The Bang Group | Nut/Cracked

THE RED VIOLIN Nut/Cracked A renowned violin virtuoso and a legendary violin

The Bang Group Elizabeth Pitcairn, violin

Cynthia Elise Tobey, piano

November 15 at 8 pm The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts Bard College, New York December 20Annandale-on-Hudson, and 21, 2014

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About The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, an environment for world-class artistic presentation in the Hudson Valley, was designed by Frank Gehry and opened in 2003. Risktaking performances and provocative programs take place in the 800-seat Sosnoff Theater, a proscenium-arch space, and in the 220-seat LUMA Theater, which features a flexible seating configuration. The Center is home to Bard College’s Theater & Performance and Dance Programs, and host to two annual summer festivals: SummerScape, which offers opera, dance, theater, operetta, film, and cabaret; and the Bard Music Festival, which celebrated its 25th year in August with “Schubert and His World.” The 2015 festival will be devoted to Carlos Chávez and the music of Mexico and Latin America.

The Center bears the name of the late Richard B. Fisher, the former chair of Bard College’s Board of Trustees. This magnificent building is a tribute to his vision and leadership.

The outstanding arts events that take place here would not be possible without the contributions made by the Friends of the Fisher Center. We are grateful for their support and welcome all donations.

About Bard College Founded in 1860, Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, is an independent, nonsectarian, residential, coeducational college offering a four-year B.A. program in the liberal arts and sciences and a five-year B.A./B.S. degree in economics and finance. The Bard College Conservatory of Music offers a five-year program in which students pursue a dual degree—a B.Music and a B.A. in a field other than music—and offers an M.Music in vocal arts and in conducting. Bard also bestows an M.Music degree at Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Bard and its affiliated institutions also grant the following degrees: A.A. at Bard High School Early College, a public school with campuses in New York City, Cleveland, and Newark, New Jersey; A.A. and B.A. at Bard College at Simon’s Rock: The Early College, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and through the Bard Prison Initiative at six correctional institutions in New York State; M.A. in curatorial studies, M.S. in economic theory and policy, and M.S. in environmental policy and in climate science and policy at the Annandale campus; M.F.A. and M.A.T. at multiple campuses; M.B.A. in sustainability in New York City; and M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. in the decorative arts, design history, and material culture at the Bard Graduate Center in Manhattan. Internationally, Bard confers dual B.A. degrees at the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, St. Petersburg State University, Russia (Smolny College); American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan; and Bard College Berlin: A Liberal Arts University; as well as dual B.A. and M.A.T. degrees at Al-Quds University in the West Bank.

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The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College Chair Jeanne Donovan Fisher President Leon Botstein presents

The Bang Group

Nut/Cracked Choreography David Parker ’81

Lighting Design Kathy Kaufmann Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Rehearsal Director Kate Digby The Bang Group

Jeffrey Kazin, David Parker, Nic Petry, Amber Sloan with Chelsea Ainsworth, Dylan Baker, Alex Biegelson, Jason Collins, Kate Digby, Erin Gottwald, Deborah Lohse, Alison Manning, Lindsey Ridgeway

Sosnoff Theater

Saturday, December 20 at 7:30 pm Sunday, December 21 at 2 pm

Running time for this performance is approximately 65 minutes with no intermission.

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Program Shaving Cream | Russian Trepak, lyrics by Fred Waring David Parker and Jeffrey Kazin Gifts | Sugar Plum, by The Raymond Scott Quintette The Company Flashlight | Sugar Plum, played by the Westminster Concert Bell Choir Dylan Baker Red Box 1 | Introduction, sung by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians Amber Sloan, Jeffrey Kazin, Nic Petry Red Box 2 | Chinoiserie, by Duke Ellington Amber Sloan and Jeffrey Kazin Shades | Sugar Plum, sung by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians Alex Biegelson, Deborah Lohse, and Erin Gottwald Top Hats | Peanut Brittle Brigade, by Duke Ellington Amber Sloan, Chelsea Ainsworth, Dylan Baker, Jeffrey Kazin, Kate Digby, Nic Petry Fan | Sugar Rum Cherry, by Duke Ellington Erin Gottwald with Amber Sloan, Chelsea Ainsworth, Dylan Baker, Jeffrey Kazin, Kate Digby, Nic Petry Bubble Wrap | Waltz of the Flowers, by Glenn Miller Amber Sloan and Nic Petry Spirits | a capella with choral theme from Snowflakes chorus David Parker and Jeffrey Kazin Tree | The Battle Alex Biegelson Snow | Waltz of the Snowflakes The Company Gloves | Arabian Alison Manning, Chelsea Ainsworth, Lindsey Ridgeway Forefinger | Dance of the Reed Flutes The Company Disco | Russian Trepak The Company

