Al Brancaccio di Roma ritorna "Parsons Dance"

9 - 12 febbraio 2018

Venerdì ore 21, sabato 10 ore 17 e 21, domenica ore 17

PARSONS DANCE

Torna al Teatro Brancaccio di Roma "Parsons Dance", la compagnia americana amata dal pubblico per la sua danza atletica e vitale che trasmette gioia di vivere.

Parsons Dance, nata dal genio creativo dell’eclettico coreografo David Parsons e del light designer Howell Binkley, è tra le poche compagnie che, oltre ad essersi affermate sulla scena internazionale con successo sempre rinnovato, ha lasciato un segno nell’immaginario teatrale collettivo e ha creato coreografie divenute veri e propri “cult” della danza mondiale. I loro show sono già andati in scena in più di 383 città, 22 paesi nei cinque continenti e nei più importanti teatri e festival in tutto il mondo.

Parsons Dance incarna alla perfezione la forza dirompente di una danza carica di energia e positività, acrobatica e comunicativa al tempo stesso. E’ ormai un caposaldo della danza post-moderna made in Usa, che può mixare senza paura tecniche e stili per ottenere effetti magici e teatrali, creativi e divertenti. Una danza elegante, ariosa e virtuosistica

Sin dagli esordi, l’elevata preparazione atletica degli interpreti e la grande capacità di David Parsons di dare anima alla tecnica sono state gli elementi distintivi della compagnia. Come ha scritto il New York Times, “I ballerini vengono scelti per il loro virtuosismo, energia e sex appeal, attaccano il pubblico come un ciclone, una vera forza della natura”.

Sul palcoscenico romano del Teatro Brancaccio da 9 all’12 febbraio 2018 la storica compagnia americana presenterà le coreografie originali tratte dal grande repertorio, come “Wolfgang” – un tributo a Mozart, interpretato da tre coppie di danzatori - “Kind of Blue”, omaggio a Miles Davis, “Nascimento”, sulle musiche del compositore e chitarrista brasiliano Milton Nascimento e “Upend”.

Non mancherà la celebre e richiestissima “Caught” (brano del 1982 che David Parsons creò per se stesso), incredibile assolo su musiche di Robert Fripp nel quale il danzatore sembra sospeso in aria grazie ad un gioco di luci stroboscopiche.

“Caught” è una hit della modern dance definita dalla critica: “una delle più grandi coreografie degli ultimi tempi”.

Parsons Dance incarna il senso più genuino di una danza che punta dritto all’emozione e al desiderio nascosto di ogni spettatore di ballare, saltare e gioire insieme ai ballerini. Difficile non lasciarsi trasportare dai ritmi vibranti e dalle coreografie avvolgenti e colorate dei ballerini della Parsons Dance...

Artistic Director

DAVID PARSONS

General Manager

REBECCA JOSUE

Resident Lighting Designer

HOWELL BINKLEY

Dancers

ELENA D'AMARIO

GEENA PACAREU

EOGHAN DILLON

ZOEY ANDERSON

JUSTUS WHITFIELD

DEIDRE ROGAN

SHAWN LESNIAK

HENRY STEELE

REBECCA JOSUE, Stage Manager

CHRISTOPHER CHAMBERS, Lighting Supervisor

FABRIZIO CAPUTO, Production Manager

PROGRAMMA

WOLFGANG

(2005)

Choreography by David Parsons

Lighting by Michael Mazzola and Howell Binkley

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Costumes by David Murin

ELENA D'AMARIO or DEIDRE ROGAN GEENA PACAREU EOGHAN DILLON

ZOEY ANDERSON JUSTUS WHITFIELD SHAWN LESNIAK

Wolfgang è stato originariamente commissionato e creato per Aspen Santa Fe Ballet

KIND OF BLUE

(2001)

Choreography by David Parsons

Lighting Design by Howell Binkley

Music by Miles Davis

Original Costume Design by Mia McSwain

ELENA D'AMARIO or GEENA PACAREU EOGHAN DILLION

ZOEY ANDERSON or DEIDRE ROGAN JUSTUS WHITFIELD

Kind of Blue è stato commissionato dal Umbria Jazz Festival di Perugia, in Italia. È un omaggio al 75° anniversario della nascita di Miles Davis e include la musica del suo album jazz più venduto di tutti i tempi.

