NY PREMIERE
Halfway to Dawn
Dec 5—Dec 8, 2018
 
Dance | Music

David Roussève / REALITY
Written, choreographed, and directed by David Roussève

 

Moving fluidly between past, present, and fantasy, Halfway to Dawn is a jubilant dance-theater celebration of the openly gay, intensely private, and fiercely political jazz composer and arranger Billy Strayhorn, perhaps best known for the inimitable standard “Take the ‘A’ Train” and as Duke Ellington’s main collaborator. Los Angeles-based choreographer David Roussève sets nine dancers to various movement styles—from modern to postmodern, from jazz to social dance—with a lively score that includes selections from Strayhorn’s oeuvre of the 1940s and 50s. Layered with video projections of text and historical footage, Roussève’s homage expands on the political urgency of Strayhorn’s narrative while channeling the spirit of the virtuoso himself.

 

Music by Billy Strayhorn
Video design by Cari Ann Shim Sham
Dramaturgy by Lucy Burns
Lighting design by Chris Kuhl
Costume design by Leah Pieh
Sound design by d. Sabela Grimes

Commissioned by ArtPower, University of California San Diego; Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans; Kelly Strayhorn Theater, Pittsburgh; Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of IL Urbana-Champaign; REDCAT, Los Angeles

 
 
RUN TIME
1hr 55min with intermission
VENUE
TICKET INFO
TICKETS START AT  $25
 
ACCESSIBILITY
Balcony seating is only accessible by 70 stairs.
 
RELATED EVENTS
Leadership support for dance at the BAM Harvey and the BAM Fisher provided by:
doris duke charitable foundation
Leadership support for dance at BAM provided by:
The Harkness Foundation for Dance
Lead Sponsor:
Chubb
This engagement of David Roussève/REALITY is made possible through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts
Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation
Halfway to dawn
SPOTIFY
Billy Strayhorn Spotify Playlist
Halfway to Dawn sets nine dancers to various movement styles with a score that features Strayhorn’s music, channeling the spirit of the virtuoso through past, present, and fantasy. Listen to a curated playlist of Strayhorn songs, including “Take the ‘A’ Train,” “Lush Life,” “Satin Doll,” and more.
Article
Choreographer David Roussève Shines a Light on Billy Strayhorn
Read this LA Times preview of the world premiere of Halfway to Dawn from October 2018.
Halfway to dawn Article
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