The Art of Performance at The Ringling

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 healthy, sane, and thriving citizenry. The intrinsic value of collectively witnessing master storytelling, and marveling at 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

PERFORMANCE TICKETS $

25 – $35

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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

FLOR DE TOLOACHE

16

SHARING GRANDMOTHERS

18

YISSY GARCIA

20

JAMISON ROSS

22

ISABELLA ROSSELLINI

24

LIONY GARCIA

26

MAKUYEIKA COLECTIVO TEATRAL

28

MIMBRE ACROBATS

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 OCTOBER

NOCHE CUBANA with CIMAFUNK OCT 15

NOVEMBER

SARA PEREZ AND RUBEN FUENTES OCT 30 – NOV 3

DECEMBER

FLOR DE TOLOACHE DEC 10

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

YISSY GARCIA MAR 10 & 11

LIONY GARCIA APR 14 – 16

JAMISON ROSS MAR 12

SHARING GRANDMOTHERS FEB 11 & 12

ISABELLA ROSSELLINI MAR 26 – APR 2

MAKUYEIKA COLECTIVO TEATRAL APR 28 – 30

MAY

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 NOCHE CUBANA

OCT 15 7:00 – 10:00 PM

© La pi stola de Monik

Dance Party with Cimafunk

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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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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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.

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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.

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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 31 7:30 PM MAR 27 5:00 PM APR 1 7:30 PM MAR 30 7:30 PM APR 2 7:30 PM

The legendary actress and animal science scholar Isabella Rossellini performs

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 elude simple categorization, allowing her to perform in many different venues from 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.

Green Porno is a Webby Award-winning series of very short films conceived, written, co-directed by and featuring Isabella Rossellini.

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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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ACROBATICS MIMBRE Lifted

NOV 18 - 20

Lifted MAY 5 6:30 PM MAY 6 6:30 PM MAY 7 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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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