The Bessies to honor Japan Society's Yoko Shioya

Yoko Shioya, Artistic Director of Japan Society will receive
a Bessie: the 2019 Presenter Award for Outstanding Curation.

The Bessies organization (New York Dance and Performance Awards) has announced the recipient of its 2019 Presenter Award for Outstanding Curation--Yoko Shioya, Artistic Director of Japan Society. “Yoko has been an amazing force for good in the New York dance world, curating with a bold and discerning eye and bringing important work across cultures,” said Bessies Executive Director Lucy Sexton. “I am so pleased she is being honored with this award.” And I agree!

Celebrate with Shioya at the Bessies Presenters Gathering on Sunday, January 6 (5pm to 7pm) at La MaMa La Galleria. Free and open to all! RSVP here.

La MaMa La Galleria
47 Great Jones Street (between Bowery and Lafayette), Manhattan
(map/directions)

BIO

Yoko Shioya became artistic director of Japan Society in 2006, overseeing the organization’s performing arts and film departments. Since assuming the position of Director of Performing Arts in 2003, she has enlarged the scale and number of commissions for the creation of new works related to Japanese culture by non-Japanese artists, and increased the number of tours of Japan Society-produced works throughout North America. Shioya also launched new initiatives, including co-producing commissioned work by international artists with presenting organizations in Japan, presenting works from East Asian countries, and establishing artists’ residency projects in New York City. Known in Japan as a writer and researcher on the public and private arts support systems in the U.S. and Japan, Shioya has been invited to speak at numerous symposia and lectures and on TV programs presented by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of the Japanese government, Keidanren, the Academy of Cultural Economics, and the Japan Council of Performers’ Organizations, among others. She has been a regular contributor to arts columns on performing arts and exhibitions for the Asahi newspaper, and has served as a committee member and selection panelist for numerous programs, including the Bessie Awards, Rolex Mentor and Protegé International Program, and the Toyota Choreography Awards. Shioya holds BAs in musicology and dance history from Tokyo National University of the Arts.

About the Presenter Award for Outstanding Curating

Established in 2017, the Bessies Presenter Award for Outstanding Curating recognizes a presenter or curator of work performed in the New York City area. It is presented to an individual or curatorial team whose work has had a palpable impact on artists, audiences, or the dance and performance field in general. While the award can recognize sustained achievement in curating or presenting over time, it can equally recognize a particular project, festival, or season that occurred in the past year. Visiting or guest curators, as well as full-time curators and presenters, are eligible. The recipient is chosen jointly by the Bessies Selection and Bessies Steering Committees. The first Presenter Award (in 2017) went to Judy Hussie-Taylor, Executive Director and Chief Curator of Danspace Project, for her curation of A Body in Places, Danspace Project Platform 2016 by Eiko Otake. The second awardee (in 2018) was Joseph V. Melillo, Executive Producer of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, for his championing of dance on the stages of BAM.

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DISCLAIMER: In addition to my work on InfiniteBody, I serve as Senior Curatorial Director of Gibney. The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views, strategies or opinions of Gibney.

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"Confusing times" call for clarity: Discuss!

Judy Hussie-Taylor
Exective Director and Chief Curator
Danspace Project
(photo: Michael Kirby)

In these confusing times, why and how do performing arts presenters and curators decide what work to present in their season? What is the interplay of determining factors – sociopolitical climate, curatorial vision, audience trends, diversity, the bottom line?

--publicity text for "Commissioning and Presenting in Confusing Times," an Open Spectrum Community Dialogue presented by New York Live Arts and co-curated with Brian Tate of The Tate Group

"For some reason, I kept calling this panel Presenting in A Crisis," said moderator Judy Hussie-Taylor, introducing Commissioning and Presenting in Confusing Times, hosted by New York Live Arts last week. Her alternate title made more sense, really, since most of us in the arts are not at all confused. We're clearheaded enough to be damned angry.

That sense of specific, political outrage seemed elusive at this gathering of five of New York's most powerful curators and presenters--Lili Chopra (French Institute Alliance Française), Tim Griffin (The Kitchen), Kamilah Forbes (Apollo Theater), Jay Wegman (NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts) and Hussie-Taylor herself, an innovator who has made space for award-winning "Platform" programming at historic Danspace Project.

Referring to our current American moment as "a crisis, the turning point in a disease," Hussie-Taylor suggested that her panelists might tackle four questions:

• What needs to be explored?
• What or who needs to be honored?
• What or who needs to be challenged?
• What needs to be jettisoned?

