Gotta Dance?
Spring brings a wealth of dance groups to the county.
Francisco Graciano in Paul Taylor’s Company B
There’s nothing like a little inspiration to add some spring to your step and, with a variety of great dance performers coming to our area, you don’t need to search too far.
Grupo Corpo
When: April 4 and 5;
Tickets: $25, $35, $45;
Where: The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, Purchase; (914) 251-6200, artscenter.org
On its American tour, Brazil’s premier dance company is stopping in the area for two nights only, with a program that includes the esteemed Seven or Eight Pieces for a Ballet, choreographed to a commissioned score by Philip Glass. The Performing Arts Center’s thematic focus this year is the African diaspora, “and Grupo Corpo fits in perfectly,” says Carol Luiken, director of press and community relations. The company is world renowned for its Afro-Brazilian style, its ballet technicality, and its jazz-like fluidity.
Rennie Harris Puremovement
When: April 12;
Tickets: $35, $40, $45;
Where: Rich Forum, Stamford Center for the Arts, Stamford, CT; (203) 325-4466, scalive.org
With an innovative repertoire and uncommon athleticism, this Philadelphia-based company performs a fusion of hip-hop and modern dance. “Rennie Harris is coming specifically for us,” says Ken Wesler, executive director of the Stamford Center for the Arts. Tickets to see this dynamic, assertive dance group started selling quickly back in January, so make sure there’s one left for you.
Taylor 2
When: April 19;
Tickets: $25 to $35;
Where: Paramount Center for the Arts, Peekskill; (914) 739-2333, paramountcenter.org
Taylor 2 was formed in 1993 as an extension of the widely acclaimed Paul Taylor Dance Company; its first visit to the Peekskill theater in four years offers a variety of opportunities to experience and, yes, even dance with the company. There will be a free master class in the afternoon, along with a performance planned for school groups on the 18th.
Carlos Jimenez’s Mambo/Salsa Band with Live Dance Instruction
When: May 24;
Tickets: $20 to $25;
Where: Grand Banking Room, Arts Exchange, White Plains; (914) 428-4220, westarts.com
Feel like trying some dance moves yourself? The Carlos Jimenez band (Jimenez is a Yonkers native) will have you up and on your feet. The evening begins with some ballroom lessons and leads into a live music performance, with continued instruction and demonstrations once the band begins to play. By the end of the evening, you should be able to dance the cha cha and mambo.