Houston’s Group Acorde premieres ‘Gasp’ at MATCH on November 14th
Group Acorde presents Gasp: An evening highlighting composer Andrew Lienhard and choreographer Anat Grigorio. Gasp will be at MATCHbox 2 November 14-16.
Lienhard’s work in collaboration with contemporary dance choreographers Roberta Paixao Cortes, Dawn Dippel and Lindsey McGill is a conversation between a soundscore for different instruments centering on the piano that will include improvisation, pulsating sounds, out of sync rhythms and pauses. The set will contain recycled instruments such as piano and bass, found on the street after hurricane Harvey.
Created for the company’s first full evening production, Inperson features international choreographer Anat Grigorio and music by Thomas Helton and James Murphy. It features three sections, one of them with dancers moving rapidly on the floor in silence where all the audience hears is their labored and effortful breathing. Centered on what happens to one’s breathing particularly during the time between preparing for a natural disaster to occur and its aftermath, the evening explores breathing as a theme through music and movement. This is a unique way to learn and become aware of one’s breathing and breath changing patterns while dealing with experiences common to the Houston region. Gasp encourages people to seek coping mechanisms in the arts to deal with the anxiety of a looming natural disaster and the experience of it.
Gasp features choreography by Anat Grigorio, Roberta Paixao Cortes, Dawn Dippel and Lindsey McGill; music composition by Andrew Lienhard. Performances by Roberta Paixao Cortes, Lindsey McGill, Thomas Helton, Dawn Dippel, James Murphy and Pelayo Parlade.
Group Acorde has produced many notable art collaborations through the years, including Origins in 2019 which received the Houston Chronicle recognition “10 Exciting Houston dance performances of 2019” as “best contemporary collaboration;” and Representation of Form in 2020, a multimedia event that was on the Houston Chronicle’s “Must List” to watch. In 2024, Group Acorde was one of the three awarded artists in Performing Arts Houston’s commissioning project New/Now. This is Group Acorde’s seventh production featuring new and original collaborations between dance, music, and visual art.
Gasp will be at MATCHbox 2 (3400 Main Street, Houston TX 77002) November 14th at 8pm, November 15th at 6pm and November 16th at 4pm. General admission is $35 and Students and artists are $20. Visit https://matchouston.org/ for more information.
Group Acorde photo by Yankar Gonzalez