Moving Men Brother(hood) Dance!, Pia Vinson, Alyssa Derling, Chafin Seymour

About This Show

Black Jones
Brother(hood) Dance!

Through a ritualistic process, Bother(hood) Dance! creates a safe space for black men to activate their emotional and spiritual selves otherwise denied in contemporary, religious dogma. An exploration of manhood through the naked lens of two same-gender loving men and inspired by ShiKeith’s #Blackmendream project, this new work will investigate the humanistic and emotional connection that is viciously suffocated by the lack of societal images of black male intimacy.

The Edge
Choreographed by Pia Vinson
Interpreted by Lorenzo Pagano (Martha Graham Dance Company).

Neves
Derling Dance Arts

Experience two hunky males perform choreography that was created outside of the usual realm of dance. This collaborative duet entitled Neves was created in July of 2014. Neves was created to be a part of The 12 by 12 Dance Initiative. All choreography was generated in unique atmospheres and outside of the dance studio. This piece was originally performed by a male & female and we are excited to see the work performed by 2 males as a part of Moving Men.

Gaze
Choreography: Chafin Seymour in collaboration with the performers
Performers: David Glista, Cameron McKinney, Sean Nederlof
Music: Octo Octa, Father John Misty, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, DJ Dodger Stadium, Action Bronson & Party Supplies
Sound Design: Chafin Seymour

Gaze is a work in progress in which three male performers inhabit a shared space of individual investigation. What started as a study on the notion of the “male gaze” has become a task oriented, musically driven rendering of awareness, ownership, and voyeurism. The work treats subjectivity as a given but questions the viewer’s autonomy and makes a case for understanding the implications.

 

About the Artists

Brother(hood) Dance! is a collective formed in April 2014 as a duo that research, create and perform dances of freedom by Orlando Zane Hunter, Jr. and Ricarrdo Valentine. As a collective, we debuted in a non-traditional space of a Brooklyn Brownstone living room. The collective has performed at FiveMyles, Center for Performance Research, JACK, Dixon Place, Open Season at the Urban Justice League, Queens College (Godwin Ternbach Museum), Grace Street Theater (VA), and other venues.

Pia Vinson was born and raised in France where she began her studies in tap dance and ballet at the age of 4 years old. While attending the National School of Tarn, she studied with Dominique Thouroude and attended workshops with Agnès Nolténius (William Forsythe Company) and Marie­José Redon (Paris Opéra Ballet) among many others. By the age of 18, she was working for the National Opera of Montpellier as a dancer/mime in La Traviata, Manon Lescaut and other productions directed by Jean­Paul Scarpitta. In January of 2012, Pia received a scholarship for the Professional Training Program at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, with focus on establishing herself as a choreographer. She has been choreographing for the Martha Graham Students Showcases and has been working with Martha Graham Company members. She used her skills in ballet and Graham technique to build her own vocabulary and also draws from hip hop and african dances. On July 20th 2013, she shared the stage with the Joffrey Ballet and Ballet Jazz Montréal at the Festival “Danses en Place” in France to present her choreography “The Edge” interpreted by Lorenzo Pagano (Martha Graham Dance Company). Pia Vinson presented her piece “Contrast” during the MTA Art Series “Platform” at the end of June 2014.

Chafin Seymour is a Brooklyn, NY native whose training and experience in dance have been investigative and eclectic. He began his training in earnest in high school with Dancewave and at the Packer Collegiate Institute. He received his BFA with Distinction in Dance from The Ohio State University Department of Dance in 2012. Since returning to his home borough he has had the pleasure of performing with Dante Brown|Warehouse Dance & Ni’Ja Whitson Adebanjo among others. He founded seymour::dancecollective in 2011 with aims of crossing boundaries culturally and aesthetically. Their work has been presented by Center for Performance Research (CPR), Dixon Place, Triskelion Arts, The Brooklyn Dance Festival, The Current Sessions, and Gibney Dance Center.

Alyssa Derling is Artistic Director of Derling Dance Arts, a professional not for profit dance company operating out of the tri state area.  Alyssa holds her BFA in Modern Dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.  Alyssa’s choreography has been presented at various theatres/venues as well her work has been seen on the PBS Channel.  Recent choreographic credits include showing work in Central Park for the Check It Out Festival, Suzanne Roberts Theatre in Philadelphia for The Come Together Dance Festival with Koresh Dance Company, and performing as a finalist in Rider University’s Emerging Choreographer’s Competition.

Tuesday, May 5 at 7:30pm

General Admission
$12 in advance
$15 at the door

Students / seniors
$10

Estimated Runtime
45 minutes

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Credits

Black Jones
Featuring
Orlando Hunter & Ricarrdo Valentine
Costume Designers
Tennille McMillian/Nakimuli & Brother(hood) Dance!
Music by
Claudia Rankine; Frank Ocean

Derling Dance Arts
Joseph Monteleone, Robert Foerster, Jessica Totaro, Alyssa Derling

Photo Credits (L to R)
Ricarrdo Valentine, Brother(hood) Dance!
Alyssa Derling
Paul B. Goode, Pia Vinson

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