UPEND

(2017)

Choreography by Ephrat Asherie and David Parsons

Lighting Design by Howell Binkley

Music by Marty Beller

Costumes by Naomi Luppescu

ELENA D'AMARIO GEENA PACAREU EOGHAN DILLON

ZOEY ANDERSON JUSTUS WHITFIELD DEIDRE ROGAN SHAWN LESNIAK

UpEnd e la partitura originale è stata commissionata da Parsons Dance per la stagione 2017, con il supporto privato della O'Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation.

CAUGHT

(1982)

Choreography by David Parsons

Lighting Concept by David Parsons

Lighting Design by Howell Binkley

Music by Robert Fripp, “Let the Power Fall”

Costume Design by Judy Wirkula

ELENA D'AMARIO or ZOEY ANDERSON

Caught viene mantenuta nel repertorio attivo della Parsons Dance attraverso generoso sostegno da parte deLLA Jim and Linda Ellis Foundation.

luci stroboscopiche verranno utilizzati durante questo coreografia

NASCIMENTO

(1990)

Choreography by David Parsons

Lighting Design by Howell Binkley

Music by Milton Nascimento

Costumes by Santo Loquasto

ELENA D'AMARIO or GEENA PACAREU EOGHAN DILLON

ZOEY ANDERSON JUSTUS WHITFILED DEIDRE ROGAN

SHAWN LESNIAK HENRY STEELE

Nascimento è stato commissionato dal Festival in the Sun all’University of Arizona at Tucson. Un ringraziamento speciale a Milton Nascimento che ha composto questa partitura come regalo per la Compagnia e a A. Alexandra Jupin, Executive Direttori del Festival in the Sun.

LA COMPAGNIA

DAVID PARSONS (Artistic Director/Co-Founder) has enjoyed a remarkable career as a director, choreographer, performer, master teacher and producer of dance. Mr. Parsons was born in Chicago and raised in Kansas City. In the early years of his career, he performed with The Paul Taylor Dance Company, New York City Ballet, Berlin Opera, and The White Oak Dance Project with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Mark Morris. Mr. Parsons has created more than 80 works for Parsons Dance. Commissions include American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Batsheva Dance Company, Spoleto Festival, and Het Muziektheater in Amsterdam, to name a few. His work has been performed by Paris Opera Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Joffrey Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Ballet do Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janiero, among many others. Parsons has worked on such diverse projects as choreographing the twenty-four hour millennium celebration in Times Square, Julie Taymor’s film Fool’s Fire, AIDA at Opera de Verona, and AEROS, a production featuring the Romanian Gymnastic Federation, the Italian production of Hair. He choreographed and directed Maria de Buenos Aires for Gotham Chamber Opera and Remember Me, a collaboration with East Village Opera Company. As a director and choreographer, he has collaborated with such diverse artists as John Corrigliano; Earth, Wind and Fire; Morton Gould; Donna Karan; Alex Katz; William Ivy Long; Santo Loquasto; Dave Matthews; Milton Nascimento; Robert Rauschenberg; Steely Dan; and Dr. Billy Taylor. Mr. Parsons holds an honorary doctorate and was the first recipient of the Howard Gilman Fellowship to complete his MFA at Jacksonville University. He is a recipient of the 2000 Dance Magazine Award, the 2001 American Choreography Award and the 2011 Dance Masters of America Award. The New York Times has called Mr. Parsons “one of the great movers of modern dance."

ELENA D’AMARIO (Dancer) was born in Pescara, Italy. She studied modern, ballet, contemporary and tap at various schools throughout Italy, most prominently at New Step Art Studio. Over the years, she has won multiple festivals and competitions, including the Pescara Dance Festival, the International Expression Dance Competition in 2008, and the International TipTap show in 2007 and 2009 in Rome. Elena has appeared on multiple TV shows including “Oscar TV”, “The Best Years” and “Il ballo delle debuttanti”. She auditioned for the most popular Italian talent show “Amici di Maria De Filippi,” which led her to winning the opportunity to apprentice with Parsons Dance for the 2010-2011 season. She joined Parsons Dance in August 2011.

GEENA PACAREU (Dancer) began dancing at an early age in her native Tarragona, Spain, at Artemis Dansa, and continued her training in The Royal Professional Conservatory of Dance "Mariemma" in Madrid, where she graduated in 2011 in classical dance. She also studied contemporary dance at various schools, during intensive summer courses and workshops, including Laban Trinity in London. Before graduating, she was accepted as a fulltime Trainee at Ajkun Ballet Theatre in New York City, and promoted to Company Artist in 2012. During her training, Geena assisted numerous workshops and intensive courses all over the world. She was featured as a cast member in numerous performances and has won multiple festivals and competitions. Geena has been a member of Parsons Dance since 2013.