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Noodle | Chinese Tea David Parker Toe Shoes | Mother Ginger Amber Sloan, Chelsea Ainsworth, Deborah Lohse, Erin Gottwald, Kate Digby, Nic Petry Rose | Snow Pas de Deux Amber Sloan, David Parker, Jeffrey Kazin Flowers | Waltz of the Flowers The Company Red Box 3 | Tarantella Jason Collins Thumbs | Grand Pas de Deux Jeffrey Kazin and Nic Petry with Alison Manning, Amber Sloan, Chelsea Ainsworth, Dylan Baker, Erin Gottwald, Kate Digby Finale | Coda The Company Musical Arrangements Musical selections for Nut/Cracked are organized in two halves, the first being jazz and popular arrangements of the Tchaikovsky score and the second being selections from the traditional orchestral suite.

Lyrics for Introduction and Sugar Plum by Fred Waring, performed by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. Lyrics for Russian Trepak by Fred Waring, performed by David Parker and Jeffrey Kazin.

Sugar Plum by The Raymond Scott Quintette Sugar Plum by Westminster Concert Bell Choir Peanut Brittle Brigade, Sugar Rum Cherry, and Chinoiserie by Duke Ellington Waltz of the Flowers by Glenn Miller Selections in the second half are performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden.

Nut/Cracked received its world premiere in Genoa in November 2003 and its U.S. premiere in January 2004 at Dance Theater Workshop in New York City.

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Nut/Cracked was commissioned by Dance Theater Workshop’s Bessie Schonberg First Light Commissioning program with funds provided by the New York State Council on the Arts and The Ford Foundation. It has also been supported through the Creative Residency Program of Dance Theater Workshop.

Co-commissioning provided by the Carlo Felice Opera House in Genoa and Bludigenova.

Several sections of Nut/Cracked were developed during two summer residencies at Summer Stages Dance in Concord, Massachusetts, in 2003 and 2004. Additional funding was provided by The Greenwall Foundation, Netherland-America Foundation, Jerome Robbins Foundation, and several private donors.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

Tree and flashlight created by Marty Chafkin.

Program order and casting subject to change.

About the Program Nut/Cracked had its premiere in 2003 in the auditorium theater at the Carlo Felice Opera House in Genoa, Italy. It was a co-commission from Dance Theater Workshop in New York and Bludigenova Productions. The show has been in continuous repertory for the past 12 seasons and toured widely throughout the United States and Europe. The original production was also developed with the support of Summer Stages Dance in Concord, Massachusetts. It appears every year at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and has played four seasons at New York Live Arts.

About the Artists The Bang Group (TBG) is a New York City–based, theatrical dance troupe founded in 1995

by David Parker and Jeffrey Kazin. TBG is devoted to exploring the rhythmic potential of the dancing body through Parker’s choreography. The company has toured and performed widely throughout North America and Europe, appearing in 13 countries and 24 states. It is presented regularly in New York at New York Live Arts, Danspace Project, DanceNowNYC, Symphony Space, Lincoln Center, and many other venues. TBG’s latest project, Tap Lab, will be presented by the Harkness Dance Festival in New York in February 2015.

David Parker ’81 is a 2013 Guggenheim Fellow for choreography. In addition to creating a body of work for The Bang Group, he has created more than 35 commissioned works for ballet and modern companies, college and university dance departments, soloists, and theater artists.

Parker has won numerous awards and fellowships for his work, both domestically and internationally. He teaches dance composition at The Juilliard School and Barnard College, and writes 6 Nut/Cracked

regularly about dance for Dance Magazine, The Brooklyn Rail, and several blogs. He currently curates, along with David White and Alison Manning, the Tap the Yard Festival at The Yard on Martha’s Vineyard, now entering its fourth season.

Chelsea Ainsworth, originally from North Carolina, is a graduate of The Juilliard School. After graduation she worked with Johannes Wieland/Staatstheater Kassel in Germany and was certified as a Thai yoga therapist. Currently she is dancing with The Bang Group and ZviDance, massaging at Devotion Yoga in New Jersey, and teaching at Cap21 musical theater school.

