2021/22 SEASON
PERFORMANCE
THE ART OF
It is our pleasure to welcome you back to the Historic Asolo Theater (HAT). The year 2020 taught many lessons, among them a reaffirmation of live performance’s relevance for a
PERFORMANCE TICKETS $
25 – $35
healthy, sane, and thriving citizenry. The intrinsic value of
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collectively witnessing master storytelling, and marveling at
From Season Subscriptions to Single Tickets—Choose the one that is right for you!
virtuosity and beauty is as hard to calculate as it is to overstate. Repeat after me: Theater is not a luxury. Dance is not a luxury. Music is not a luxury. Performing arts are critical connective social tissue and the Art of Performance offers needed nutrients to this system. We salute this tenacious and stunning lineup of global artists, and offer you opportunities for emergence, joyful embodiment and emotional connection. We don’t want you to
ONLINE Click the buttons in this booklet to purchase tickets
BY PHONE 941.360.7399
just watch, but to also move and talk with us. African diasporic,
BY MAIL
contemporary and Latin dance, folk and funk, teatro de México,
The Ringling
furious and soulful percussion, women in circus, eco-theatre, performance films, and thrilling Mariachi. We have also made space for deep reflection, skill building, and good fun. We can’t wait to see you at the HAT!
5401 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, FL 34243
IN PERSON Historic Asolo Theater Box Office in the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion Hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
CONTENTS ECOPERFORMANCE WEEK
10
NOCHE CUBANA with CIMAFUNK
12
SARA PEREZ + RUBEN PUERTAS
14
MIMBRE ACROBATS
16
FLOR DE TOLOACHE
18
KYLE ABRAHAM /A.I.M.
20
SHARING GRANDMOTHERS
22
YISSY GARCIA
24
JAMISON ROSS
26
ISABELLA ROSSELLINI
28
LIONY GARCIA
30
MAKUYEIKA COLECTIVO TEATRAL
8
THE RINGLING’S 2021–2022 ART OF PERFORMANCE SEASON delivers broad access to provocative and timely performing arts that reflect a wide range of experiences, disciplines, and relevant cultural expressions. The Ringling embodies the values of inclusion, inspiration, and excellence through its performance programs that elevate community engagement, equitable partnerships, and the plural exchange of ideas in tandem with visiting artists. The program supports Florida-based, national, and international performance makers in developmental residencies and creative research in our theater facilities. The Ringling is the State Art Museum of Florida administered by Florida State University. It features an art museum, historic mansion, circus museum, historic theater, conservation center, arboretum, and research library, situated on 66-acres of spectacular bayfront property in Sarasota. The Ringling is an extraordinary center of art and culture engaging with the local, state, and global communities and is accessible to and inclusive of all. For more information on The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, visit ringling.org.
THE ART OF PERFORMANCE 2021 – 2022 CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE SEPTEMBER
ECOPERFORMANCE WEEK
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
NOCHE CUBANA with CIMAFUNK OCT 15
SARA PEREZ AND RUBEN FUENTES OCT 30 – NOV 3
DECEMBER
RHODNIE DÉSIR DEC 3 – 4
MIMBRE NOV 18 – 20
FLOR DE TOLOACHE DEC 10
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
YISSY GARCIA MAR 10 & 11
LIONY GARCIA APR 14 – 16
JAMISON ROSS MAR 12
KYLE ABRAHAM/A.I.M. JAN 28 & 29
SHARING GRANDMOTHERS FEB 11 & 12
ISABELLA ROSSELLINI MAR 26 – APR 2
MAKUYEIKA COLECTIVO TEATRAL APR 28 – 30
ECOPERFORMANCE WEEK
ECOPERFORMANCE plays an important role in our series. These conversations, performances, activities and films have an arts-driven focus on ecology, climate, culture and environmental justice. The emerging field of ecoperformance looks at climate change and environmental justice as multifaceted environmental and social phenomena that can be positively transformed through cultural engagement. As an arts institution located in a region shaped by culturally diverse migration, agricultural and tourist economies, and historic inequalities, we support artists exploring stories at the intersection of climate change, sustainability and environmental policy locally and globally. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Ringling respectfully acknowledges that we are located on the traditional Homelands and the ancestral territories of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, as well as the ancient tribes of the Calusa, Uzita and Tocobaga. We also acknowledge the local freedom-seeking community called Angola, and the people later known as Black Seminoles. We honor the resiliency of Indigenous communities, and we extend our gratitude as we live and work on their Homelands. We pay our respect to the Elders, both past and present, who have stewarded these lands and waters through generations since time immemorial.
