Koresh Dance Company 2017-18 Touring Program

Ronen Koresh, Artistic Director & Founder 2002 Rittenhouse Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-751-0959 www.koreshdance.org ARTISTIC STAFF Ronen Koresh, Artistic Director and Founder Melissa Rector, Assistant Artistic Director COLLABORATING ARTISTS Peter Jakubowski, Lighting Designer Alyssandra Docherty, Assistant Lighting Designer MANAGEMENT Alon Koresh, Executive Director Nir Koresh, School Director Dara Schmoyer, Company Manager Keila Perez-Vega, Marketing & Events Coordinator Maria Laurenti, School Coordinator Teresa VanDenend Sorge, Koresh Kids Dance Coordinator Sandy Mitchel, Videographer Dancers Melissa Rector Shannon Bramham Fang-Ju Chou Gant Joseph Cotler Micah Geyer Vanessa Guinto Casey McIntyre Krista Montrone Andrea Romesser Kevan Sullivan Robert Tyler

“shocking, tender and powerful…”

—Philadelphia Inquirer

RONEN KORESH ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Roni Koresh is an Israeli-American choreographer whose work presents “a wealth of forceful invention” (Art Burst Miami).

Koresh has established a repertoire of over 60 works “rang[ing] from intimate to high-voltage” (Northwestern Press). He develops 2 to 3 new works each year including commissions for notable companies across the country. His work has been supported by Pew Charitable Trusts, the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Jerome Robbins Foundation, among others.

Koresh’s work represents his experience of both Israeli and American cultures. Born and raised in Israel, he received early dance training from his mother, a folk dancer in the Yemenite tradition. He then joined Martha Graham’s Batsheva 2 Dance Company before enlisting in the Israeli army. Koresh integrates each of these influences into his choreography, which draws its strong sense of humanity, sweeping circle patterns, military precision, and Middle Eastern flavor from his life in Israel.

“Earthy, folk-dancey, emotionally direct, physically intense, and ostentatiously eccentric.”

– The New Yorker KORESH CHOREOGRAPHY IS IN DEMAND. Commissions by professional companies have included works for MADCO, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Giordano Dance Chicago, GroundWorks Dance Theatre, Las Vegas Contemporary, Odyssey Dance Theatre, Spectrum Dance Theater, the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Dance Celebration, and St. Louis’ New Dance Horizons series.

In 1983, Koresh moved to New York to study at Alvin Ailey, solidifying his strong foundation in ballet, Horton and Graham techniques. He soon began performing with Shimon Braun’s Waves Jazz Dance Company in Philadelphia, where he studied Luigi Jazz and developed the muscular isolations and periods of continuous movement that define his style today. At this time, he also began to draw from club dancing, hip hop, and pedestrian gesture. A consummate observer and movement chameleon, this prolific choreographer builds his movement repertoire from any genre that can best make his point clear. Undefined by any one school of movement, Koresh calls his style simply “Dance.” “If a movement fits, I use it,” says Koresh. “It is about using movement to communicate, not about adhering to a particular style.” And communicate it does, leading audiences to laughter, tears, and awe within a single program.

Committed to exploring human relationships, perception, and change, Koresh produces contemporary dance that is highly technical and deeply resonant, acclaimed by critics as both innovative and accessible. “Athletic, exuberant, [and] disciplined” (Cincinnati Enquirer), Koresh choreography displays a quick wit, “big-heartedness, and … humor” (Reading Eagle).

“excellent, jet-propelled dancers” —Broad Street Review

Koresh Dance Company Koresh Dance Company was founded in Philadelphia in 1991, and is widely recognized for its superb technique and emotionallycompelling appeal. It presents biannual home seasons as the resident dance company of the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, and has toured in over 38 states and 7 countries. The Company's interdisciplinary foundation promotes high-speed attack and gestural diversity drawn from Graham technique, Luigi jazz, classical ballet, hip hop and Israeli folk dance. Guest choreographers including Donald Byrd (Spectrum Dance Theater), Ohad Naharin (Batsheva Dance Company), Robert Battle (Battleworks/Alvin Ailey), Itzik Galili (Galili Dance) and Paul Selwyn Norton have produced works for the company. The company currently consists of dancers Shannon Bramham, Fang-Ju Chou Gant, Joseph Cotler, Micah Geyer, Vanessa Guinto, Casey McIntyre, Krista Montrone, Kevan Sullivan, Robert Tyler, and Melissa Rector, who also serves as the company's Assistant Artistic Director. Koresh Dance Company is supported in part by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Dance/USA Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the William Penn Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.

