METdance Presents: An Evening With Apollo Chamber Players

HOUSTON, TEXAS, March 25, 2015 – METdance, the leader in the vitality and diversity of Houston’s dance community, announced this month the exciting collaboration with Apollo Chamber Players on April 10, 2015 at the Wortham Center. For one night only, METdance and Apollo Chamber Players will celebrate the art of music and dance through the combination of light, sound and movement in a stimulating performance.

“It is a privilege for METdance to partner with such a prestigious and innovative group of musicians,” said Artistic Director of METdance Marlana Doyle. “We are so thrilled to bring in the direction and choreography of the talented Jessica Hendricks and Resident Choreographer Kiki Lucas for this concert. The creation of sound, shapes, movement, rhythms, vibrations and melodies are center stage in this collaborative evening.”

This will be the first time Apollo’s music, including their 20×2020 commissioned works, will be choreographed to dance. “This is very exciting for us and also for the composers of the works, said Apollo Chamber Artistic Director and violinist Matt Detrick. “It’s not every day that music – not originally intended or written for other mediums like dance – is integrated into other art forms. I think it speaks to the power and permeability of music and dance.”

The two organizations will jointly present a not-to-be-missed premier by New York-based choreographer Jessica Hendricks titled Clearly stated and evenly applied? and a restaging of 2013’s debut of The Vessel by Resident Choreographer Kiki Lucas and Composer Ben Doyle.

Jess Hendricks says about her premier on METdance that Clearly stated and evenly applied? is an exploration of various movement styles with an influence of contemporary, improvisation, gesture, athleticism, theatricality, focus, and the variation of relationships among families.

“With the amazing composition of Doyle’s music, he has created the perfect palate to bring this 30-minute work to life,” said Lucas. “The movement I created touches upon playful, sculpted partner-fueled moments that I found to be important along my journey with this work. It feels good to bring together so many worlds of arts, dreams and realities to one evening of stunning dance, music and life.”

An Evening With Apollo Chamber Players will take place on Friday, April 10, 2015 from 8:00pm – 10:00pm at the Wortham Center’s Cullen Theatre. Tickets are $15-$40. For more information, visit www.metdance.org/events.

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About MET dance

Founded in 1995, MET dance strives to educate and revitalize a passion for dance through the finest instruction and performance. MET dance offers performances by a professional company, classes open to the public, pre-professional youth training and a strong community outreach program, engaging as many as 20,000 people each year. The backbones to the company, Executive Director Michelle Smith and Artistic Director Marlana Doyle, have implemented MET dance’s vision as “A New Direction in Dance” by keeping the diversity and versatility of the dancers and choreographers. MET dancer have performed in dozens of theaters throughout the United States, receiving national praise and high acclaim. With an unmatched repertoire and a new state-of-the-art dance facility, MET dance continues to be a leader in Houston’s dance community.

About Apollo Chamber Players

Through its mission to explore the rich intersections of Western classical and ethnic folk music, Apollo Chamber Players has gained prestige through innovative, thematically-programmed concerts, culturally enriching educational activities and the commissioning of new music. During their 2013 East Coast Tour and Carnegie Hall debut, the group performed for over 1,000 enthusiastic concert-goers, including dignitaries from the Consulates General of Bulgaria and the Czech Republic of New York. Winner of HoustonPress’ 2014 MasterMinds award, Apollo was one of three organizations in Houston to be recognized for positiviely impacting the local arts community. This past September the organization launched a multi-year commissioning project, 20×2020, with a new work by Grammy winning composer Libby Larsen, and the ensemble recently made their debut on American Public Media’s Performance Today.