RETURN
DANCE PARTY Dance Party with Cimafunk OCT 15 7:00 – 10:00 PM
© La pistola de Monik
NOCHE CUBANA
Dance Party with Cimafunk
NOCHE CUBANA DANCE PARTY WITH CIMAFUNK (CUBA) Join us in the Museum of Art Courtyard for a dance party featuring Cimafunk, by far one of the most exciting new faces in the Latin music space.
OCT 15 7:00 – 10:00 PM
revolutionizing the island’s music scene. The party line up also includes a pre- and post-show with the sizzling Latin sounds of DJ Edgaro, a salsa dance lesson by
Cimafunk defies classification on a funk
DK Dance, and the announcement of the
pilgrimage in search of a new musical
winner of the Chance to Win Giveaway.
miscegenation of Black music. Singer, composer and producer, the young Cuban sensation offers a bold mix of funk with popular and traditional Cuban music
Delicious Cuban food and drink will be available for purchase. ¡Vaya!
and African rhythms, which is currently BUY TICKETS! RETURN
FLAMENCO SARA PEREZ RUBEN PUERTAS De Paso OCT 30 – NOV 3
De Paso
SARA PEREZ & RUBEN PUERTAS (SPAIN) CASA PATAS FLAMENCO FOUNDATION
OCT 30 7:30 PM OCT 31 5:00 PM NOV 3 7:30 PM
Dancer and choreographer Sara Perez
dance work that uses the language of
makes her Sarasota premiere with
Flamenco to express the allure of the
a stunningly precise new Flamenco
unknown, the fear of failure, and the joy
work. De Paso (Along the Way) reveals
of sharing life’s journey with others.
the much-anticipated choreographic virtuosity of rising star Perez in a
RELATED PROGRAMMING
MASTER CLASS Perret Performance Studio
TUE, NOV 2, 6:30 PM with Sara Perez and Ruben Puertas
theatrical duet with firebrand dancer Ruben Puertas. De Paso employs the remarkable song, guitar and percussion talents of four musicians as part of a
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ACROBATICS MIMBRE Lifted
NOV 18 - 20
Lifted NOV 18 6:30 PM NOV 19 6:30 PM NOV 20 6:30 PM
MIMBRE (UNITED KINGDOM) This beautifully performed work is
World-renowned circus troupe Mimbre
a collection of funny, poetic, and
Acrobats performs as part of Women
surprising moments, which explore
in Circus and admission includes an
in different ways what it means to
evening visit to the Historic Circus
be Lifted. The constant presence of
Galleries and Tibbals Learning Center.
with Mibre
The UK-based, women-led troupe will
EXHIBITION
physical contact and trust in Lifted is even more powerful post-pandemic. Our human need for touch, as well as our complex relationship to the safety of and consent to physical contact, are addressed in playful and serious ways.
give a workshop to Sailor Circus while in Sarasota.
RELATED PROGRAMMING
ARTIST TALK Chao Lecture Hall
SAT, NOV 20, 10:30 AM
Tibbals Learning Center
THROUGH OCT 10 Women in Print
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
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MARIACHI FLOR DE TOLOACHE DEC 10
FLOR DE TOLOACHE (NYC) “Flor de Toloache stands at the crossroads
the delirium-inducing Mexican flower
of fusion and mariachi girl magic. Whether
used as a love potion for generations.
intimately airy or ice-crackingly powerful,
The band sparkles with reverence for
their intricate vocal runs and harmonic
mariachi music while introducing an
alchemy seem to defy logic with equally
intoxicating, contemporary twist on the
clever instrumental arrangements by the
genre with a powerful feminine energy.
singers themselves.” – NPR
If you aren’t already, of you, a Mariachi
Having performed at Coachella and a NPR
Flor de Toloache DEC 10 7:30 PM
RELATED PROGRAMMING
ON SCREEN Historic Asolo Theater
THU, DEC 9, 6:30 PM Conpañeras Female Mariachi Documentary
lover they will make!
