Paramodernities is a series of lecture-performances, or dance-experiments, generated through deconstructions of landmark modern choreographies, performed alongside contributions by scholars and writers who situate these iconic works within the larger project of Modernity. Exploring foundational tenets of modern discourse— such as sovereignty, race, feminism, and ableism —Paramodernities includes public discussions as inseparable parts of the work.
The complete six-part encyclopedic series weaves theory and performance into a four-hour-long event. With equal parts reverence and violence, Yerushalmy and a cast of 20 dancers and scholars, ranging in age from 21 to 69, perform responses to Nijinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps (1913), Graham’s Night Journey (1947), Ailey’s Revelations (1960), a mix of Cunningham works (1968-1990), dance numbers from Fosse’s film Sweet Charity (1969), and a response to Balanchine’s Agon (1957).
Paramodernities offers an utterly unique hybrid of academic conference, dance performance, and town hall gathering.
PARAMODERNITIES is made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. PARAMODERNITIES is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation Fund Project, commissioned by Jacob’s Pillow in partnership with New York Live Arts, HMD’s Bridge Project, and NPN. The Creation Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). PARAMODERNITIES is also commissioned by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and developed as part of LMCC’s Extended Life Dance Development program made possible in part by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (LMCC.net). The development of PARAMODERNITIES was made possible in part by NCCAkron, the National Center for Choreography at the University of Akron. Additional support came from LMCC’s Creative Engagement Fund and residencies at Trinity College, Williams College, the Arts Research Institute and the Department of Theater Arts at University of California Santa Cruz, BAC Space Residency at Baryshnikov Arts Center, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, The Watermill Center - a laboratory for performance, Madison Square Park Conservancy, Harkness Dance Center’s Artist-in-Residence Program at 92Y, Movement Research Artist-in-Residence Program. Paramodernities #1 was Produced by Hebbel am Ufer as part of Tanz über Gräben: 100 Years of Le Sacre du Printemps, supported by the German Federal Cultural Foundation. The New York presentation of PARAMODERNITIES was supported by The Harkness Foundation for Dance, The Gilbert Heritage Foundation, and contributions from individual doors. The George Balanchine Trust is wholly unaffiliated with, and no choreography from George Balanchine’s Agon is included in this work. PARAMODERNITIES is produced with and managed by Los Angeles Performance Practice / PerformancePractice.org.
PHOTOGRAPHS: Hayim Heron ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ); Paul Lobo ( 4 )