Koresh School of Dance, Outreach, and Community

“it’s all dance, and it’s all art” —Dance Magazine

“fresh, urgent, and deeply persuasive” —LA Times

The Koresh School of Dance, established in 1993, welcomes over 5,000 students every year to classes at all levels and for all ages. In 2013, Koresh Dance Company reaffirmed its commitment to Philadelphia by purchasing a property in the heart of Center City. There, the school extends dance education and performance resources to its community by presenting emerging artists in bi-monthly Koresh Artist Showcases and providing professional training and performance opportunities to the exceptional dancers of the Koresh Youth Ensemble. In 2013, Koresh launched the now annual Come Together Dance Festival, which presented 33 companies to sold-out houses in its third year. Koresh Dance Company is also committed to community-building and outreach. While on tour, the company provides post-performance discussions, residencies, open rehearsals, lecture demonstrations, master classes and video discussions to its audiences. At home, Koresh Kids Dance brings arts education to economically underserved elementary-school students by partnering with Philadelphia public schools to provide free weekly dance classes, promoting children's creativity as a conduit for non-violence and forming life goals.

“both comical and visually stunning” —The Dance Journal

“fluid elegance, cunning strength, and uncanny storytelling” —Westchester Community College News

MEET OUR COLLABORATING ARTISTS

Sense of Human, choreographed by Artistic Director, Ronen Koresh was created to an all original soundtrack featuring violinist Nick Kendall of Time for Three in collaboration with producer Greg Smith and poet Karl Mullin. In this full length work featuring all 10 of KDC’s powerhouse dancers, Koresh uses “command of characterization and solid storytelling” to connect the dancers with audiences, says Merilyn Jackson of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

One of Koresh’s most loved works, Sense of Human, premiered in 2011 and is being reimagined with a new cast for a 2017 unveiling. Deciding to re-stage Sense of Human came from a desire to delve into the complexities of real human emotion. Koresh believes that in a world where we are all so connected to digital mediums, it is difficult to truly understand a person’s actual feelings or thoughts. Through this work Koresh hopes to showcase the realness and vulnerability of the human spirit when we aren’t hiding behind a computer screen. The result is experiencing the connectivity of our humanness in real time.

Nick Kendall, Featured Violinist

MEET OUR COLLABORATING ARTISTS

Nick studied at the Curtis Institute with the internationally renowned violinist Victor Danchenko. Nick is a founding member of Time for Three or Tf3, a musical trio that transcends traditional classification with elements of classical, country western, gypsy and jazz idioms. Tf3 has performed on many of the nation’s most impressive stages, including the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and Joe’s Pub in New York . Tf3 has also performed their own original work with over 60 orchestras. The group recorded the soundtrack to the History Channel’s production, The Spanish-American War, Nick is also a member of both the East Coast Chamber Orchestra and the Dryden String Quartet.

Karl Mullen, Composer & Poet

“…You will be moved.

You will revisit memories.

You will feel.”

– Philly Is Dancing

Karl grew up in Ireland under the Dublin mountains with five sisters and two brothers. He did lousy in school and left at an early age to do his own thing. He moved from Europe to the USA in 1976 but returns to Ireland as often as possible, to recharge his batteries and to get a good cup of tea. Karl is a self-taught painter, has written and composed music for punk bands, poets, film, theatre and dance companies. He approaches sound-making in the same way as his visual art and creates ‘sound paintings.’

Gregory James Smith, Composer VIDEO https://vimeo.com/190935692 PHOTO https://www.flickr.com/gp/koreshdance/g8852a

Greg studied music theory and composition at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he also discovered a passion for music production. A self-taught audio engineer, Greg ventured into the recording business after college. Working as a studio owner/engineer, he was exposed to many artists and musical genres, which greatly influenced his own creative style. Presently, Greg runs a private studio and enjoys collaborating with other artists including Roni Koresh and composer, guitarist Damon Umholtz

PHOTOS BY FRANK BICKING

2017/18 Touring Program

Deconstructing Mozart & other works The 2017-18 season will be your last opportunity to present the highly acclaimed 23: Deconstructing Mozart , a collaborative initiative driven by Koresh and multi-media artist Paul D. Miller, a.k.a. DJ Spooky and Steven Levitin aka Apple-Juice Kid. This 30-minute masterpiece will be the center piece of a program featuring the best moments of Koresh choreography from New Philosophy, Aftershock and Through the Skin. Moments of tenderness and grace alternate with humor and brash force on this tour of highlights. The program takes a musical and emotional journey as classical favorites are interwoven with world and industrial music, bringing audiences a dynamic program that will bring them to their feet.