®
Tiny Desk Concert, this Latin GRAMMY winning, New York-based ensemble is one of the finest all-female mariachi groups on the planet. The group began as a trio named for
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DANCE KYLE ABRAHAM/ A.I.M. An Untitled Love JAN 28 + 29
An Untitled Love JAN 28 7:30 PM JAN 29 7:30 PM
KYLE ABRAHAM /A.I.M. (NYC) ®
Drawing from the catalogue of GRAMMY -
on sound, human behavior and visual
winning R&B legend D’Angelo, this creative
representations in an effort to create an
exaltation pays homage to the complexities
avenue for personal investigation.
of self love and Black love, while serving as a thumping mixtape celebrating our culture, family, and community. Born into hip-hop culture in the late 1970s and trained in classical cello, piano, and the visual arts, Artistic Director Kyle Abraham’s hybrid roots are reflected in the powerful and
RELATED PROGRAMMING
MASTERCLASS Perret Performance Studio
THU, JAN 27, 6:30 PM
A.I.M. Dancers will work with Booker High School students while in Sarasota.
with Kyle Abraham/A.I.M
An Untitled Love was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
POST-SHOW TALK BACK Historic Asolo Theater
FRI, JAN 28
precise flow of his dance works. Abraham entwines a sensual and provocative vocabulary with a strong emphasis
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MUSIC SHARING GRANDMOTHERS FEB 11 + 12
Sharing Grandmothers
SHARING GRANDMOTHERS (MIAMI + CAMAROON) Sharing Grandmothers is a performed song cycle exploring the profound contributions of Black women to humanity. The two principal artists are Inez Barlatier, a Miami-based Haitian-American singer/songwriter, percussionist and dancer, and LORNOAR, a Cameroonian artist whose work also encompasses traditional and original songs, music, and dance. The two multidisciplinary musicians each embrace a rich cultural heritage and mastery of traditional songs,
stories, rhythms and dances from their respective cultures. Under the direction of Miami-based director Carlos Caballero, the work will celebrate the legacy of shared ancestry and traditions between Cameroon and Haiti, the influence of Africa on the Caribbean and its diaspora, and the empowerment of the 21st Century Black Woman.
FEB 11 7:30 PM FEB 12 7:30 PM
RELATED PROGRAMMING
MASTERCLASS Perret Performance Studio
THU, FEB 10, 6:30 PM African dance and drumming
POST-SHOW TALK BACK Historic Asolo Theater
FRI, FEB 11
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MUSIC YISSY GARCIA Spotlight Florida! MAR 10 + 11
JAZZ PERCUSSION WEEK
Spotlight Florida!
MAR 10 1:00 PM MAR 11 7:30 PM
YISSY GARCIA (CUBA /MIAMI) Composer and drummer Yissy Garcia
funk—all rhythms the artist says are
is one of the most powerful artists of
“carried in our blood.”
a new generation of Cuban musicians. Born into a musical family headed by renowned Cuban percussionist Bernardo Garcia, Yissy has been likened to “the Cuban version of Terri Lyne Carrington” by Tom Tom Magazine, and has ushered in a new era of “high-speed
RELATED PROGRAMMING
ARTIST TALK Chao Lecture Hall
Yissy has quickly become an iconic
SAT, MAR 12, 10:30 AM
figure of female percussion in Cuba
with Yissy Garcia and Jamison Ross
and beyond, having performed with the likes of Dave Matthews, Esperanza Spalding, Omara Portuondo, and Bobby Carcasses.
Cuban jazz,” which fuses street conga
Garcia will work with local music
and rumba, plenty of drums, bass, and
students while in Sarasota. BUY TICKETS! RETURN
MUSIC JAMISON ROSS Spotlight Florida! MAR 12
JAZZ PERCUSSION WEEK
Spotlight Florida!
JAMISON ROSS (NOLA + JACKSONVILLE) This Spotlight Florida! engagement
MAR 12 7:30 PM
“One of the hottest young names in
®
features GRAMMY -nominated artist
music, singer and drummer, Jamison’s
Jamison Ross, a vocalist and drummer
music shimmers between jazz, R&B,
that delivers messages of humanity
soul, gospel and blues. Think of a mix of
through the medium of jazz. A native of
Donny Hathaway and Elvin Jones. One
Jacksonville, FL, Jamison’s passion for
minute you’re enjoying his super-soulful
music was cultivated while growing up
voice, gospel inflections and infectious
in his grandfather’s church, where he
love of melody; the next you’re digging
realized the effectiveness of music.
his grooving, swinging drumming with his
Ross will work with local music students
RELATED PROGRAMMING
ARTIST TALK Chao Lecture Hall
SAT, MAR 12, 10:30 AM with Yissy Garcia and Jamison Ross
band.” — Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
while in Sarasota. BUY TICKETS! RETURN
THEATRE ISABELLA ROSSELLINI Darwin’s Smile and other monologues MAR 26 – APR 2
Darwin’s Smile and other monologues
ISABELLA ROSSELLINI (NEW YORK)
MAR 26 7:30 PM MAR 27 5:00 PM MAR 30 7:30 PM
The legendary actress and animal science scholar Isabella Rossellini performs
MAR 31 7:30 PM APR 1 7:30 PM APR 2 7:30 PM
RELATED PROGRAMMING
excerpts from her most successful theatrical monologues Green Porno, Link Link
GREEN PORNO Screening + Post-Film Q&A
Circus, Sex & Consequences, and her work in progress Darwin’s Smile. Her onewoman-shows took her all over the world from New York to London, from Paris to
Historic Asolo Theater
Toronto, from Los Angeles to Sydney.
