Music | Dance
The Sweet Science Suite
The Sweet Science Suite: A Scientific Soul Music Honoring of Muhammad Ali
Conceived and composed by Fred Ho
Green Monster Big Band
Choreography by Emmanuel Brown
What could an 18-piece big band learn from the guy who knocked
out George Foreman in the eighth round? To wield incredible power
yet remain light on its feet? To embrace all cultures with
compassion? To take enormous risks—and persevere?
In this deeply personal evening of music and dance, composer Fred
Ho’s Green Monster Big Band channels the spirit of Muhammad Ali and
other fighter figures who knew how to take punches while standing
their ground. Performing choreography by Emmanuel Brown (a lead in
Broadway’s Spiderman), dancers Marquez Vargas, Daniel
Napolitano, Mathieu Williams, and Brown himself invoke everything
from lightning-quick martial arts to the bounce and sting of Ali’s
dazzling footwork. Marie Incontrera conducts Ho’s exuberant jazz
score as it delivers a swaggering, brassy testament to the
champion’s strut, color-blind vision, and humanity.
Directed by Youn Jung Kim
Conducted by Marie Incontrera
Lighting design by Ben Hagen
Costume design by Barbara Register
Projection design by Paul Lieber
The 2013 Next Wave Festival showcases the very best in contemporary performance, plus artist talks, storytelling, visual art, and film.
Saxophonist and social activist Fred Ho is one of the leading composers of his generation.