FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sarah Snyder
ssnyder3@umd.edu
(301) 405-8151
January 11, 2012 – College Park, MD – The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and SITI Company bring together the beauty and power of dance and theatre in their presentation of A Rite on February 8 and 9 at 8 pm in the Clarice Smith Performing Art Center’s Kay Theatre. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the premiere of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, this original work explores the impact of Stravinsky’s revolutionary piece and creates a rite for the modern world.
Join the artists for a Talk Back after the February 8 performance.
About A Rite
When Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring debuted in Paris in 1913, with choreography by Vaslav Nijinksy, it caused quite a disturbance among its audience. As Anne Bogart, SITI Company’s artistic director told the Times Union, "The people were so upset by the music and the choreography that they started screaming and shouting insults, and a riot ensued….Not six months later, the music was being recognized as one of the greatest pieces of modern music ever."
To honor the centennial of Stravinsky’s controversial work, choreographer Bill T. Jones and Anne Bogart collaborated on their piece that explores The Rite of Spring and the reactions it stirs. A Rite plunges deep into Stravinksy’s complex rhythms through both movement and acting. The dancers from the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company seamlessly transition into actors while the SITI actors shift into powerful dancers. They create a piece that not only pays homage to its inspiration but also deals with the complexities and paradoxes of the modern world.
About Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
Over the past 30 years, the Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company has shaped the evolution of contemporary dance through the creation and performance of over 140 works. Founded as a multicultural dance company in 1982, the company was born of an 11-year artistic collaboration between Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane. Today, the company is recognized as one of the most innovative and powerful forces in the modern dance world. The company has performed its ever-growing repertoire worldwide in over 200 cities in 30 countries on every major continent. In 2011, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company merged with Dance Theater Workshop to form New York Live Arts, of which Bill T. Jones is the Executive Artistic Director.
About Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane
One of the world’s leading choreographers, Bill T. Jones is the artistic director, co-founder and choreographer for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. Mr. Jones choreographed and performed worldwide with his late partner, Arnie Zane, before forming the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company in 1982. He is the recipient of several honors including the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors; a 2010 Tony Award for Best Choreography of the critically acclaimed FELA!; a 2007 Tony Award, 2007 Obie Award and 2006 Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation CALLAWAY Award for his choreography for Spring Awakening; the 2010 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award; and the 1994 MacArthur “Genius” Award. In 2000, The Dance Heritage Coalition named Mr. Jones “An Irreplaceable Dance Treasure.”
About SITI Company
Founded in 1992 by Anne Bogart and Tadashi Suzuki, SITI Company is an ensemble-based theatre company that redefines and revitalizes contemporary theatre in the United States. The company focuses on three ongoing components: the creation of new work, the training of young theatre artists, and a commitment to international collaboration. According to its mission statement, “SITI Company is committed to providing a gymnasium-for-the-soul where the interaction of art, artists, audiences and ideas inspire the possibility for change, optimism and hope.”
SITI Company most recently appeared at the Clarice Smith Center in Café Variations in September 2012.
About Anne Bogart
Anne Bogart is the Artistic Director of SITI Company. She is a professor at Columbia University, where she runs the Graduate Directing Program. Her works with SITI include Café Variations; Trojan Women; American Document; Antigone; Under Construction; Freshwater; Who Do You Think You Are; Radio Macbeth; Hotel Cassiopeia; Death and the Ploughman; and La Dispute, to name a few. She is the author of four books: A Director Prepares; The Viewpoints Book; And Then, You Act; and Conversations with Anne.
Tickets
More information can be found on our web site. Tickets for this performance are $50/$10 (Regular/Youth), and can be purchased online or by calling (301) 405-ARTS (2787).
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This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. An agency of the Department of Business & Economic Development, the MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities. Funding for the Maryland State Arts Council is also provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. More information on Clarice Smith Center donor support can be found here.