“A wealth of forceful invention”– Art Burst Miami “Philadelphia’s most expressive company”– Philadelphia Inquirer “Earthy, folk-dancey, emotionally direct, physically intense, and ostentatiously eccentric” – The New Yorker “all the finesse and grace of a ballet with the athleticism of an Olympic sport” – Philadelphia Magazine “The expression and performances proved fresh, urgent and deeply persuasive.” – LA Times “Koresh finds the thin line between ‘safe’ beauty and real innovation and boldly, knowingly dances on it.” – Philly Is Dancing “Technical knockouts! The Koresh Dance Company’s dancers instantly made clear their technical prowess. ”– Philadelphia Weekly “It’s all dance, and it’s all art.” – Dance Magazine Photos: https://www.flickr.com/gp/koreshdance/jc12Z7 Promo Video: https://vimeo.com/181322260 (password: koresh)

23: Deconstructing Mozart A new collaboration by Roni Koresh, experimental musicians Paul D. Miller, a.k.a. DJ Spooky and Steven Levitin, a.k.a. Apple-Juice Kid, “23: Deconstructing Mozart” is a twist on a classic. Miller and Levitin disarticulates and rebuilds portions of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23, creating new sounds and layers to bring the classic into the present. Koresh’s intense choreography combines the industrial and the lyrical to produce a potent remix of his precise, athletic style.

Video: https://vimeo.com/162530803

Quotes “a wonder to behold” –

The Dance Journal

“It inspires awe, sometimes beyond the capacity of words to describe.” – The Dance Journal

“Koresh is a beast as a choreographer” – Broad Street Review “This is truly

a major work.”

– The Dance Journal

“The choreography works because of ceaseless collaboration” –

Philadelphia Magazine

Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky is the executive editor of ORIGIN Magazine and is a composer, multimedia artist, editor and author. His DJ MIXER iPad app has seen more than 12 million downloads in the last year. In 2012-2013 he was the first artist in residence at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. He has produced and composed work for Yoko Ono, Thurston Moore, and scores of artists and award-winning films.

Miller's work as a media artist has appeared in the Whitney Biennial; The Venice Biennial for Architecture; the Ludwig Museum in Cologne, Germany; Kunsthalle, Vienna; the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh; and many other museums and galleries. His book Sound Unbound, an anthology of writings on electronic music and digital media, is a best-selling title for MIT Press. He has been featured everywhere from Elle to CNN to SyFy. Miller's deep interest in reggae and dub has resulted in a series of compilations, remixes and collections of material from the vaults of the legendary Jamaican label Trojan Records. His recent TEDx presentation makes the case that creativity in our hyper-technological age comes from remixing and redefining context: http://youtu.be/vYUEOqwOOW8.

What the Critics Say About KORESH DANCE COMPANY

ACCLAIMED ARTISTRY “It’s all dance, and it’s all art.”

– Dance Magazine “You know you’re seeing art when it has that kind of staying power.”

– Broad Street Review “Those of us who critique the arts go wild with delight when an artist we’ve been watching for many years creates a work that transcends all he has done before.”

– Philadelphia Inquirer “The expression and performances proved fresh, urgent and deeply persuasive.”

– LA Times

KORESH CHOREOGRAPHY “Earthy, folk-dancey, emotionally direct, physically intense, and ostentatiously eccentric” – The New Yorker “Koresh finds the thin line between ‘safe’ beauty and real innovation and boldly, knowingly dances on it.”

– Philly Is Dancing “always hot and hip” – Philadelphia Inquirer “The finale was typically turbocharged—because when the dust settles after a Koresh concert, you must leave bedazzled.”

– Philadelphia Inquirer “A wealth of forceful invention” – Art Burst Miami “the company's vast repertoire of work ranges from intimate to high-voltage” – Northwestern Press

“Athletic, exuberant, disciplined. Koresh has always been committed to dance that is accessible.”

– Cincinnati Enquirer “Roni finds beauty in seeing the humanness in each dancer and letting the audience see who they are.”

– St. Louis Jewish Light “In today’s terminology, the Koresh Dance Co. rocks!”

– The Virginia Gazette “Koresh Dance Company … stormed the stage and took no prisoners.”

– Merilyn Jackson, Philadelphia Inquirer “This is an exciting company, with choreography full of surprises and dancers equipped to execute the often-stunning shifts in dynamic and mood.”

