Performances by: Matt Neenan, Meredith Rainey, Meg Foley, Megan Mazarick, Hannah de Keijzer, Michelle Stortz, Chris Colucci, Eugene Lew, Aaron Igler, Chris Powell, Michael Kiley, and Jorge Cousineau.
Thirdbird is pleased to present the U.S. debut of Budapest based BLOOM! Dance Collective, May 3 and 4, at 8pm. This international ensemble with artists from Hungary, Spain, and Italy will perform its award-winning work CITY, a bold and politically charged dance-theater piece. Each evening will be paired with fresh “Third Wheel Blind Dates”, all new trios where musicians and dancers are matched for first-time-ever collaborations. These performances reflect interests in collaborative and cross-discipline artistic collaboration, and a raw, human curiosity for possibility.
Founded in 2009 and acclaimed for its sharp wit, BLOOM! draws on the diverse cultural and artistic backgrounds of its members to build thought-provoking collaborative performances. Conceived as a “political pamphlet entwined with movement,” CITY grapples with the dynamics of power, fear, manipulation, and faith, and the consequences of social conformity. Wittily playing with conventions of individual versus group behavior, CITY was created and is performed by Viktória Dányi, Csaba Molnár, Tímea Sebestyén, Moreno Solinas, and Igor Urzelai. Sound design by Alberto Ruiz Soler. Lighting by Kata Dézsi. Costumes and set design are by David J. Harris.
CITY received a 2010 Rudolf Laban Award, an artistic residency at Prix Jardin D’Europe, and was selected to tour through Aerowaves 2010–2011. BLOOM! is supported by the Culture Programme of the European Union, Jardin d’Europe, Workshop Foundation, National Cultural Fund of Hungary, Florian Workshop – Moving House Foundation, Association of Independent Theatres, New Performing Arts Foundation, and SÍN Culture Center.
Opening each night will be two new “Third Wheel Blind Dates”, a variation on Thirdbird’s popular “Blind Date” series, where musicians and dancers are matched with someone they have never performed with. Originally envisioned as a way to encourage new collaborations and cross-disciplinary dialogue, this new “Third Wheel” format ups the ante from duos to trios. The twelve participating artists are local luminaries in the dance, theater and music communities, including Pew Fellows, Barrymore award winners, directors of ballet companies and musical mainstays in Philadelphia. Movement: Meredith Rainey, Matt Neenan, Hannah de Keijzer, Michelle Stortz, Meg Foley, Megan Mazarick. Sound: Jorge Cousineau, Michael Kiley, Eugene Lew, Chris Colucci, Aaron Igler, and Chris Powell.
Performances: Thursday, May 3, and Friday, May 4, at 8pm. Tickets are $15, $10 for students and artists, free with a UArts ID and will be available online in advance or at the door. Seating is general admission. For more information, please visit the thirdbird website at: http://www.birdbirdbird.org
The Arts Bank is located at 601 South Broad Street (at South Street), on the campus of the University of the Arts. This project was made possible with the support of the Trust for Mutual Understanding, the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, and the School of Dance at the University of the Arts.
ABOUT THIRDBIRD
Thirdbird is the shared endeavors of Dustin Hurt (founder of Bowerbird) and Anna Drozdowski (proprietor of Ladybird). This past season they have presented the work of Headlong Dance Theater, Eleanor Bauer, Levi Gonzalez, and the American première of French choreographer Xavier Le Roy’s More Mouvements für Lachenmann, featuring a selection of the Austrian new music ensemble Klangforum. Seen & Heard #3 took NY & Philadelphia performers to the Abron’s Arts Center in New York City on April 6 & 7. In 2011 Thirdbird produced Blindspot, a two-week festival of music and dance that took place at Philadelphia’s historic Christ Church with performances by John Zorn, Tony Conrad, and the Dufala Brothers on the pipe organ, and choreography by Subcircle and Meg Foley.
Thirdbird website: www.birdbirdbird.org
CONCERTS AT-A-GLANCE
* denotes a World Premiere collaboration
** denotes a Philadelphia Premiere
Thursday, May 3 (8pm)
THIRD WHEEL BLIND DATES
TRIO*
MATT NEENAN, dance; HANNAH DE KEIJZER, dance; JORGE COUSINEAU, sound
TRIO*
MEGAN MAZARICK, dance; MICHELLE STORTZ, dance; MICHAEL KILEY, sound
BLOOM! DANCE COLLECTIVE: CITY**
Friday, May 4 (8pm)
THIRD WHEEL BLIND DATES
TRIO*
AARON IGLER, sound; CHRIS POWELL, sound; MEREDITH RAINEY, dance
TRIO*
EUGENE LEW, sound; CHRIS COLUCCI, sound; MEG FOLEY, dance
BLOOM! DANCE COLLECTIVE: CITY**