TUE, MAR 29, 6:30 PM
These original and unique monologues, combine science and entertainment and
Green Porno is a Webby
elude simple categorization, allowing her to perform in many different venues from
Award-winning series of very short films conceived, written, co-directed by and featuring Isabella Rossellini.
small cabaret style theaters to huge opera houses and museums. “I want the audience to have two reactions “HA HA HA”, laughers and “OOOOH!” in wonderment about science” – Isabella Rossellini This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
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DANCE LIONY GARCIA Spotlight Florida!
Corporeal Decorum APR 14 – 16
Corporeal Decorum APRIL 14 11:00 AM APRIL 15 7:30 PM APRIL 16 7:30 PM
Spotlight Florida!
LIONY GARCIA (MIAMI) Corporeal Decorum is a multidisciplinary performance piece and investigation into the cultural erasure of Miami’s Art Deco. Conceived and choreographed by Ringling artist in residence Liony Garcia, the piece memorializes important elements of the city’s surviving deco architecture.
RELATED PROGRAMMING
POST-SHOW TALK BACK Historic Asolo Theater
FRI, APR 15
“Once an area is fundamentally altered, whether by humans or by nature, its history is gone forever. There is a moral issue involved in this erasure that transcends the pitiful loss of these beautiful structures. We have cultivated a disposable society where we are no longer shocked at the negligence that leads to deterioration— replacing rather than restoring.” – Liony Garcia While in Sarasota, Garcia will hold a workshop with New College of Florida Students. Corporeal Decorum is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Miami Light Project in partnership with The Ringling and NPN/VAN.
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THEATRE MAKUYEIKA COLECTIVO TEATRAL Andares (Pathways) APR 28 – 30
Andares
(Pathways) APR 28 APR 29 APR 30
MAKUYEIKA COLECTIVO TEATRAL (MEXICO) Woven from ancestral myths, and
was once held as sacred. The play
traditional music and storytelling,
shines light on a range of realities
this three-person narrative reveals
indigenous people face at the
the extraordinary, untold stories
crossroads of modern life and tradition:
of ordinary people who inhabit
land usurpation, widespread violence,
Mexico’s most remote corners.
ancestral duties, and community
Created by director Hector Flores
resistance.
Komatsu, Andares is a moving, fierce denunciation against a present that seems intent upon destroying what
7:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM
RELATED PROGRAMMING
ECOPERFORMANCE PANEL Virtual via Zoom
WED, SEP 8, 7:30 AM EcoPerformance Panel
POST-SHOW TALK BACK Historic Asolo Theater
SAT, APR 30, 10:30 AM
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ARTIST RESIDENCIES AND SPOTLIGHT FLORIDA
AOP ENGAGEMENTS AND SPECIAL PROGRAMMING
The Art of Performance hosts artists in residence in
Artist Talks
which choreographers, composers, circus artists,
Less formal than a lecture presentation, Artist Talks
theater makers and other practitioners can gestate ideas, experiment with new artistic language and invest in the performance of tomorrow. Artist residencies reinforce the essentials for artistic creation: time, space and resources to experiment and iterate, while prototyping works for public presentations, exhibitions and touring. With this needed laboratory time, artists
are designed to be programs where artists and guests can share topics of special interest. Artist Talks will normally take place in the Chao Lecture Hall. Please remember to allow extra time to walk or take a tram to the Center for Asian Art. Masterclasses and Movement
test possibilities, explore curiosities and make brilliant
A Masterclass is a specialized course that is taught
mistakes in between without the expectation of an
by an expert in that style. These classes give dancers
immediate final product.
the opportunity to spend a period of time focusing on improving their knowledge and technique of a certain style of theater, music, or dance.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR ART OF PERFORMANCE SPONSORS
This program is supported in part by the Shank Family Curator of Performance Endowment, the Ringling Art of Performance Endowment Fund at the Florida State University Foundation, Frank Brunkhurst III Endowment, Ira and Joan Mendell Ringling Museum Endowment, the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art Endowment, Publix Supermarket Charities Endowment, and the Ringling Museum General Endowment.