Relatively new to their positions, Forbes and Wegman are both clearly still researching, experimenting and seeking their best path at institutions with, respectively, formidable cultural legacy (the Apollo) and conventional, somewhat muddled programming (NYU Skirball). Wegman--formerly, and famously, artistic director of Abrons Arts Center--was forthcoming about challenges he faces in replacing stodgy Skirball fare with something actually attractive to NYU students. To do so, he has let go of familiar acts that, as he put it, tend to do little but recycle their material. The 2016 election re-energized his focus, inspiring him to produce more adventurous events such as an appearance by author Ta-Nehisi Coates and the U.S. premiere of a controversial Palestinian play, The Siege.

All the panelists expressed, to one degree or another, dedication to supporting artists and putting artists' needs and concerns at the center of operations--with all the practical complications that can entail. Forbes argued that the job of the institution is to be the locus of transformation and a vehicle for creating the "21st Century canon." But, for the most part, I must say I walked away still questioning how this might be achieved, not just at the Apollo, but elsewhere in what is arguably the arts capital and most progressive city of our nation.

Even in New York's dance and performance community, we are still looking at citadels of power in need of the knowledge, skill, insight and visionary courage of more women and more people of color. The expertise and talent, which I witness regularly, are out here in abundance....and not in the least in a state of confusion. 

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651 Arts to honor former directors...oh, and LISA FISCHER will sing!

Singer Lisa Fischer

Have you heard???

Save the date--Thursday, May 1--for a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of 651 ARTS at BAM's Lepercq Space!

A festive night to commemorate 25 years of celebrating and cultivating performing arts of the African Diaspora honoring our former Executive Directors Mikki Shepard (Executive Producer, Apollo Theater), Maurine Knighton (Senior Vice President of Operations, The Nathan Cummings Foundation) and Georgiana Pickett (Executive Director, Baryshnikov Arts Center) with performance by GRAMMY Award Winner Lisa Fischer. Hosted by Jodine Dorcé.

Come dressed in your party best for a reception, honoree presentation, performance and party with DJ NY Giant!

For information, call 651 ARTS at 718-636-4181. For sponsorship opportunities, email sponsorship@651ARTS.org or call 718-230-2528.

Presenting dance now: panel on new venues, new approaches

Movement Research Studies Project

presents

NEW MODELS FOR PRESENTING DANCE 

IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Tuesday, February 4, 6pm

Gibney Dance Center

890 Broadway, 5th Floor (between 19th and 20th Streets)

(map/directions)

The landscape of dance presentation in NYC has undergone a dynamic shift over the last five years. New spaces for showing work have opened. Museums and galleries are regularly programming performance, and several venues that present multiple artistic genres have become specifically interested in presenting dance. This conversation, with a sampling of voices from these venues, will create a layered portrait of the constantly shifting field of dance presentation and examine its new directions. How do these shifts in presenting spaces and structures address the current condition of the arts and artists in NYC, how do they affect the way artists make work and how that work is seen?

panelists 

(as of 1/26)

Brian Rogers (The Chocolate Factory)

Sally Silvers (Roulette)

Lucien Zayan (The Invisible Dog)

(others TBA)

DNA update (as of September 12)

SEPTEMBER 12 Update from Dance New Amsterdam

Dear DNA Community, Today we have reached an agreement with our landlord, Fram Realty, that allows DNA to remain at its current location through mid-October, after which DNA has agreed to leave 280 Broadway.  However, Fram Realty has agreed, in good faith, to continue to listen to any viable proposals DNA presents to it. Our agreement is being documented and submitted to the Bankruptcy Court for approval. Classes and rentals will be running through October 13. Know that we continue to work on a solution to support the DNA teachers, students,  artist,  audiences,  etc.; but as of yet,  we have not been able to secure a partner or find another solution that would allow us to meet DNA's business responsibilities and remain at 280 Broadway. The DNA Community is more than a 280 Broadway space; it exists regardless of where we work, dance, teach, create, and perform. For our part, we will help keep the lines of communication open between teachers, students, artists, and community supporters while looking for ways to keep our programs alive.  In the meantime, please come take class and rehearse! With great respect and awe, Catherine A. PeilaExecutive/Artistic Director

For InfiniteBody's earlier post on the DNA situation, click here.

Lofti Mansouri, 84

Lotfi Mansouri, S.F. Opera director 13 years, dies
by Joshua Kosman, SFGate, August 30, 2013

Downtown school and presenter Dance New Amsterdam in crisis [with UPDATE 9/12]

News arrived yesterday of the sudden laying off of Dance New Amsterdam's entire staff as a result of failure to reach an agreement that would keep the 29-year-old educational and presenting organization going through bankruptcy and restructuring. This unanticipated development leaves not only staff, faculty, students and artist residents scrambling for alternatives but numerous dance troupes facing the challenge of securing new venues for upcoming performance seasons in which they had already heavily invested.

