ballet’s second company and part of Houston Ballet Academy. Stanton Welch is the Artistic Director of Houston Ballet II, Shelly Power is the Academy Director, Claudio Munoz and Sabrina Lenzi are the Houston Ballet II Ballet Master and Mistress. Houston Ballet II consists of students from the second company and have daily class from outstanding faculty from all over the world. Houston Ballet II’s repertoire includes both classical and contemporary works by Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch, Houston Ballet Artistic Director Emeritus Ben Stevenson, and many other choreographers.
MET dance, founded in 1995, Houston Metropolitan Dance Center Inc. strives to educate and revitalize a passion for dance through the finest instruction and performance. With professional and youth dance companies, as well as a strong community outreach program, MET continues to be a leader in the vitality and diversity of Houston’s dance community. MET Dance Company has performed throughout the United States in dozen’s of theaters receiving high acclaim, performing works by some of the most influential and talented choreographers of our time. Helmed by founder and Executive Director Michelle Smith and Artistic Director Marlana Doyle, the company is the sister organization to the MET Dance Center, which opened the doors to a newly renovated facility in May 2013 in the midtown district.
Join us following each performance for the 35th Anniversary Celebration with festive music, wine and dessert.
For tickets, visit erjcchouston.org to buy online or call the Kaplan Box Office at 713-551-7255.
Tapping Away
Saturday, January 31, 8:00 PM Concert
Kaplan Theatre, IW Marks Theatre Center
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd.
$18 ERJCC member/$25 public/$13 senior adult and student.
Welcome back to the Kaplan Theatre Stage a longtime favorite…. tap. Tapping Away features recognized hoofers in the world of rhythm, in a syncopated trip through jazz and sound. Well-known Austin Tapper, many time Dance Month at the Kaplan performer and co-artistic director of Tapestry Dance Company, Acia Gray, members of Tapestry Dance Company and Pelayo Parladé Jazz Trio which includes Alexandre “Sasha” Loukachine, Gerald Massoud and Pelayo Parladé join local tappers Kirstin Grbic, Jackie Coleman, Academy of Theatre Under the Stars, HSPVA Concert Dancers, MET too Youth Dance Company and Texas New Tappers.
For tickets, visit erjcchouston.org to buy online or call the Kaplan Box Office at 713.551.7255.
Ate 9 dANCE cOMPANY
“Exhibit O” Ate9 dANCEcOMPANY’s Site Specific Work
In Cooperation with Laura Rathe Fine Art
Tuesday, February 3, 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM
Laura Rathe Fine Art
2707 Colquitt Street
FREE
Bringing dance closer to the audiences and highlighting its intimacy in unconventional spaces has been an integral part of Danielle Agami’s development as an artist. Agami was commissioned by City Arts Festival in Seattle, Washington to create a new piece for a gallery space. Through this, Agami created “Exhibit O” and since its premiere Ate 9 has continued to adapt the work to other spaces in Los Angeles. Each location draws new inspiration. Each condition brings new limitations. Therefore, asking us for new creative solutions. “It’s a rare pleasure to see such precise, powerful dancing up close” –Anne Lawrence, Seattle, USA
Making an Impact: Jewish Choreographers and Contemporary Dance
Presented by Historian Rebecca Rossen and Israeli-born choreographer Danielle Agami
Thursday, February 5, 7:30PM Lecture/Demonstration
Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center
5601 South Braeswood Blvd.
Historian Rebecca Rossen (author of Dancing Jewish, Oxford University Press) and Israeli-born choreographer Danielle Agami (artistic director of Ate 9 dANCEcOMPANY) team up to consider the contributions of Jewish choreographers to contemporary dance. Dr. Rossen
will discuss how, throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, American Jewish choreographers have consistently turned to dance as a means to articulate personal and collective identities; tangle with stereotypes; advance social and political agendas; and imagine new possibilities for themselves as individuals, artists and Jews. She will engage Agami in a discussion about her company, choreography, and the rising influence of Israeli contemporary dance on American dance, a dialogue that will be illustrated with short excerpts from Ate9’s stunning new work “mouth to mouth which has its Texas premiere for Dance Month. Copies of Dr. Rossen’s book will be available for purchase and signing after the presentation.
Rebecca Rossen is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Theater and Dance. She is the author of Dancing Jewish: Jewish Identity in American Modern and Postmodern Dance (Oxford University Press, 2014), and has also published articles in TDR: The Drama Review, Theatre Journal, Feminist Studies, Opera Quarterly, and Dance Teacher Magazine. Before she began her academic career, she was a choreographer and dancer in Chicago.