THE RINGLING’S EQUITY STATEMENT
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art inspires, educates, and entertains through arts and culture, and is a place that encourages creative ideas, innovative thinking, open dialogue, and meaningful exchange. When all people are included and see themselves reflected in our mission, we can transform our communities, our institutions, and our world into better places for everyone. Societal inequities have shaped our field in ways that continue to impact it today, as evidenced by the limited engagement and representation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), Latinx and Hispanic people, and other marginalized groups. The Ringling believes that inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) are essential to its mission and vision. In our role as a cultural, educational, and civic leader, we have a moral obligation for our institution to include the diverse perspectives and narratives of people from the local to the global communities. In looking to the future, we need to acknowledge our past as an institution where BIPOC and Latinx and Hispanic people were historically excluded. To this end, we believe that a focus on race equity is critical and serves as a starting point from which to address other forms of inequity. We understand that IDEA work is difficult, but we commit to keep learning, evolving, and improving on our journey to become an anti-racist institution. 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL 34243 | ringling.org
It is our pleasure to welcome you back to the Historic Asolo Theater (HAT). The year 2020 taught many lessons, among them a reaffirmation of live performance’s relevance for a
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT: TEXT HERE ABOUT: •
PRICES OF SHOWS
collectively witnessing master storytelling, and marveling at
•
SAVINGS VIA SUBSCRIPTIONS
virtuosity and beauty is as hard to calculate as it is to overstate.
•
HOW TO GET TICKETS (VIA THIS BROCHURE AND PHONE & IN-PERSON)
healthy, sane, and thriving citizenry. The intrinsic value of
Repeat after me: Theater is not a luxury. Dance is not a luxury. Music is not a luxury. Performing arts are critical connective social tissue and the Art of Performance offers needed nutrients to this system. We salute this tenacious and stunning lineup of global artists, and offer you opportunities for emergence, joyful embodiment and emotional connection. We don’t want you to just watch, but to also move and talk with us. African diasporic, contemporary and Latin dance, folk and funk, teatro de México, furious and soulful percussion, women in circus, eco-theatre, performance films, and thrilling Mariachi. We have also made space for deep reflection, skill building, and good fun. We can’t wait to see you at the HAT!
CONTENTS
8
ECOPERFORMANCE WEEK
10
NOCHE CUBANA with CIMAFUNK
12
SARAH PEREZ + RUBEN PUERTAS
14
MIMBRE ACROBATS
16
RHODNIE DÉSIR
18
FLOR DE TOLOACHE
20
KYLE ABRAHAM /A.I.M.
22
SHARING GRANDMOTHERS
24
YISSY GARCIA
26
JAMISON ROSS
28
ISABELLA ROSSELLINI
30
LIONY GARCIA
32
MAKUYEIKA COLECTIVO TEATRAL
It is our pleasure to welcome you back to the Historic Asolo Theater (HAT). The year 2020 taught many lessons, among them a reaffirmation of live performance’s relevance for a
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT: TEXT HERE ABOUT: •
PRICES OF SHOWS
collectively witnessing master storytelling, and marveling at
•
SAVINGS VIA SUBSCRIPTIONS
virtuosity and beauty is as hard to calculate as it is to overstate.
•
HOW TO GET TICKETS (VIA THIS BROCHURE AND PHONE & IN-PERSON)
healthy, sane, and thriving citizenry. The intrinsic value of
Repeat after me: Theater is not a luxury. Dance is not a luxury. Music is not a luxury. Performing arts are critical connective social tissue and the Art of Performance offers needed nutrients to this system. We salute this tenacious and stunning lineup of global artists, and offer you opportunities for emergence, joyful embodiment and emotional connection. We don’t want you to just watch, but to also move and talk with us. African diasporic, contemporary and Latin dance, folk and funk, teatro de México, furious and soulful percussion, women in circus, eco-theatre, performance films, and thrilling Mariachi. We have also made space for deep reflection, skill building, and good fun. We can’t wait to see you at the HAT!
CONTENTS
8
ECOPERFORMANCE WEEK
10
NOCHE CUBANA with CIMAFUNK
12
SARAH PEREZ + RUBEN PUERTAS
14
MIMBRE ACROBATS
16
RHODNIE DÉSIR
18
FLOR DE TOLOACHE
20
KYLE ABRAHAM /A.I.M.
22
SHARING GRANDMOTHERS
24
YISSY GARCIA
26
JAMISON ROSS
28
ISABELLA ROSSELLINI
30
LIONY GARCIA
32
MAKUYEIKA COLECTIVO TEATRAL