Parsons Dance Gala 2023

Company

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

David Parsons

DANCERS

Zoey Anderson

Croix DiIenno

Rachel Harris

Megan Garcia

Téa Pérez

Christian Paris Blue

Nick Fearon

Luke Romanzi

Erin Hollamon*

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Rebecca Josue

* understudy

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chris Yegen, President

Linda Stocknoff, Vice President

Rosalind Reed, Treasurer

Barbara Rohdie, Secretary

Jeffrey Byrne

Melinda DeChiazza Cloobeck

Robert Gross

Linda Lighton

Jamie Metzl

David Parsons

Kat Peeler

Sam C Shulman

Jeffrey Sidell

Joyce Storey

Dina Zuckerberg

In Memoriam: Howell Binkley

Thank you to our Gala Hosts

GALA CO-CHAIRS:

GALA HOSTS:

Linda Stocknoff and Joyce Storey

Jeffrey Byrne

Melinda DeChiazza Cloobeck

JP Morgan Securities LLC

Linda Lighton

Rosalind Reed

Barbara Rohdie

Jeffrey Sidell

Linda Stocknoff

Joyce Storey

Gala 2023

HONORING

Founding Director of Dancers

Responding to AIDS

Founding Company Member of Parsons

Dance

IN RECOGNITION OF HER DEVOTION TO THE DANCE COMMUNITY AND HER LOVING COMMITMENT TO ARTISTS IN NEED.

Denise Roberts Hurlin

Executive Director’s Message

A MESSAGE FROM PARSONS DANCE

Thank you for celebrating with us this evening as we honor Denise Roberts Hurlin for her ongoing commitment to the dance community. Her remarkable dedication to dance both as an artist and an administrator goes back nearly four decades to the time when she danced with our company; to her career as a Paul Taylor Dance Company member; to the early nineties when she co-founded Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program she continues to lead at Broadway Cares. We admire her greatly and treasure her as a loving part of the Parsons family.

Since 1987 when David cofounded Parsons Dance with Howell Binkley, we have been fortunate to have people like Denise and so many others on our team. We are immensely grateful to our Board of

Directors, patrons, presenters, friends, foundations, and fellow artists who strengthen our resolve to engage audiences in what we do. Thanks also goes out to our extraordinary dancers who rehearse, perform, and participate in countless education programs throughout the year.

Parsons Dance is proud that, so far, 2022/2023 has been a banner season with our return to a full plate of live programming. A highlight occurred just this past week when our partnership with the Battery Park Conservancy and Ballet Tech – New York’s Public School for Dance came to fruition with free performances of David’s work “About Sprouts,” taking place in the Battery Playscape and featuring over 50 fourth and fifth grade students.

In November 2022, we launched a six-week tour across Italy, where we staged 31 fabulous shows for over

32,000 audience members– a record for Parsons Dance; and in March 2023 we experienced a critically acclaimed and hugely successful run at The Joyce Theater that showcased newly commissioned works by David and Generation Now Fellow Rena Butler.

Coming up this June, we will hold our New York City Summer Intensive, an annual opportunity for advanced students and aspiring professionals to train with our dancers. And in July, we will participate in the Fire Island Festival and Westhampton Beach Project, two fantastic outdoor events. We are certainly busy, and we are having fun.

Speaking of fun, thank you again for joining us tonight. We are grateful for your support and delighted to have you here.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Josue Executive Director

Artistic Director’s Message

DEAR FRIENDS, WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING OUR 2023 GALA.

As you probably know, Howell Binkley and I started Parsons Dance in 1987. I’m certain that we wouldn’t have made it this far and the company wouldn’t be thriving today if it weren’t for our many friends and colleagues. We are incredibly grateful for your belief in and support of our work. I offer deep appreciation to our Board of Directors. Your devotion to dance continually energizes and inspires us.

Tonight we are honoring Denise Roberts Hurlin, CoFounding Director of Dancers Responding to AIDS. I am thrilled to recognize Denise’s dedication to the dance community and her unflappable commitment to helping artists in need.

Besides all that, she has been a special friend to me since things began in 1987 and I plucked her from The Taylor School to become a founding member of Parsons Dance. Those days were intense, with Howell and I doing the artistic and administrative work while both of us and seven dancers went on the road for strenuous domestic and international tours.

