For 150 years the 92nd Street Y (92NY) in New York City has been a place where inspiring choreographers and dance companies worked, called home, and where they launched their careers. For one night only on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 7:30 pm in Kaufmann Concert Hall, 92NY will celebrate this momentous occasion with Dancing the 92nd Street Y featuring iconic works by performed by Ailey II, Martha Graham Dance Company, and José Limón Dance Company. Leading contemporary artists Omar Román De Jesús, Jamar Roberts, and Hope Boykin will join them to span generations of creative dance by presenting their own more recent works. Tickets to Dancing the 92nd Street Y start at $30 and are available at https://www.92ny.org/event/dancing-the-92nd-street-y.
Dance Class c. 1915 – Photographer Unknown – 92NY Archives.
Continuing this phenomenal celebration, 92NY will present Dance to Belong: A History of Dance at 92NY, a new exhibition at the Weill Art Gallery March 12 through October 31, 2024. “The exhibition testifies to 92NY as a key site in dance and belonging. Photographs, performance programs, artwork, digital media, rare film footage, and other unseen ephemera render 92NY’s crucial place as a preeminent cultural institution located in the heart of New York City.” – Michelle Tabnick PR press release.
Anna Sokolow – Photo by M. Lewis Jacobs – NYPL – Jerome Robbins Dance Division.
Since the 92nd Street Y opened its doors, it has welcomed and nurtured American contemporary artists long before they became famous to the rest of the world. The Y has offered open access to dance studios, classes, lectures, poetry readings, and performances. Dance artists from the Afro-Diasporic roots of Katherine Dunham to the Soviet, Asian, and Caribbean choreographies of Si-lan Chen, have performed at The Y to inspire others in the dance community to incorporate both cultural and national diversity.
Choreography Class with Doris Humphrey, 1949 – Photographer unknown – 92NY Archives.
Dancing the 92nd Street Y: A 150th Anniversary Celebration – Program
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 7:30 pm in Kaufmann Concert Hall
The Limón Dance Company
José Limón’s There is a Time
Premiered in 1956, There is a Time is based on the historic poem from the Bible, Ecclesiastes: “To Everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the Sun.” This poem, based on the cycle of universal human experiences, is rich in both ideas and words. The piece is conceived in 12 sections (with a round dance for both Prologue and Finale) and takes its inspiration from that passage in Chapter 3 of “Ecclesiastes” that starts: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Each of the temporal activities mentioned by the Old Testament scribe—”a time to laugh” . . . . “a time to mourn” . . . . “a time to dance.”
Omar Román De Jesús – Photo courtesy of 92NY.
Omar Román De Jesús’ Like Those Playground Kids at Midnight
In a world that often seeks to stifle individuality, “Like Those Playground Kids at Midnight” stands as a beacon of defiance, encouraging all to embrace their uniqueness and challenge the boundaries that confine them. It invites us to traverse the enigmatic landscapes of desire, identity, and aspiration, all while advocating for the liberation of the soul.
Martha Graham – Photo courtesy of 92NY.
The Martha Graham Dance Company
Martha Graham’s Suite from Appalachian Spring
The Appalachian Spring Suite is a narrated presentation of highlights from Appalachian Spring that gives the audience an inside look at the remarkable collaboration between Martha Graham and Aaron Copland. The dancing is introduced by text borrowed from Graham’s letters to Copland. Her eloquent and intimate descriptions of the characters, setting and atmosphere for the work are matched with the end result – the music and dance they inspired. Copland’s Pulitzer Prize winning score and the clean, athletic Graham choreography clearly embody her early writings about the dance. The Appalachian Spring Suite offers the audience unique insight into the creative process of these two geniuses.
Jamar Roberts – Photo courtesy of the artist.
Jamar Roberts’ We the People
We The People, a radical new piece from Jamar Roberts, was made possible with a significant commissioning grant from The O’Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation. This production was also made possible by The 92nd Street Y, as part of 92NY’s 150th anniversary celebration, in honor and continued support of Martha Graham’s rich 92NY legacy. Production support was provided by the University of Michigan.
Alvin Ailey – Photo by Carl Van Vechten – 92NY Archives, © Van Vechten Trust.
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Company’s Ailey II
Ailey Classics is a collection of excerpts from three beloved works choreographed by Alvin Ailey between 1958 and 1972. This work of highlights features excerpts from Mr. Ailey’s first masterpiece Blues Suite, the lyrical and romantic The Lark Ascending, and his standout ballet Streams.
Hope Boykins – Photo courtesy of 92NY.
Hope Boykin’s Manifesting Legacy
A world premiere celebrating 92NY’s 150th anniversary and commissioned specifically for this event. Manifesting Legacy explores Boykin’s influences and lessons learned, marking her history and love of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and giving tribute to the leaders who made room for her to continue to grow as a mover and maker. Her twenty-year career as a performer was just the beginning — this new work is her thank you.
Pearl Primus, September 30, 1955 – The Negro Speaks of Rivers (1944) – Performance at the 92nd Street Y – Photo by Barbara Morgan – NYPL – Jerome Robbins Dance Division.
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For more information Dancing the 92nd Street Y and to purchase tickets please click HERE.
The Milton J. Weill Art Gallery is open to patrons of Kaufmann Concert Hall during regularly scheduled events. Viewing hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3 pm – 5 pm and Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 9 am – 11 am. In addition, special viewing hours can be arranged. For more information, please visit their website.
Written by Jeff Slayton for Dance Chronicle – Information provided by Michelle Tabnick Public Relations.
Featured image: Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, José Limón – Courtesy of 92NY.
