Fagan's technique is unlike anything else in American modern dance: torsos held with almost balletic precision over Afro-Caribbean footwork, with balances that hang past the point of comfort. Prelude teaches you to read the whole vocabulary, and it shares the bill with a work New York has not seen in a quarter century. If you know Fagan only as the Lion King choreographer, the Joyce will reset that.
What to expect
A mixed-repertory evening from a Rochester-based company of roughly a dozen dancers, running under two hours with intermissions. Expect fusion of modern, post-modern, Afro-Caribbean and ballet vocabulary. Messages To The Storm contains strobe lights.
Good to know
- The Joyce is at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street; the A/C/E or the 1 to 18th St are both a block away.
- Messages To The Storm uses strobe lighting.
- A curtain chat with the artists follows one performance in the run.
- A family matinee is scheduled during the engagement for younger audiences.
- The Joyce sells discounted student and under-30 tickets through its box office.
- The house is single-level with a gentle rake, so sightlines are good even at the back.
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Common questions
Who choreographs the program?
Founder Garth Fagan, plus New York premieres by Artistic Director Norwood Pennewell and Executive Director Natalie Rogers-Cropper.
What is Never Top 40?
A Fagan work returning to New York City for the first time since 2001.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, and the run includes a designated family matinee, though one work uses strobe lighting.
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