next@90 Festival A: Garland / Roberts / Rowe Premieres
HAFFNER SERENADE. Robert Garland finds motivation in the African word Sankofa, which represents the need to understand the past in order to move into the future. For Haffner Serenade, set to Mozart's Serenade for orchestra in D major, Garland has created a solo which involves West African movement set in a classical context, adding "There are elements to older music that retain what I feel are African American and African-centered rhythms and syncopation." RESURRECTION. Jamar Roberts' Resurrection, set to Gustav Mahler's dramatic Totenfeier for orchestra, involves a "witchy" lead woman who enlists the help of her community to resurrect and control a dead man, when something goes awry. MADCAP. Danielle Rowe's love of storytelling and theatrics is brought to the fore in this premiere, which dissects the anatomy of a clown and uses its motion as inspiration for the choreography. Set to eerie, carnival-inspired music, MADCAP offers an unusual task for the dancers: using their voices, with recitation, singing, percussive hisses and hoops and hollers throughout the ballet. NO/NO attendees received SWAG bags.