5 November 2019 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm

Parsons Dance (USA)

ballet performance

Muzyczny Theatre, ul. Północna 47/51

Microburst-quartet

Parsons Dance

Artistic Director: DAVID PARSONS
Executive Director: REBECCA JOSUE
Resident Lighting Designer: HOWELL BINKLEY

Dancers
EOGHAN DILLON
ZOEY ANDERSON
DEIDRE ROGAN
SHAWN LESNIAK
HENRY STEELE
JOAN RODRIGUEZ
KATIE GARCIA
SUMIRE ISHIGE

MICHAEL MEGLIOLA, Stage Manager
CHRISTOPHER S. CHAMBERS, Lighting Supervisor

PARSONS DANCE is a New York City based contemporary American dance company, internationally renowned for its energized, athletic ensemble work.  Founded in 1985 by Artistic Director David Parsons and Tony Award-winning lighting designer Howell Binkley, the company has toured to more than 447 cities, 30 countries, and 5 continents and has appeared at such notable venues as The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Sydney Opera House, Maison de la Danse, Teatro La Fenice, and Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro.  

Parsons Dance performs works selected form the vast and varied repertory of more than 75 works created by David Parsons.  In addition, established choreographers like Trey McIntyre and Robert Battle are invited to re-stage works from the American canon on its dancers.   And, through its GenerationNOW Fellowship, the company offers commissions to young American choreographers whom Parsons mentors through the creative process.

Parsons Dance is committed to providing enriching experiences beyond its performances as it seeks to engage audiences of all ages through education and outreach programs; through post-show discussions, open rehearsals, studio showcases, video workshops, open company classes, summer workshops for pre-professional dancers; and in-school workshops for public school students.  The company is especially proud of its Autism-Friendly Programs initiative, launched in 2016, that, features sensory-friendly workshops and relaxed performances for audiences of all abilities.

All these activities are driven by the vision of Artistic Director David Parsons, who, for more than 30 years, has combined his choreographic gifts and talent for training highly skilled dancers with a real passion for the art form.

Round My World phot. Travis Magee

David Parsons

(Artistic Director/Co­Founder) has enjoyed a remarkable career as a director, choreographer, performer, master teacher and producer. Raised in Kansas City, Parsons made it to New York at the age of 17 when he received a scholarship to the Alvin Ailey School. After Ailey, he became an understudy with the Paul Taylor Dance Company and then joined the company as a principal dancer. He stayed for eight years. During summers, he toured with MOMIX; he appeared with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Mark Morris in the first White Oak tour; and he launched his choreographic career by setting work on the Taylor Company and on the National Ballet of Canada, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Batsheva Dance Company, and the Paris Opera Ballet.

After leaving the Taylor company, Parsons was a guest artist with New York City Ballet for four years before his artistic prowess led him to undertake such diverse projects as choreographing “Aida” at Arena di Verona and producing and co-choreographing “María de Buenos Aires” at the Skirball Center, as well as creating the choreography for “Fool’s Fire”, a 1992 film directed by Julie Taymor.  Perhaps one of his most thrilling assignments was choreographing and directing the dance elements for Times Square 2000, the 24-hour festivities in Times Square celebrating the turn of the Millennium. Since then, Parsons has participated in many projects, such as choreographing “A Knight’s Tale”, a new musical theater work directed by John Caird, who previously directed the Broadway and West End productions of “Les Misérables” and the London’s National Theatre’s production of “Candide”.  Staged at Tokyo’s iconic Imperial Theatre in summer 2018, the work featured Japanese pop stars in leading roles.  

In addition to the more than 75 works that he has created for Parsons Dance, Parsons has received commissions from such companies as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the American Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow, the Spoleto Festival, and Het Muziektheater in Amsterdam, with his most recent from the Kansas City Ballet, who staged his work A Play for Love in May 2019.  

Heralded by The New York Times as “one of the great movers of modern dance”, Parsons has received many accolades throughout his career, including three Choreography Fellowship Grants from the National Endowment of the Arts; the American Choreography Award; the Dance Magazine Award; a Howard Gilman Fellowship, and the Dance Masters of America Annual Award. In May 2018, he received the Capezio Award, one of the most prestigious awards in dance.

Caught fot. Travis Magee

Howell Binkley

(Resident Lighting Designer/Co-Founder) is the proud co-founder of Parsons Dance for which he has designed more than 70 pieces.  His Broadway designs include: Ain’t Too Proud (2019 Tony nomination), Come From Away (2017 Tony nomination), Allegiance, After Midnight (2014 Tony nomination), How to Succeed... (2011 Tony nomination), West Side Story (2009 Tony nomination), Gypsy starring Patti LuPone, In The Heights (2008 Tony nomination), Avenue Q, The Full Monty, Parade, Kiss Of The Spider Woman (1993 Tony nomination).  He has made extensive regional and dance works for companies such as Alvin Ailey, American Ballet Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and The Joffrey Ballet’s Billboards.  He is a five-time Helen Hayes Award recipient and received the 1993 Sir Laurence Olivier Award and the Canadian Dora Award for Kiss of The Spider Woman.  Howell also received the 2006 Henry Hewes Design Award; the 2006 Outer Critics Circle Award; and the 2006 Tony Award for Jersey Boys. In addition, he won both the 2017 Tony Award and the 2018 Sir Laurence Olivier Award for the lighting design of Hamilton.