PHILADELPHIA — Recognized for its chic artistry, explosive power and originality, Canada’s widely acclaimed contemporary repertory dance company Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (BJM) rings in the new year at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, January 16-18, 2014. Under the artistic direction of Louis Robitaille, BJM consistently delivers sophisticated, technically stunning works by the world’s most renowned choreographers. With “the energy of a tsunami with stamina to spare” (Los Angeles Times), the company is among the dance world’s elite — coolly stylized, athletic and refined.
Performances take place Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 PM; Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 PM (with post-show talkback); and Saturday, Jan. 18, at 2 PM and 8 PM. Tickets are $20-$55 ($10 for students; prices subject to change) and are available by calling 215.898.3900, visiting annenbergcenter.org or stopping by the Box Office at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104.
BJM’s powerhouse program will feature three Philadelphia premières, including Closer (2006), an intimate duet created by Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied. Set to composer Philip Glass’ “Mad Rush,” Closer is a voluptuous and vibrant exchange exploring tension between two bodies in a relationship, imbued with an intense yet simple sensuality. Performing Closer are Alexander Hille and star dancer Celine Cassone, who has performed with Bejart Ballet Lausanne and Morphoses.
In Fuel (2011), choreographer Cayetano Soto is inspired bya work for string orchestra by the American composer Julia Wolfe, who transforms the modern industrial world of fuels and machines into clanking string sounds. Soto’s relentless choreography explores the contrasts between technically virtuosic duets and trios with small, jerky solo movements that are “disturbing but so beautiful” (The Chronicle Herald). Robitaille notes, “With each new creation, Soto brings new territories. His work is conceptual, cutting-edge and sophisticated.”
Inspired by the inner battles we all wage, Harry (2012), a 45-minute full-ensemble work, presents a darkly comic story of a young man’s trials and tribulations through choreography by Israeli-American choreographer Barak Marshall. Accompanied by a score that fuses the sounds of jazz, Israeli folksongs and traditional music, this piece follows Harry’s attempts to overcome physical and existential obstacles.
BJM’s performances continue Dance Celebration’s 31st season, presented by Dance Affiliates and the Annenberg Center. The Dance Celebration series continues in 2014 with Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys of Dance (Feb. 20-22), doug elkins choreography, etc. (March 6-8), BODYTRAFFIC (April 3-5) and MOMIX (May 8-11). For more information on the Annenberg Center’s 13/14 season, visit annenbergcenter.org.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal
Thursday, January 16 at 7:30 PM
Friday, January 17 at 8 PM (with post-show talkback)
Saturday, January 18 at 2 PM and 8 PM
Tickets are $20-$55 ($10 for students; prices subject to change) and are available by calling215.898.3900, visiting annenbergcenter.orgor stopping by the Box Office at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104.
In addition to the performances, BJM will conduct two master classes as part of Dance Celebration’s Artist to Artist Series. Master classes will take place Friday, January 17, at 1 PM and 2:30 PM. For more information, contact Anne-Marie Mulgrew at Dance Affiliates by calling 215.636.9000, ext. 110, or emailing Annemarie [at] danceaffiliates [dot] org.
ABOUT LES BALLETS JAZZ DE MONTRÉAL
Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal (BJM) is an internationally renowned contemporary repertory dance company that presents a hybrid form of dance that combines the aesthetics of classical ballet with many other styles. Founded in 1972 by Geneviève Salbaing, Eva von Gencsy and Eddy Toussaint, the company has pursued its own unique path over the decades. Very contemporary in its current approach, BJM performances are sexy, explosive, original and accessible, and its superb dancers are widely acclaimed. Since 1998, BJM has been under the command of Artistic Director Louis Robitaille. His unerring flair for attracting talented choreographers and presenting high-caliber dance pieces keeps raising the bar for his team of performers and stage professionals.
BJM is one of Canada’s most popular dance companies. It has presented more than 2,000 performances in 65 countries to more than 2 million spectators, and is a veritable ambassador of Quebec and Canadian culture worldwide. BJM has achieved a level of maturity while remaining open to the ever-evolving form that is contemporary dance. Its pieces are marked by dynamic physicality, virtuosity and the strong personalities of its performers, all of which contribute to the company’s unique signature. BJM has the remarkable ability to speak clearly to audiences through energetic presentations of strong, expressive and demanding dance.
ABOUT DANCE CELEBRATION
Founded by Artistic Director Randy Swartz, Dance Celebration is the Greater Philadelphia region’s major contemporary dance series and is nationally recognized in its field. The 13/14 program marks Dance Celebration’s 31st season. Dance Celebration is a collaboration between Dance Affiliates and Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
The annual Dance Celebration series engages a broad range of world-class and emerging dance companies each season. As a major cultural asset to the city and region, the program helps enhance the quality of life of both residents and visitors.
Supporting Dance Celebration’s primary mission of presenting and commissioning is a commitment to the presentation of diverse styles and choreography, cultures and nationalities; the cultivation of broadly-based adult and children’s audiences; the enrichment of the school curriculum through quality children’s matinees, arts education, and outreach; collaborations with performing arts partners in the field; and service to the local dance community through workshops, master classes, seminars and symposia.
Throughout its illustrious history, Dance Celebration has had ancillary series including the edgy NextMove Festival (1999-2003), the groundbreaking Monday Night Series (1986-1998), and numerous special events (1987-2011). Nikolais Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Pilobolus Dance Theater and Murray Louis Dance Company launched the inaugural season at Annenberg Center in 1983, followed in subsequent years by modern dance legends Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, Alvin Ailey, Bella Lewitsky and José Limon.
ABOUT DANCE AFFILIATES
Founded in 1979 by artistic director Randy Swartz as American Ballet Competition, the organization later changed its name to Dance Affiliates, reflecting its mission since 1983 as one of the nation’s few remaining dance-only presenters. Its annual Dance Celebration program is Philadelphia’s acclaimed and longest-running series of world-class contemporary dance.
Having presented 200 companies in 1,500 performances, Dance Affiliates provides a wealth of opportunities for the Philadelphia community to interact with visiting dance artists through master classes, residencies, artistic collaborations, symposiums, film screenings, workshops, special student programs and pre- and post- performance curtain talks. Through more than 600 outreach programs, 30,000 students and aspiring dancers have been served. Visit www.danceaffiliates.org.
Support for the presentation of Ballets Jazz de Montreal provided by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Funding for the 13/14 Dance Celebration season is provided by Friends of Dance (Affiliates), the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, The Philadelphia Cultural Fund, and the Virginia C. Mulconroy Fund of The Philadelphia Foundation. State arts funding support is received through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Generous support for the 13/14 Annenberg Center season is provided by The William Penn Foundation, The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The Philadelphia Cultural Fund, The Philadelphia Foundation, PNC, The Philadelphia Phillies, The National Endowment for the Arts and The University of Pennsylvania as well as many individual donors. The Sheraton University City is the exclusive hotel sponsor.
