MAURICE CHESTNUT
Floating
Choreography by Maurice Chestnut

ABOUT THIS PIECE
Floating, choreographed by tap artist Maurice Chestnut, showcases tap dance as the leading instrument in a musical mix of jazz, R & B and soul.

COMPANY BIO
Tap dancer Maurice Chestnut performs with The Above Ground Project, a group of artists who have come together to preserve the traditions of all different art forms and genres of music. They have been performing together at venues across the world. This performance marks Chestnut's Fall for Dance debut.

NEW YORK CITY BALLET
Polyphonia
Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon

ABOUT THIS PIECE
"Romantic with comic twists," is how Christopher Wheeldon describes his 2001 work choreographed to 10 eclectic piano pieces by György Ligeti. The composer’s music finds its match in the choreographer’s interweaving of ballet and modem dance movement.

COMPANY BIO
New York City Ballet is one of the foremost dance companies in the world, with an active repertory of more than 150 works, many of which are considered modern masterpieces. The company was established in 1948 by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein, and quickly became world-renowned for its athletic, contemporary style, and compelling ballets. Now under the direction of Peter Martins, the company has more than 90 dancers, a 62-member orchestra, an official school (The School of American Ballet), and an annual 23-week season at Lincoln Center.

LIZ GERRING DANCE COMPANY
Lichtung/Clearing (adapted for Fall for Dance)
Choreography by Liz Gerring

ABOUT THIS PIECE
Lichtung/Clearing is a collaborative visual, sound and movement environment created by Gerring along with visual artist Ursula Scherrer and electronic music composer Michael J. Schumacher. Cinematic in proportions, the dance is enveloped in video and sound.

COMPANY BIO
Since its inception in NYC in 1998, Liz Gerring Dance Company has been exploring non-narrative, abstract movement, often derived from natural gesture. Works are characterized by their intense physicality and intricate choreography. Movement evolves from cause and effect rather than storytelling, and is framed by independent media elements – often a multi-channel sound score, or video set design. The company is noted for its close collaboration with contemporary visual artists and a longtime association with electronic music composer Michael J. Schumacher. The company currently numbers eight dancers including Liz Gerring herself. Since 1998, The Liz Gerring Dance Company has presented work at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, Jacob’s Pillow, Danspace Project, The Connelly Theater, The Kitchen, and other venues nationally.

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
Festa Barocca
Choreography by Mauro Bigonzetti

ABOUT THIS PIECE
Acclaimed Italian ballet choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti brings his highly dramatic style, complex partnering, and seamless blend of classical and modern to the Ailey repertory in Festa Barocca, his first work for an American modern dance company. Set to the music of Handel, this festive piece for 30 dancers showcases the Ailey dancers’ emotional intensity, wit and technical prowess.

COMPANY BIO
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African-American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance. The Ailey company has gone on to perform live for an estimated 23 million people in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents – as well as millions more through television broadcasts. Before his untimely death in 1989, Alvin Ailey designated Judith Jamison as his successor, and over the next 21 years, she brought the Company to unprecedented success. In July 2011, Ms. Jamison passed the mantle to Robert Battle. In announcing his appointment as Artistic Director, Ms. Jamison stated, “Combining an intimate knowledge of the Ailey company with an independent perspective, Robert Battle is without question the creative force of the future.”