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Hunter College Dance Program Hosts The Alwin Nikolais Legacy Dance Forum October 10 - 12

Date: October 6, 2003
Contact: Marisa Osorio marisa.osorio@hunter.cuny.edu
Phone: (646) 235-2391

The Hunter College's Dance Program will host The Alwin Nikolais Legacy Dance Forum, which will be held Friday, October 10 through Sunday, October 12 at Thomas Hunter Hall, Hunter College.

This is the third in the legacy forum series by Hunter's Dance Program.

"Nikolais was a theater magician who lived before his time and whose work is timeless," said Jana Feinman, director of Hunter College's dance program. Feinman said she is delighted to help celebrate Nikolais' enormous contributions to dance through this legacy forum. Celebrations of Nikolais work are being held world wide to mark the 10th anniversary of his death.

This Nikolais forum precedes the week of performances of Nikolais' work at the Joyce Theater in New York City, October 28 to November 2, 2003.

The forum begins on Friday, October 10 with a 6:30 p.m. reception followed by an 8 p.m. studio performance featuring excerpts from four Nikolais works plus original choreography by Beverly Blossom, Erik Dunlap, Sally Gross, Sara Hook, Henning Rubsam, Jeanette Stoner and others. The evening will include performances of Nikolais divertisements.

On Saturday, Oct. 11 the dance forum features:

  • 9 a.m. Technique class taught by Gladys Bailin.
  • 10:45 a.m. Panel discussion about Nikolais' Early Company, panelists include: Coral Martindale Aubert, Gladys Bailin, Beverly Blossom, Phyllis Lamhut, Murray Louis, Dorothy Vislocky.
  • 12:45 p.m. Lunch break.
  • 1:45 p.m. Keynote address by Murray Louis.
  • 2:30 p.m. Improvisation class taught by Dorothy Vislocky
  • 4 p.m. Panel discussion about "The Next Generations," panelists include: Tandy Beal, Alberto Del Saz, Lynn Levine, Gerald Otte, Trista Redavid and Jeanette Stoner.
  • 8 p.m. Studio performance featuring excerpts from four Nikolais works plus original choreography by Chris Reisner, Tandy Beal, Peter Kyle, Dudley Brooks, Steven Iannacone and others. The evening will include performances of Nikolais divertisements.

On Sunday, Oct. 12 the dance forum features:

  • 10 a.m. Technique class taught by Murrary Louis.
  • 11:45 a.m. Panel discussion about Nikolais artistry and theater technology, panelists include Tom Caravaglia, George Gracey, Ruth Grauert, Jim Van Abbema and John Tomlinson.
  • 1:45 p.m. Lunch break.
  • 3:00 p.m. Improvisation and composition class taught by Phyllis Lamhut.
  • o4:30 p.m. Summary and closing.

Born in 1910, Nikolais, a Connecticut native, became director of his own dance company in New York City in 1949. He made ingenious use of colors, lighting, and sound as integral parts of such abstract and exhilarating dance works as Kaleidoscope (1956), Imago (1963), Tent (1968), Scenario (1971), Gallery (1978), Velocities (1986), and Aurora (1992).

Many of his works have been presented on television in the United States and Great Britain. In 1989 his dance company merged with Murray Louis' company.

Registration for the entire conference is $75. Single Classes, panels and concerts are $15 each. For more information call (212) 772-5010 or e-mail jfeinman@hunter.cuny.edu.

On-site registration begins Saturday, October 11 at 8:30 a.m. Hunter College, Thomas Hunter Hall, 6th floor. All activities will take place on the 6th and 7th floors of Thomas Hunter Hall, which can be accessed by entering the courtyard on 68th Street between Lexington and Park Avenues.

The Hunter College Dance Program offers an opportunity to pursue a B.A. degree in dance within the context of strong liberal arts education. The modern dance-based curriculum provides the student with opportunities to pursue careers in performance, choreography, teaching, arts administration, and production. The curriculum is enriched by a community outreach performance program, repertory classes with New York-based choreographers, international performance opportunities, internships and New York State teaching certification. "Sharing the Legacy at Hunter College is an ongoing series of conferences, lectures, forums, classes and performances, investigating and celebrating this country's rich dance heritage.

About Hunter
With a highly diverse student population of more than 20,000, Hunter is the largest college in the City University of New York (CUNY) system and the first choice among all CUNY applicants. Founded in 1870, the College offers more than 170 undergraduate and graduate programs. Hunter is noted for its professional schools in education, health sciences, nursing and social work, as well as its excellence in the liberal arts. Heralded as the "Crown Jewel of CUNY" by The Princeton Review, Hunter College has a distinguished reputation for nurturing talented minority scientists and meeting the challenge of providing high-quality science education in the 21st century. The College also oversees the Hunter College Campus Schools serving gifted and talented students, preschool through grade 12. For more information about Hunter College, please visit our Web site at http://www.hunter.cuny.edu.

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