– San Antonio Express “raw and provocative, offering layers of complexity and flavor” – Gregory King, thINKingDANCE

HOW WE MOVE “Philadelphia’s most expressive company” – Philadelphia Inquirer “A rich, multicultural blend of intensity, physicality” – Alabama Dance Festival “all the finesse and grace of a ballet with the athleticism of an Olympic sport” – Philadelphia Magazine “Koresh trademarks—exciting lifts, athleticism that borders on gymnastics and plenty of passionate partnering.”

– Philadelphia City Paper

“If you like your dancing hard, fast and intense, the Koresh Dance Company is for you. … liquidly sensual …, clean, expressive gestures … imparting a richness of movement to the events on stage. There’s a sheer physical joy to this allegrismo execution.”

– Philadelphia Inquirer “For both Koresh and the … dancers, there are no movements without eloquence. That they are technically superb is a given; what sets them apart is their explosive energy, their bigheartedness, and their humor.”

– Reading Eagle

OUR DANCERS “Technical knockouts! The Koresh Dance Company’s dancers displayed dazzling skill” and “instantly made clear their technical prowess in ... dance that engulfed the stage like brush fire.”

– Philadelphia Weekly “The dancers of Koresh are technically superb, but even better, they are allowed to be individuals.”

– Wendy Perron, Dance Magazine “excellent jet-propelled dancers” – Broad Street Review “the compressed push of muscle with the feeling of coiled springs just below the skin … an army of synchronized powerhouses” – thINKingDANCE “such verve and professionalism” – Broad Street Review “Renowned for their precision and their ability to do practically anything” – Reading Eagle “Koresh dancers have long been known for their exceptionally fine-toned physiques—and the caliber of their movement execution is simply marvelous, regardless of the technical

requirements. It's as if the outfit has been injected with a jolt of crisp energy.”

– Philadelphia City Paper “They consistently astonish with their skill. When all … of them move together as a unit, they become a single entity, a piece of life moving as if with one heartbeat.”

– San Antonio Express “ … A vibrant ensemble of 10 that offered nonstop dynamism throughout its performance.”

– The Denver Post “Koresh's dancers switch seamlessly from one style to another, often within a single phrase.

They also move quickly, precisely, and with almost no pause.”

–Nancy G. Heller, Philadelphia Inquirer “[The Koresh dancers] are exceptional. Their dedication to the emotion of the dance is what separates them from other companies. There are connections among the dancers that translate into unity, trust in movement, and what looks like pure dancing without thought. Raw motion.”

– Philly Is Dancing

THE EXPERIENCE “Exalted, the audience rises to their feet, giving the company a thunderous ear-shattering standing ovation.”

– Dance Insider “the most exciting dance experience I’ve ever seen in Philadelphia—and my life. … this, with its outstanding lighting and technically-honed music, was an experience I wholeheartedly advocate for anyone even slightly interested in dance.”

– Philadelphia Weekly “the audience is captivated” – Broad Street Review “immediately … visually stunning but also sticks with you long after leaving the theatre” – The Pointe

“The entire evening’s performance was dancing at its most profound. I can’t remember the last time a dance company drew tears from me; this one did, several times.”

– Reading Eagle “Fortunately, one of the ways to tell that one hasn’t become cynical is the joy that bubbles up in the gut when you witness something truly wonderful onstage… I came away boggled and bedazzled by what I’m prepared to call a major work.”

– Gary L. Day, The Broad Street Review

“When you go to the theater to see the Koresh Dance Company, you know what you’re going to get: great dancing, intricate choreography that combines raw athleticism with classical ballet, percussive sounds that include vocalization and body slapping to create complex soundtracks, and without fail, a pleased audience.”

– The Dance Journal “Koresh Dance Company is not only is the business of dancing, but in the business of depicting the human experience, the human journey. … the emotion … is nothing if not universal. You will be moved. You will revisit memories. You will feel.”

– Philly Is Dancing

Education and Outreach

Koresh Dance Company brings the same passion to education, outreach and community building that we bring to the stage. Ask what we can do to energize your audience!

Serve your Your Entire Serve EntireCommunity!

Community!

The goal of a Koresh residency or workshop is to reach out to multiple facets of your community, connecting with new members or deepening existing relationships. We look forward to working with you to develop a tailored workshop best suited to your community, and to building new interest in dance and culture through innovative approaches to outreach and education.

We are open to new ideas and will work with you to develop a program best suited to your community.

DID YOU KNOW? 

Through numerous teaching, education and outreach programs, Koresh Dance Company serves every level of dancer, from non-dancers to professionals.

