This week marks the start of the one month long La Mama Moves! Dance Festival 2013. It is the 8th year of this celebration of dance, and will honor the many dance artists who have performed at La Mama over the years. Beginning on June 7 the festival will showcase ten premieres, some of them full-length creations by both new choreographers and veterans of the art form both local and international.
Included in this exciting roster of choreographers are several who used to call New York their home, but are now plying their trade at the University of Illinois. Renee Wadleigh, an original member of the Paul Taylor Dance Company; Jennifer Monson, who was just honored at the Movement Research Gala of 2013 for her nature-based, site-specific performance art; and Renee Archibald will all share a program entitled “Jennifer Monson & Friends/NY/Urbana.
Also scheduled is the Pavel Zustiak’s highly praised adaptation of the classic allegorical novel The Painted Bird by Polish-born writer Jerzy Kosinski. The New York premier of the award-winning choreographer’s three part story is called The Painted Bird Trilogy and includes Bastard, Amidst and Strange Cargo. The first part was first performed at La Mama in November 2010; the rest taking two more years until completion. The story is highly emotional, following the travels and travails of a “young boy making his way through war-time Eastern Europe and a brilliantly painted bird that is violently killed by its own flock.”honored at the Movement Research Gala of 2013 for her nature-based, site-specific performance art; and Renee Archibald will all share a program entitled “Jennifer Monson & Friends/NY/Urbana.
For more information about the shows go to La Mama. The Dance Theater Club is located at 74a East 4th Street between Bowery and Second Avenue.