She also founded and runs a yearly arts outreach program to the Philippines through Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP).

Dylan Baker is a New York City–based dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist. After growing up in the boondocks of Wisconsin and earning a B.F.A. in dance at University of WisconsinMilwaukee, Baker moved to New York City to pursue his dance career. Apart from dancing with TBG, he can also be found dancing with Matthew Westerby Company and Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn, as well as presenting his own works in and around the city.

Alex Biegelson was born and raised in New York City. He earned his B.F.A. in dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, in 2009. Since graduation Biegelson has worked with Freespace Dance during its international tour, Nimbus Dance Works, and Project: Smith and Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company. He is a member of ZviDance and a founding member of 10 Hairy Legs, for which he serves as associate director.

Jason Collins is a graduate of Walnut Hill School for the Arts and The Juilliard School. Collins currently works with The Bang Group, Ryan McNamara, and Christopher Williams, and has also worked with Pam Tanowitz Dance, Wally Cardona and Jennifer Lacey, Crossman Dans(c)e, Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, Danielle Russo Performance Project, and Paris Opera Ballet at Lincoln Center Festival. Additionally, he is cofounder of HEWMAN, a collaborative art collective that presents multidisciplinary performances for fresh new audiences in unconventional venues throughout New York City.

Kate Digby is thrilled to be performing with The Bang Group in her 10th season of Nut/Cracked.

She is also working on creative projects with Erika Batdorf (batdorf.org) and Roya Movafegh (royamovafegh.com) and teaching yoga throughout New York City.

Erin Gottwald holds a B.A. in theater from Bates College and received her formal training at the Boston Ballet School and at the London Contemporary Dance School. Gottwald is a performer, teacher, choreographer, and producer based in Brooklyn.

Jeffrey Kazin is a founding member and director of The Bang Group. He has created and performed signature roles for the company throughout North America and Europe. He is a graduate of Connecticut College and the National Theater Institute.

A New York City native, Kathy Kaufmann is thrilled to be lighting Nut/Cracked for its 12th season and delighted to be returning to Bard’s Fisher Center. Many thanks to Dave, Jeff, Amber, Nic, Kate, Vin, Caleb, and Josh.

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About the Artists (cont.)

Alison Manning is managing director and coproducer of The Yard on Martha’s Vineyard and artistic codirector of DanceTheYard (DTY). She performs with The Bang Group, Peggy Spina Tap Company, Xodus Dance Collective, and DanceTheYard, and has toured with Boston-based Kinodance Company and Naomi Goldberg Haas. She has had her work presented at Triskelion Arts, Theaterlab, and The Yard, and teaches the Horton technique at The Yard and as a guest artist at Wesleyan University, New York University’s Steinhardt School, Peridance Capezio Center, and STEPS on Broadway.

Deborah Lohse is thrilled to be cracking nuts with The Bang Group for a second season and is thankful to be still dancing under the spell of The Nutcracker, which was cast upon her 30 years ago when she first saw it. When not living for The Nutcracker, Lohse dances with Doug Elkins and makes her own creations for stage and screen.

Nic Petry has been dancing aloud with The Bang Group since 2005, and he refuses to quiet down. This is his 10th year of cracking nuts with the company. If this is not enchantment, where is it to be found?

Lindsey Ridgeway received her dance training at Boston Ballet as well as Green Street Studios in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After graduating she joined José Mateo Ballet Theatre and performed with such companies as EgoArt, Inc.; Lorraine Chapman, The Company; Contrapose Dance; and Caitlin Corbett Dance Company. In New York City she has also had the opportunity to perform with the Metropolitan Opera in its production of Prince Igor, Oliva Contemporary Dance Project, and RedCurrant Collective.

Amber Sloan has been dancing with The Bang Group since 2002. She is an original cast member of Nut/Cracked and has performed in the production every year since its premiere in Italy in 2003. Sloan’s own choreography has appeared in various venues throughout New York City.

She teaches dance composition at the Alvin Ailey School and codirects Women in Motion.

Contributions in support of David Parker’s work are greatly appreciated, and may be made payable to The Bang Group and mailed to 131 Perry Street, #1A, New York, NY 10014. The Bang Group is a 501(c)(3) organization as recognized by the IRS. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

The Fall 2014 season is made possible in part through the generous support of the Board of The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College and the Friends of the Fisher Center, as well as grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Photo: Nicholas Burnham

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