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Each year, Koresh Dance Company dancers offer classes and workshops in virtually every style of dance— from Roni Koresh’s favorite, modern jazz, to ballet, hip hop, tap, and more.

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Koresh Dance Company utilizes high-quality behind the scenes video footage to foster long-distance learning techniques that add longevity, depth and flexibility to the outreach experience.

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Through the Koresh School of Dance, and outreach activities in Philadelphia and around the country, Koresh Dance Company serves more than 25,000 students a year with educational programs.

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Each Koresh dancer is an educator specializing in particular age groups and forms of dance. Each workshop activity will be led by a teaching artist who not only dances professionally, but has been selected for teaching excellence and experience working with a given community.

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Our diverse outreach offerings have something for everyone, connecting with established and beginning dancers alike, ages 2 to adult.

Contact: Dara Schmoyer, Company Manager dara@koreshdance.org | www.koreshdance.org Studio: 215-751-0959 | Direct: 610-470-6334

Classes and Workshops

What will Koresh bring to my community?

"Forms and Genres" Lecture Demonstration: This interactive assembly program focuses on the many styles of dance, including ballet, tap, jazz, modern and hip hop. It covers the differences and similarities among forms, and dancers perform illustrations of how each genre appears in the Koresh style of contemporary dance. This program has no capacity or age restrictions—invite the whole school or retirement community! Location, length and technical requirements are flexible. (S, U, D, C) Movement & Expression: This small group workshop is ideal for 20-40 students between the ages of 10 and 14 (4th-8th grade). In one session or multiple sessions, students from any level of dance training create their own movement to poetry in a safe and supportive environment. This program increases self-esteem and assists students in making connections between movement and meaning, and connects well with English and literacy lesson plans. Longer residencies may end in a student performance. (S, D) Video & Discussion: Each session uses a high-quality behind the scenes documentary and an in-person meeting to deepen your community’s understanding of dance. Video can be used days or weeks before the Koresh performance to extend your residency.

Topics for groups of any size include:  Career Longevity: Company dancers teach about care of the body, safe training, and career paths in dance. (U, D, C)  The Finishing Touches: Choreography is only one piece of the puzzle in creating dance. Artistic Director Ronen Koresh teaches aspiring choreographers about lighting design, musical choice, commissioning scores, costume creation and more! (U, D,C)  Focus on Israel: Artistic Director Ronen Koresh discusses growing up in Israel and how his Israeli roots continue to influence his choreography. (U, C, J) All Level Hip Hop or Stretch & Strengthen Class: This small group workshop is ideal for 20-40 students of all ages and levels.

Koresh dancers provide an energetic and fun workout. Offer it in schools instead of gym class, as a “Power Lunch” in your business district, or a “Dance Workout” at a local gym. A great way to get your community moving! (S, U, D, C) Dance Technique, Repertory Class, or Master Class: Classes in the signature Koresh style of modern jazz, as well as ballet, hip hop, and tap are available for up to 40 students per class of all ages and ability levels. Company members provide an engaging technique class structured to improve dancers’ precision, flow and musicality through challenging choreography, including repertoire from the attached performance. Material will be adapted for your students to provide an inspiring and challenging experience with the dual goal of building self-esteem and providing a direct connection with members of KDC. (D) Setting Choreography or Creating New Work: Longer residencies may include setting existing Koresh repertoire or creating new work on dancers in your community. This flexible program includes the option to incorporate your community of dancers into the attached Koresh performance. (D) Open Rehearsals: Invite your community to watch the company put final touches on a performance during company or technical rehearsal. Artistic Director Ronen Koresh interacts with the audience and answers questions about the process. (S, U, D, C) Post-Performance Discussions: Invite your audience members to stay after the performance to engage in a moderated Q&A session analyzing the performance and their own responses to dance. The discussion makes use of critical response methods to give the audience a better understanding of the choreography and its execution. (S, U, D, C) Israeli Experiences: In Koresh’s work the use of gesture, movement patterns and musical choice are often draw from his early training in Yemenite folk dance and his on-going connection to the life and people of Israel. If you are interested into delving into this unique aspect of Koresh’s work; classes, workshops and lec/dems can be tailored to highlight the Jewish and Israeli aspects that appear in Koresh choreography. These can be created by partnering with a synagogue or your Jewish Community Center (JCC) or for those in your community interested in learning about other cultures. (C, J)

KEY:

S= K-12 Schools

U= University, College or Upper High School

D= Dancers

C= Community

J =Jewish