EOGHAN DILLON (Dancer) was born in County Tyrone, Ireland. At the age of four, he moved to Canada where he began dancing at the age of 12. In 2012, Mr. Dillon received a full scholarship to the Ailey School in NYC where he studied under many prestigious professionals. After graduating, Eoghan attended the School at Jacob's pillow where he performed works by Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, Didy Veldman, and Sharon Eyal. He has since performed and toured with many professional companies, including Manuel Vignoulle Dance and The Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. Eoghan joined Parsons Dance in November of 2014.

ZOEY ANDERSON (Dancer) was born and raised in Utah where she trained in contemporary, ballet, jazz and ballroom dance at Center Stage. She was the ballroom national smooth champion in 2010. Zoey graduated cum laude from Marymount Manhattan College in May of 2015 with a BFA in Ballet under the direction of Katie Langan. She has performed works by Dwight Rhoden, Lar Lubovitch and Aszure Barton, among others. Zoey has performed with Nikolais Louis in the Yang Liping International Dance festival in Kunming China in 2013. Other credits include the Broadway premiere gala of On The Town, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Dancing With The Stars webisodes, and Macy’s Passport Tour with P. Diddy. Zoey has been a member of Parsons Dance since 2015.

JUSTUS WHITFIELD (Dancer) is from Las Vegas, Nevada where he trained in ballet, modern, and jazz at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts. He performed with Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater in 2014 under the direction of Bernard Gaddis. Justus graduated with a BA in dance from Point Park University in 2016 where he performed works by various artists including George Balanchine, Troy Powell, and Garfield Lemonius. Justus joined Parsons Dance in 2016.

DEIDRE ROGAN (Dancer) began her dance training in Fort Myers, FL at Gulfshore Ballet under the direction of Melinda Roy and Roberto Munoz. Diedre has worked with choreographers Milton Myers, Matthew Rushing, Hope Boykin, Ronald K. Brown, Sonia Dawkins, and Cheryl Copeland and performed in Alvin Ailey’s Memoria during Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 2012 New York City Center season. She is a three-time recipient of a BIG ARTS awards scholarship and a National Young Arts award scholarship. Diedre graduated with honors from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance, and then was a member of Ailey 2 for 2 years. Deidre was an understudy with Parsons Dance for the 2016-17 season before joining the company in the fall of 2017.

SHAWN LESNIAK (Dancer) began his dance training in East Haven, Connecticut under the tutelage of Sandee and Linda Juliano. At his hometown dance studio Shawn trained in many dance styles including Jazz, Ballet, Tap, and Hip Hop. After dancing competitively for ten years he decided to further his dance education at Point Park University, where he is pursuing his BFA. This is Shawn’s first season with the company.

HENRY STEELE (Dancer) was born and raised in Wollongong, NSW, Australia. He was a competitive gymnast for 8 years, and a national gold medalist 3 years in a row. During his final years as a gymnast, he began to make the transition to dance. Henry graduated from Point Park University with a BFA in Modern and Jazz dance in 2016, where he performed works by choreographers such as Lar Lubovitch, Mark Morris, Madboots Dance, Ronin Korean, and Troy Powell. He has danced professionally with Owen/ Cox Dance Group, Texture Contemporary Ballet, and toured internationally with The Bad Boys of Ballet. This is Henry’s first season with the company.

HOWELL BINKLEY (Resident Lighting Designer/Co-Founder) is the proud cofounder of Parsons Dance for which he has designed more than 70 pieces. His Broadway designs include: Prince of Broadway, Come From Away (2017 Tony Nomination), Hamilton, Allegiance, After Midnight (2014 Tony Nomination), How to Succeed… (2011 Tony Nomination), West Side Story (2009 Tony Nomination), Gypsy starring Patti LuPone, In The Heights (2008 Tony nomination), Avenue Q, The Full Monty, Parade, Kiss Of The Spider Woman (1993 Tony nomination). He has made extensive regional and dance works for Alvin Ailey, American Ballet Theatre, Hubbard Street, and The Joffrey Ballet’s Billboards. He is a five-time Helen Hayes Award recipient and was given the 1993 Sir Laurence Olivier Award and the Canadian Dora Award for Kiss of The Spider Woman. Howell received the 2006 Henry Hewes Design Award, 2006 Outer Critics Circle Award, the 2006 Tony Award for Jersey Boys and the 2016 Tony Award and the 2015 Drama Desk Award for Hamilton

photo by Lois Greenfield