“This season is personal to us,” Alison Manning, co-executive director of Harkness Dance Center, told Observer. “As an institution, we all point to the fact that we are in a cultural moment where women’s rights, bodies and voices seem to be under re-threatening. Dance has always been a space for storytelling and truth, and we believe that storytelling is important. By identifying women and women as recognized artists, we want to amplify these sounds, which is a seasonal season, and a seasonal flavor, which is a seasonal manifesto, which is a seasonal magazine, which is a seasonal magazine.
Indeed, women have long been eliminated in the field of dance, and despite the progress made over the past few decades, there is more work to be done. According to the latest report from the Dance Data Project (2023-2024 season), gender inequality is still alive. Of the 2,221 ballerina, modern and modern dance works exhibited in 116 performing arts centers in the United States, only 31.4% of women choreographed 31.4% of the dances. Women choreographed 30.2% of full-length works and 32.3% of mixed ticket works. The theater with the largest seating capability programmed the lowest number of works made by women (22.2%). Of the 217 art directors in the United States and internationally, only 65% (30.0%) are women. Of the 202 choreographers currently serving in resident positions in the company, 90 were female (44.6%) and 110 male (54.5%). Remember that the dance floor is mostly female – Careerexplorer data shows that 87% of dancers are female, while 13% are male.
But enough numbers. When Manning and her team chose the title of “Female Moving World” in this historical creation season, the word “mobile” initially refers to body movement, but over time, the word began to resonate with them in new ways. Movement can also suggest progress and momentum. “For centuries, women have been moving forward with this art form, but usually without equal visibility,” Manning said. “So, in this case, for us, it also means inspiring, creating change, claiming space.”
But there are enough words. Dance! From September to May 92, “Women’s Mobile World” will feature large choreography and beloved hometown companies as well as performances from emerging voices and international artists. An immersive opening celebration will be held, six genres of programs and three different festivals.
What happens on opening night
This season will be open on September 13 Swing loudly: Women move the world– Partially authentic jazz/Lindy hop dance lessons, partly swing dances, partly performing – led by Bessi Award winner Latasha Barnes and accompanied by a Bada ** swing band.
Even though the mission this season is serious and takes great importance, Manning wants to open up with the party. “I’m also working to drive us – ‘meaning 92ny and the artists of the program, as well as the broader dance community of New York dancers, the idea that in the face of all this, we must have joy. We have to celebrate, we have to promote each other.”
As for who should host the opening celebration, Manning immediately thought of Barnes, which embodies many qualities this season (Joy, Resistance, Representative, Legacy) and was part of the first 92ny listing rhythm dance festival last season.
Barnes, from a series of “motors, shakers and innovators”, is an internationally recognized black society dancer. When asked how she felt about the whole season, she said: “Honestly, the thought was ‘broad’, but it might have taken too much time to achieve what actually happened. It’s really humble and it’s really inspiring to me.”
The night will begin with Barnes’ “Very Exciting and Fun Mixed Dance Class,” starting with authentic jazz for those who want to dance alone, and then Lindy Hop for those who want to partner with. The floor will then open for the swing ball and be scattered with live performances, “How bad is the women of New York swingers and how bad is their collective art.” Performers range from young protégés like Reyna Núñez to experienced veterans: “Their faces get rid of their faces like Gaby Cook, and what we call “Guardians of the Flame,” but I call them “Guardians of the Beat.”
92ny’s social dance nights are often packaged and intergenerational, attracting families with children to 90s and dancing the night. “I hope everyone will come out and celebrate,” Barnes said. “It’s the ‘women’s mobile world’, but we want everyone in the space to dance with us.”
Seasonal porters
92NY’s dance history is rooted in modern American dance. The Harkness Dance Center was founded in 1935 by Doris Humphrey and attracted other modern dance pioneers such as Martha Graham, Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, José Limón, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham and Alvin Ailey. So it’s no surprise that most of the shows this season have modern and modern dance.
Some choreographers, such as Yue Yin (whose company YY Dance Company will showcase the world premiere elsewhere Heidi Latsky (Introduction Talk/Show) from October 17-18 Who am I now? Aszure Barton has a long-term relationship with 92NY. Although Andrea Miller has taught at the Harkness Dance Center, her acclaimed company Gallim will perform blush This is the first time on April 30 and May 1. Late Bloom From November 14 to 15, Jodi Melnick and New York City Ballet Principal Sara Mearns will broaden the landscape with the temporary world premiere of crossover ballet Super dazzling (dance into dance form) March 27-28.
Patton, he will Night with Aszure Barton On May 21, he explained: “92ny has been a generation that has been breaking new stances by incredible humanity, and it makes sense to be part of this ongoing dance development.” A one-night show will showcase the breadth of her style while bringing “some of the most refined dancers” together, she has been privileged over the years to work with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Gauthier Dance // Dance Company Haus Stuttgart and elsewhere.
Then there is a festival
Uptown Rhythm Dance Festival (“I am I,” Manning said, “No puns, super jazz!”) returns for the second year from March 2 to 8. 92NY’s show is co-curated through Manning and Tap Sensation Michelle Dorrance and presented with Works & Process in the Tap Conference shoes for the ladies at Guggenheim and Dormeshia.
The week-long festival will include performances, discussions and lessons, “celebrating the power, artistic and cultural influence of women in rhythmic dance.” This year’s roster of all female and female identity artists will perform Tap, Hip Hop, Flamenco, Kathak, Street Dance, Irish Step, Appalachian Flatfooting and more.
The future dance festival will return to its fifth year from April 17 to 18 (the online dance film festival will air from April 16 to 23), as always attracting emerging choreographers and filmmakers, but this year, applicants, panelists and curators will all be female and female identity.
And, according to Manning, this season will be held on February 21, “Indian Classical Dance and Music: What Flows: Indian Music Festival in Intercultural Dialogue, curated by the famous Kathak Artist Rachna Nivas. The daytime plan will include performances by musicians and dancers from North and South Indian descent, traditional food, and “a space that gathers across generations.”
Nivas said that despite the complex history of women having Indian classical dance in their 2000 presence, they are currently well represented and respected in the field. This imbalance is more pronounced in Indian classical music, so she is pleased to highlight the female lead musician with some male accompaniers. “There are festivals like this for us because we don’t…” Here she paused and laughed, “…this is not usually the case.”
Nivas is glad to be surrounded by many incredible women, her “dance sisters”, who are also trained in her master Pandit Chitresh Das. “He will keep telling us and telling the audience when there is a woman stronger and stronger than a man, and a man needs to understand that. It’s really radical.”
The festival will climax in evening performances sayThis is a collaboration between Nivas, Rukhmani Mehta, Michelle Dorrance and Dormeshia and is collaborated by all-female Indian classical and jazz. This conversation between Kathak and American Tap begins at another stop. Nivas’s teacher Das and Dorrance’s Jason Samuels Smith Indian Jazz Suite (2005). Because of this relationship, Nivas and Dorrance have known each other for many years. “At some point, I think it’s time for us to write a new chapter of this conversation between Kasak and tap dance, let the ladies go,” Nivas said. say It premiered in California in 2017 and even toured India, but this New York premiere will not be missed.
“I’m so grateful to Alison and other teams at the Harkness Dance Center for being produced,” Nivas said. “It’s just another proof that women come together, the sky is the limit of what can be done.”
All performances of “Women’s Mobile World” will be held at the historic Kaufmann Hall and the Buttenwieser Hall in the 92NY Arnhold Center. Tickets available here.
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