Through it all, Denise’s very presence uplifted us, and since then, I have treasured her place in my life. Her positive attitude has always been there as she went on to nurture her family, to devote countless hours to her professional community, and to reach out to her friends. I value her longstanding connection to Parsons Dance and am proud to honor her this evening.

I also want to take this opportunity to share the news that I am putting the finishing touches on a new piece that the company plans to premiere in 2024. Currently entitled The Shape of Music, the work is set to the musical group Son Lux, headed by Ryan Lott, the Oscar nominated composer of the soundtrack for Everything Everywhere All At Once. Stay tuned for updates as we move along with this exciting project!

Thank you again for joining the party and for supporting Parsons Dance. We love having you with us tonight!

Yours, David Parsons Artistic Director

Upcoming Performances

Head out to the beach this July to experience Parsons Dance when it takes the stage to perform at two fabulous summer festivals.

Fire Island Dance Festival

A charitable event in support of Dancers Responding To AIDS

July 14-16, 2023

Fire Island Pines, Fire Island, NY

Westhampton Beach Project

A Free outdoor public event

July 29, 2023

Westhampton Beach Great Lawn

WE WISH YOU MANY MORE DAYS OF ENSURING THAT ALL OF US CAN EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY OF DANCE.

Honoree

Denise Roberts Hurlin’s dedication to dance as an artist, activist, and administrator spans nearly four decades. A founding member of Parsons Dance, she was part of the company from 1986 to 1989. She then went on to a sixyear career as a dancer with Paul Taylor Dance Company. During this time, her artistry was continually acknowledged, perhaps most notably when she was named Outstanding Performer of 1994 by dance historian and critic Joan Acocella.

In 1991, Hurlin and fellow Paul Taylor dancer Hernando Cortez gathered company members to discuss what they could do to help their many colleagues who were dying of AIDS. The result was the creation of Dancers Responding to AIDS. In 1993, DRA because a program of Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. To this day, Hurlin continues to lead DRA as a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a

remarkable initiative that has raised over $300 million to help people throughout the U.S. receive much needed lifesaving medications, healthcare, nutritious meals, counseling, and emergency financial assistance.

Broadway Cares also offers essential support to more than 470 AIDS and family service organizations and provides critical support for social service programs of The Entertainment Community Fund such as The Dancers’ Resource, The Women’s Health Initiative, and The Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts.

Under Hurlin’s leadership, DRA has produced over 150 performance-based fundraising events, including the annual Fire Island Festival that, for over 25 years, has taken place in a specially built theater overlooking Long Island’s Great South Bay, and the Hudson Valley Festival, set in a 19th century warehouse in Catskill,

NY. Also on DRA’s list of notable events is Stars of Tomorrow... giving back today, a young dancer benefit bringing together over 300 dancers from dance schools in the tri-state area that Hurlin has produced at Purchase College’s Performing Arts Center for over 15 years.

Hurlin is an inaugural member and still serves on the advisory council for The Dancers’ Resource, a program of The Entertainment Community Fund. She also sits on the Presenters Council for Dance USA. Among her many well-deserved accolades, she has received a Bessie Award Special Citation; she was presented with the 2017 Martha Hill Dance Fund Mid-Career Award; and she was honored with the 2021 President’s Award for Distinguished Alumni from Purchase College, where she received her BFA in Dance.

Hurlin is married to Broadway Cares Production Manager Nathan Hurlin. They are proud parents of Henry and Catherine, a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre.

Denise Roberts Hurlin

THE PARSONS DANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THANKS DENISE ROBERTS HURLIN FOR HER LONGTIME FRIENDSHIP WITH OUR COMPANY.

Photo by David Parsons

Dear Friends of Parsons Dance,

Today is my birthday. I'm taking the liberty of telling my story on this special night. Read at your leisure.

My husband, Bob, and I were commuting between Orlando, FL and N.Y.C. in the 1990's. I was in my 50's and, when in Florida, taking dance class twice a week. My barre partner was the Chairman of the Dance Department at Rollins College in Winter Park. One morning he said, "Barbara, you've got to come to the Annie Russell Theater at my school to see this dance troupe perform. I'll even introduce you to the founder / choreographer. He'll knock your socks off."