Ate 9 dANCE cOMPANY
“mouth to mouth”
Saturday, February 7, 8:00 PM Concert
Sunday, February 8, 3:00 PM Concert
Kaplan Theatre, IW Marks Theatre Center
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd.
$18 ERJCC member/$25 public/$13 senior adult and student.
The Los Angeles-based Ate 9 comes to Houston for the first time with its eight-member company led by founder and artistic director Danielle Agami. Born in Israel, Danielle was a member of the Batsheva Dance Company, served as the Artistic Director of Batsheva Dancers Create and functioned as the company’s rehearsal director. Agami is a renowned Gaga teacher and travels the world as an ambassador of Ohad Naharin, Artistic Director of Batsheva Dance Company. Ate9 dANCE cOMPANY “one of Los Angeles’ hottest cultural commodities” says LA Times, Victoria Looseleaf, presents “mouth to mouth”, a wildly entertaining and mesmerizing dance performance. “mouth to mouth” is a performance about human exchange, a social experiment in the comfort of intimacy, the need to communicate and deep-seated desire to connect.
For tickets, visit erjcchouston.org to buy online or call the Kaplan Box Office at 713.551.7255.
Spa at the ‘J’
In partnership with Society for the Performing Arts, Dance Month at the Kaplan presents two of the Tudor Family Dance Series dance master classes at the J. This year Dance Month will host master classes by Diavolo and Complexions Contemporary Ballet.
Diavolo Master Class
Thursday, January 8, 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd.
$15
Intermediate/Advanced level dancer 13+ years.
Diavolo uses abstract and recognized structures to explore the relationship between the dancers of our environment and fragility of the human body. Diavolo is a fusion of many different vocabularies such as everyday movement, ballet, contemporary and hip hop.
Complexion Contemporary Ballet Master Class
Thursday, February 19, 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd.
$15
Intermediate/Advanced level dancer 13+ years.
Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s foremost innovation is that dance should be about removing boundaries, not reinforcing them. Whether it be the limiting traditions of a single style, period, venue or culture. Complexions transcends them all, creating an open, continually – evolving form of dance that reflects the movement of our world – and all its constituent cultures as an interrelated whole.
J Dance Master Classes
Tap Master Class with Acia Gray
Sunday, February 1, 11:00 – 12:15 PM
ERJCC
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd.
$15
Intermediate/Advanced level dancer 13+ years.
As soloist, choreographer and master teacher, Ms. Gray has toured extensively across the U.S. and abroad to include England, Ireland, Czech Republic, Canada and Austria. She co – founded Tapestry Dance Company in Austin, TX with Deidre Strand and currently serves as Producing Artistic Director as well as the Artistic Director of The Soul to Sole Tap Festival in Austin.
Gaga Master Class with Danielle Agami
Wednesday, February 4, 7:30 – 9:00 PM.
ERJCC
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd
$15
Intermediate/Advanced level dancer High School +
Danielle Agami, born in Israel, is a renowned Gaga teacher. As a member of the Batsheva Dance Company, she served as the Artistic Director of Batsheva Dancers Create and was the company’s rehearsal director during which time she received the Yair Shapiro Prize for Excellence in Dance. Agami relocated to New York City, where she functioned as Senior Manager of Gaga U.S.A. and for the past few years has been traveling across the world as an ambassador of Ohad Naharin, Artistic Director of Batsheva Dance Company.
Dance concerts take place in the Kaplan Theare, I W Marks Theatre Center, The Gerald Rauch Cultural and Performing Arts wing of the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center
5601 S. Braeswood Blvd. Master classes take place in the ERJCC dance studios. To purchase tickets online visit erjcchouston.org and scroll down to “Dance Month” or call the box office at 713-551-7255.
Dance Month at the Kaplan Theatre is funded in part by the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center Patrons of the Arts, a grant from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment Inc., RBC Wealth Management and Family Folkdance Session is partially funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston. United Airlines is the official airline. Marriott Houston Westchase is the official hotel for Dance Month. Visit www.erjcchouston.org or find us on Facebook for more information.
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The Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center (ERJCC) of Houston is a non-profit organization that provides quality programs and activities for all members of the family from infants through school-aged children, teens, adults and seniors. The ERJCC provides more than $350,000 in scholarship aid to area families in need thanks to the generous support received, in part, from the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and the United Way. United Airlines is the official airline of the ERJCC.
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