How Kate Skarpetowska created striking dances of her own

Buoyant, vivid movement; sensual partnering; and relatable themes have made Parsons Dance a New York staple since 1985. With his stable of sexy, muscular dancers, founder David Parsons has crafted 50 trademark works, often including of-the-moment elements like contemporary rock music. Through January 22nd at the Joyce Theater, audiences can catch both Parsons’ work (including the premiere of his Round My World), as well as the choreography of a former company member, Kate Skarpetowska. “To be able to produce young artists is a complete joy,” Parsons says. “For me, it’s a part of dance.”

In the haunting and aptly titled A Stray’s Lullably (pictured above), Skarpetowska explores the world of the underdog. As car horns and street noise drift in and out, four dancers torque and twist in rounded phrases, hands reaching out and eyes focused down. They move in unison and then writhe separately, melting into hunched positions in slow motion as if floating in sea water. The two solos and duet tell the stories of four downtrodden pedestrians, each with yearning gestures and space-gobbling phrases.

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Chunky Move changes the rules of dance

There’s a massive paper net hanging over the floor. It’s suspended in the air by dozens of strings, and when they move, the net springs to life, undulating like a wave or swinging like a pendulum.

And then there are dancers. They move beneath the sculpture and beside it, creating elegant shapes with their paper partner. It’s an eerie, beautiful effect, and it makes Connected, the latest show from the Australian dance company Chunky Move, a striking part of the Joyce Theater’s fall season.

“[The sculpture] is mesmeric and organic,” says Gideon Obarzanek, the company’s founder and artistic director. “When it first moves, the audience gasps, giggling in awe. It’s very gratifying.”

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After Sixteen Years, Annmaria Mazzini Leaves the Paul Taylor Dance Company

This year, Paul Taylor Dance Company celebrates 57 years, bringing classic repertoire and New York premieres alike to New York City Center. The group’s founder, modern dance giant Paul Taylor, choreographs dances that stretch from playful, buoyant, and narrative to sensual, abstract, and fluid. He just turned 80, but as one of the keepers of the modern legacy—his contemporaries include Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, and José Limón—Taylor doesn’t seem to be losing any steam.

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On Christmas Day, why not treat yourself to a show? Plenty of Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres are open for business on December 25th!

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American Ballet Theatre puts a vivid twist on a holiday classic

As the holidays approach, the dance world offers its annual flurry of The Nutcracker, that classic holiday tale about a little girl, her new Nutcracker doll, and their fanciful adventures on Christmas Eve. This year, there’s particular buzz surrounding the American Ballet Theatre’s production, which begins on December 22 at Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House. The troupe’s making waves because its Nutcracker is choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky.

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