Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance returns November 27
Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance (CLD) upcoming Salon Performance at New York City Center Studios, Sunday, November 27 at 3pm, will feature a reimagined reprise of Mythologies, Lavagnino’s (2021) choreographic work inspired by the stories of Ancient Greece, and a first look at CLD’s newest theater-dance work in process, The Winter’s Tale, based on one of Shakespeare’s last great plays.
Mythologies, which premiered in 2021, features sensual sirens, ferocious Amazonian warriors, and the devoted Band of Thebes in this reimagined dance work. Mythologies considers the interchanging nature of gender roles, with Amazonian warriors demonstrating how strength, grace, and femininity can co-exist in a single body by using the percussive and ethereal qualities of the pointe shoe. Lavagnino intermingles her characters in a partnering section bringing the male and female warriors into combative, ardent, and tender coupling, congruent with the fluid sexual practices during this period.
Mythologies is set to a commissioned score composed by Scott Killian (keyboard), Jacob Lawson (violinist), and Carol Lipnik (vocalist). The beautiful and mysterious music, intermingled with text by writer and dramaturge Brian Sostek, creates a sonic voyage for Lavagnino’s choreography.
The November City Center Salon will also include a sneak peek at Cherylyn Lavagnino’s work in process, The Winter’s Tale. Based on one of William Shakespeare’s last great plays, The Winter’s Tale is the story of improbabilities, loyalty, love and forgiveness, themes which align with Lavagnino’s long history of illuminating the various societal challenges faced by women. Her research into the main themes of The Winter’s Tale surround sexual politics and gender norms; at times a comedy and others a tragedy, the plot resides in a patriarchal society in which the role of women is constantly thwarted and limited by male dominance.
In The Winter’s Tale, Lavagnino uses gestures to make the choreography more human and universal. “In the context of theater-dance, familiar gestures can distill a dance vocabulary, guiding the audience toward shared experiences and diverse entry points into the work,” says Lavagnino. “Utilizing poignant gestures assists in defining a character’s attributes, aiding in the identification of the various figures in Shakespeare’s complex plots.” Inspired by the film Drive My Car, Lavagnino researched specific signed language to inform the choreography.
The Winter’s Tale is CLD’s third collaboration between choreographer Cherylyn Lavagnino and renowned composer Martin Bresnick. Bresnick will compose the score in the coming year; during this creative development period, the company is using the music of Max Richter.
Dancers at the CLD Salon are Justin Faircloth, Barrington Hinds, Philip Strom, Michael Wayne Miles, Jr., Dervla Carey-Jones, Corinne Hart, Erin Gallagher, Dorothea Garland, Alexis Branagan, Emma Pajewski, and Gwen Gussman.
Tickets for the performance, at 130 West 56th Street, can be purchased in advance only through BrownPaperTickets, $25 per person, $15 per student with proof of ID. Click here to learn more.