InfiniteBody will post links to reports and discussions of this issue and information on resources as these materials become available. Please forward your notes and announcements to infinitebody[at]outlook[dot]com or use the comments section here to share your thoughts, ideas and relevant information.

Thank you!

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Dance Center Seeks Help Keeping Doors Open
by Jacqueline Palank, The Wall Street Journal (8/29)

Dance New Amsterdam posts announcement on bankruptcy and closure (8/29)

Curtain Closes on Dance New Amsterdam
by Nadine DeNinno, International Business Times (8/29)

UPDATES

DNA raises $50,000, will remain open for business at least through next week. Click here for more information.

September 4 update from DNA:

First and foremost, we are working with the court and our landlord toward a definitive date on which we present a viable plan for DNA’s future. We hope to have that definitive date on or before Thursday, September 12, our next court date.

In the meantime, DNA will be fully open through the end-of-day on Thursday, September 12th. We’ll be running with a smaller administrative staff, but our faculty and modern guest artists will be here as usual.

Click here for complete text of update.

September 12 Update from DNA

Dear DNA Community, Today we have reached an agreement with our landlord, Fram Realty, that allows DNA to remain at its current location through mid-October, after which DNA has agreed to leave 280 Broadway.  However, Fram Realty has agreed, in good faith, to continue to listen to any viable proposals DNA presents to it. Our agreement is being documented and submitted to the Bankruptcy Court for approval. Classes and rentals will be running through October 13. Know that we continue to work on a solution to support the DNA teachers, students,  artist,  audiences,  etc.; but as of yet,  we have not been able to secure a partner or find another solution that would allow us to meet DNA's business responsibilities and remain at 280 Broadway. The DNA Community is more than a 280 Broadway space; it exists regardless of where we work, dance, teach, create, and perform. For our part, we will help keep the lines of communication open between teachers, students, artists, and community supporters while looking for ways to keep our programs alive.  In the meantime, please come take class and rehearse! With great respect and awe, Catherine A. PeilaExecutive/Artistic Director

Harlem Stage's "Makandal" opera will tour Haiti and South Africa

Harlem Stage Prepares to Export Its Own Opera
by Felicia R. Lee, The New York Times, July 28, 2013

Paul Szilard, 100

Paul Szilard (1912 – 2013) died peacefully at home on Friday, 26 July 2013, at the age of 100.  He was born in Budapest, Hungary (August 24, 1912) and became a United States citizen in the 1950’s. A former leading dancer, Paul Szilard has performed throughout the world with such famous dancers as Nora Kaye, Colette Marchand, Sonia Arova and others.

As a world-renowned impresario, he has presented such prestigious dance companies as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (for whom he was the exclusive international representative for almost 40 years), New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company, Dancers of Bali, Madrid’s Ballet Víctor Ullate, Universal Ballet and the American premiere engagement of the Bunraku Japanese Doll Theater.

The list of internationally-acclaimed artists presented by Paul Szilard is impressive, including such legendary stars as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Eric Bruhn, Patrick Dupond, Judith Jamison, John Taras, Violette Verdy, Donna Wood and many others.

Mr. Szilard produced the first Japanese tour of West Side Story with an American cast rehearsed by Jerome Robbins.  It was the first English language Broadway show from New York to appear there. The entire company (cast and musicians) came from New York. In 2007 in Paris the Theatre du Chatelet and Michael Brenner for BB Promotion in collaboration with Paul Szilard Productions, Inc. presented a sold out 50th Anniversary Production of this classic musical, with an American cast that performed in English.

He was responsible for countless celebrated cultural events and galas throughout Asia, Australia and Europe as well as in the United States. He produced and presented the Bavarian National Ballet of the Munich State Opera at the New York State Theater. He presented American Ballet Theater at the Nouveau Festival International de Danse de Paris. He also presented Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the same festival in 2001.

His much-awaited autobiography, Under My Wings: My Life as an Impresario, was published in 2002.

In 2010, Mr. Szilard was presented with a special tribute by the New York City Ballet in honor of his work for the School of American Ballet, specifically for his philanthropic contributions to the School via his bookings of Balanchine’s Symphony in C. Also in 2010, Szilard was honored by the mayor of Gyor, Hungary, for his lifelong contribution to the world of dance.

In 2012, in honor of his years of bringing great dance to France and for his outstanding and numerous contributions to French culture, Mr. Szilard was decorated by the French Ministry of Culture.  He was presented with the decoration at a gala in his honor in Paris on June 25, on the occasion of the Opening Night of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s four-week season at the Theatre du Chatelet.

Last September there was a Celebration Party in honor of his 100th birthday with numerous luminaries from the dance world and friends and associates gathering to salute this unique man who did some much for the arts and for so many.

Obituary courtesy of KPMAssociates