So Bob and I drove over to the lush campus, Spanish style buildings, plenty of Spanish moss, and entered the almost century-old longest continually operating theater in Florida - home to the National Register of Historic Places. It turned out to be the perfect venue for what was a pretty seismic and historic experience in my life.

When I watched the Parsons Dance performance, I was amazed by the talent of the dancers, delighted by the humor and overwhelmed by the athleticism, sexiness and joy of the choreography. Of course, Caught was a shocker and an amazement.

True to his word, my friend introduced me to David and I promised to get in touch with him when I was in the city. Back in N.Y. in 1997, my mother was turning the same age I am now. I asked David if there was a way I could honor her and thank her for her support of my amateur dance career from the time I was 11.

I ended up commissioning a full-length dance piece, Gloria, choreographed by Lila York. I invited 20 friends of Mom's without telling her. She arrived at The Joyce Theater to hear the announcement that the dance would forever be designated in honor of "Mildred Goldberg by her daughter, Barbara Rohdie."

After that sweet and spectacular experience, Board Member (and now dearest friend) Linda Stocknoff, roped me into serving on the Parsons Board, which I still do today - YES - sockless!

I wish to continue celebrating the significant contributions David has made to the dance world through his creativity, artistry and passion. I hope you will join me.

-Barbara Rohdie

Parsons Dancers

Chris & Lonna Yegen

Photo: Andrew Eccles

G O O D L U C K

Thank you, Parsons Dance, for sharing your life-affirming performances and joy.

And congratulations Denise Roberts Hurlin on tonight’s well-deserved honor!

See Parsons Dance at Fire Island Dance Festival on July 14-16

Scan for tickets

Photo by Andrew Eccles

The Paul Taylor Dance Company celebrates distinguished Taylor alumna

DENISE ROBERTS HURLIN

for her extraordinary devotion to the dance community and for her loving commitment to artists.

Ianthe, Todd, Brian, Tessa, Alex, Gabriella

J.P Morgan Wealth Management is proud to support

J.P Morgan Wealth Management is proud to support

J.P Morgan Wealth Management is proud to support

Parsons Dance

Parsons Dance

Parsons Dance

We share their commitment to fostering a sustainable appreciation of dance through education, outreach and by bringing life-affirming performances and joy to audiences worldwide

We share their commitment to fostering a sustainable appreciation of dance through education, outreach and by bringing life-affirming performances and joy to audiences worldwide

We share their commitment to fostering a sustainable appreciation of dance through education, outreach and by bringing life-affirming performances and joy to audiences worldwide

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J.P. Morgan Wealth Management is a business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., which offers investment products and services through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS), a registered broker-dealer and investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC. Insurance products are made available through Chase Insurance Agency, Inc. (CIA), a licensed insurance agency, doing business as Chase Insurance Agency Services, Inc. in Florida.

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management is a business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., which offers investment products and services through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS), a registered broker-dealer and investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC. Insurance products are made available through Chase Insurance Agency, Inc. (CIA), a licensed insurance agency, doing business as Chase Insurance Agency Services, Inc. in Florida.

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Spring has come to the High Line! Take a private two-hour tour with Official Docent Barbara Rohdie.

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2-Day Basketball Clinic for Grades 1 - 8 with NBA AllStar Donovan Mitchell

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Denise & David, A Trio of Photos by Lois Greenfield

Courtesy of Lois Greenfield

Meet the Artists

ELIZABETH KOEPPEN KALOSIEH

ZOEY ANDERSON DAVID PARSONS Artistic Directo r Rehearsal Director, Associate Rehearsal Director Emeritus

Dancer, Rehearsal Director

CROIX DIIENNO Dancer Dancer Dance r

RACHEL HARRIS

MEGAN GARCIA

LUKE ROMANZI

Dancer Dancer

TÉA PÉREZ

Dancer

CHRISTIAN PARIS BLUE

NICK FEARON

JOANNE HWANG ERIN HOLLAMON

To Our Dancers

Thanks for always displaying the extraordinary technical skill that captivates audiences everywhere. We toast your fabulous energy and love of dance.

Dance is to bring lifeaffirming performances and joy to audiences worldwide and, through education and outreach programs, to sustain an appreciation for dance. We embrace the power of a diverse

and inclusive company to enhance awareness and empathy, engage with audiences of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, lift us as individuals and bring us together. We envision a more positive, creative, and welcoming world because of our art.