“It exceeded my expectations!” my companion shouted, over the enthusiastic audience applause to Wolfgang, the vibrant classical-meets-modern opening piece that welcomed Parsons Dance (David Parsons, Artistic Director) on the return to The Joyce Theater for its annual two-week engagement from May 13-24, with a dynamic program that features beloved repertory favorites, along with the world premiere of a solo by David Parsons for longtime company member Zoey Anderson, and another by choreographer Rena Butler, playing now at The Joyce Theater located at 175 Eighth Avenue at West 19th Street in New York City.
This exciting program made my heart sing. It was a sensory experience to feel each inventive step of choreography that was joyous, sensual, athletic, percussive, surprising and technically gorgeous. Known for its vitality and theatricality, Parsons Dance included the following established works: The Hunt, by Robert Battle, with a raw and percussive energy. The iconic Caught used a strobe light that was astounding and illusory. Set to the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Wolfgang was pertly traditional, and In The End, set to the music of Dave Matthews Band was sheer celebration.
Inspired from the fable and created in collaboration with composer Darryl J. Hoffman, Rena Butler’s world premiere of Sheep’s Gothic explores deception and disguise, as seven dancers play the game of “spotting the wolf.” And David Parsons unveiled his premiere, Her Gifts, created for beloved Parsons Dance member Zoey Anderson on a decade with the company. The astonishing and intimate solo piece is set to the Roberta Flack song, “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”
After the show, as part of The Joyce Theater’s CURTAIN CHAT SERIES, Artistic Director David Parsons and Dancer Zoey Anderson stayed for a talkback with the audience, moderated by Dr. Robin Wharton, Contributor at Arts ATL. Here are some of the highlights.
Parsons shared that the first time he saw Zoey she was a student at Marymount Manhattan College, performing on pointe, and he instantly knew she would become a company artist with Parsons Dance. They both spoke of the collaborative joy of working together to create Her Gifts.
“To be in a room and do nothing more than just hold your arm out…” said Zoey, about working with him in the tranquility of his Connecticut home. “Yeah,” said Parsons. “But when she does it….!”
Parsons spoke of the community of his dancers, their bonding on the road and the pride he takes watching them grow worldly as they tour the globe, noting that Parsons Dance has performed in 27 countries worldwide. “Two of our dancers married stagehands and now live in Italy,” he said, before taking a moment to repeat. “Stagehands!”
Zoey shared her pre-show routine and confessed to “mantras and spreading joy and happiness.” Zoey also teaches yoga, and does a full session when she wakes each morning.
Asked what Parsons does to create a dance? “I listen to the music,” he said. “I listen, listen, listen.” How does he prepare his dancers? “I rehearse, rehearse and rehearse until the body memory is inside them, they don’t have to think and they can just have a wonderful time.” And where does he expect all this is heading? “I live in the moment. I just do the next dance.”
But when he said that “everything is affected by light,” it prompted a burning question from this reporter. In Caught, the strobe lighting creates the illusion of a dancer suspended in midair. “Was she?” I wondered, “and if so… how?” Parsons returned with a quick reply, “How much money do you have for our secrets?”
Clearly, not enough. But the price of a ticket ranging from $12-$72 (including fees), can be purchased at www.Joyce.org, or by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. It is well worth it for a transformative and magical experience that will make you wish you could dance. Or think, perhaps, that maybe you had.
PARSONS DANCE is an internationally renowned contemporary dance company under the artistic direction of director/choreographer David Parsons. The company is committed to building new audiences for contemporary dance by creating American works of extraordinary artistry that are both engaging and uplifting to audiences throughout the world. Parsons Dance tours nationally and internationally, including an annual season in its home community of New York City. Parsons Dance includes nine full-time dancers and maintains a repertory of more than 75 works choreographed by David Parsons. Since 1985, Parsons Dance has toured more than 447 cities, 35 countries, five continents and millions of audience members. Many more have seen Parsons Dance on PBS, Bravo A&E Network and the Discovery Channel.
ABOUT THE JOYCE THEATER
The Joyce Theater Foundation (“The Joyce,” Executive Director, Linda Shelton), a nonprofit organization, has proudly served the dance community for more than four decades. Under the direction of founders Cora Cahan and Eliot Feld, Ballet Tech Foundation acquired and renovated the Elgin Theater in Chelsea. Opening as The Joyce Theater in 1982, it was named in honor of Joyce Mertz, beloved daughter of LuEsther T. Mertz. It was LuEsther’s clear, undaunted vision and abundant generosity that made it imaginable and ultimately possible to build the theater. Ownership was secured by The Joyce in 2015. The theater is one of the only theaters built by dancers for dance and has provided an intimate
and elegant home for over 475 U.S.-based and international companies. The Joyce has also expanded its reach beyond its Chelsea home through off-site presentations at venues ranging in scope from Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater, to Brooklyn’s Invisible Dog Art Center, and outdoor programming in spaces such as Hudson River Park. To further support the creation of new work, The Joyce maintains longstanding commissioning and residency programs. Local students and teachers (1st–12th grade) benefit from its school program, and family and adult audiences get closer to dance with access to artists. The Joyce’s annual season of about 48 weeks of dance includes over 300 performances for
audiences of over 100,000.
For more information, please visit www.Joyce.org.
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