January 23, 2015 - New York, NY U.S. Premiere of
m¡longa
Contemporary Tango Choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
“The sheer virtuosity and erotic punch of the dancing ranges from merely impressive
to simply astonishing” –The Telegraph (London)
February 26 – March 1
The Second Presentation of New York City Center’s
A Bailar: Dance at the Center Festival.
– Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s m¡longa, which captures the sultry world of Buenos Aires tango, will run for four performances at New York City Center from February 26 – March 1, 2015. The production features 10 tango dancers from Buenos Aires, two contemporary dancers from Europe and an Argentinean tango band of five musicians, providing a unique exploration of both traditional and contemporary tango.
Deeply rooted in Argentinean culture, tango has fascinated and captivated the world with its sensuality, power and beauty. Celebrated choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui takes the m¡longa—a social dance evening held in Buenos Aires’ intimate late-night bars—as a starting point and adds a contemporary twist. Rarely has an international large-scale tango production been directed by a non-Argentine artist, and this collaboration provides unique opportunities to explore the traditional dance from another cultural perspective.
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is one of the world’s most successful contemporary choreographers. He has been behind some of the most groundbreaking and critically revered works of recent years, working with artists like Akram Khan and Antony Gormley. His award-winning works, such as Sutra, with the monks of the Shaolin Temple, Babel (Olivier Award winner 2011), with Damien Jalet, and his recent collaboration with flamenco dancer Maria Pagés, Dunas, reflect his desire to embrace cultures, languages and new forms of expression. Cherkaoui is an Associate Artist at Sadler’s Wells in London.
m¡longa features new music from Argentinean composer Fernando Marzan and Larbi’s long-term musical collaborator Szymon Brzóska, with video and set design by Eugenio Szwarcer and costumes by renowned fashion designer Tim Van Steenbergen. The production combines traditional Argentinean tango aesthetics with absolute state of the art technology.
New York City Center presents Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s m¡longa, a Sadler’s Wells production.
New York City Center (Arlene Shuler, President & CEO) has played a defining role in the cultural life of the city since 1943. It was Manhattan’s first performing arts center, dedicated by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia with a mission to make the best in music, theater and dance accessible to all audiences. Today, City Center is home to many distinguished companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, City Center’s Principal Dance Company, as well as Manhattan Theatre Club; a roster of renowned national and international visiting artists; and its own critically acclaimed and popular programs. The Tony-honored Encores! musical theater series has been hailed as “one of the very best reasons to be alive in New York.” In summer 2013, City Center launched Encores! Off-Center, a new series featuring landmark Off-Broadway musicals filtered through the lens of today’s most innovative artists. Dance has been integral to the theater’s mission from the start, and dance programs, including the annual Fall for Dance Festival, remain central to City Center’s identity. Vital partnerships with arts organizations including Jazz at Lincoln Center and London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre enhance City Center’s programmatic offerings. City Center is dedicated to providing educational opportunities to New York City students and teachers with programs such as Encores! In Schools and the Young People’s Dance Series. Special workshops cater to families, seniors, and other groups, while events such as the Fall for Dance DanceTalk series offer learning opportunities for the general public. In October 2011, City Center completed an extensive renovation project to revitalize and modernize its historic theater.
m¡longa is the second production of City Center’s A Bailar: Dance at the Center, a three-week Latin dance festival running February 18 – March 7. The Festival opens with the U.S. debut of Havana Rakatan (February 18 – 22) from Cuba, followed by m¡longa (February 26 – March 1) and ending with Voces, Suite Flamenca, a new work from flamenco superstar Sara Baras (March 4 – 7). The Festival’s many free pre-show events include dance lessons and discussion panels that will explore Latin culture through a variety of lenses.
m¡longa will play four performances, February 26 – March 1 as follows: Thursday, February 26, Friday, February 27, and Saturday, February 28 at 8 pm; and Sunday, March 1 at 2 pm.
Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased online at www.NYCityCenter.org, by calling CityTix® at (212) 581-1212, or at the City Center Box Office at 131 W. 55th St. (between 6th & 7th Aves). For more information, please visit www.NYCityCenter.org
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“The sheer virtuosity and erotic punch of the dancing ranges from merely impressive
to simply astonishing” –The Telegraph (London)
February 26 – March 1
The Second Presentation of New York City Center’s
A Bailar: Dance at the Center Festival.
– Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s m¡longa, which captures the sultry world of Buenos Aires tango, will run for four performances at New York City Center from February 26 – March 1, 2015. The production features 10 tango dancers from Buenos Aires, two contemporary dancers from Europe and an Argentinean tango band of five musicians, providing a unique exploration of both traditional and contemporary tango.
Deeply rooted in Argentinean culture, tango has fascinated and captivated the world with its sensuality, power and beauty. Celebrated choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui takes the m¡longa—a social dance evening held in Buenos Aires’ intimate late-night bars—as a starting point and adds a contemporary twist. Rarely has an international large-scale tango production been directed by a non-Argentine artist, and this collaboration provides unique opportunities to explore the traditional dance from another cultural perspective.
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is one of the world’s most successful contemporary choreographers. He has been behind some of the most groundbreaking and critically revered works of recent years, working with artists like Akram Khan and Antony Gormley. His award-winning works, such as Sutra, with the monks of the Shaolin Temple, Babel (Olivier Award winner 2011), with Damien Jalet, and his recent collaboration with flamenco dancer Maria Pagés, Dunas, reflect his desire to embrace cultures, languages and new forms of expression. Cherkaoui is an Associate Artist at Sadler’s Wells in London.
m¡longa features new music from Argentinean composer Fernando Marzan and Larbi’s long-term musical collaborator Szymon Brzóska, with video and set design by Eugenio Szwarcer and costumes by renowned fashion designer Tim Van Steenbergen. The production combines traditional Argentinean tango aesthetics with absolute state of the art technology.
New York City Center presents Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s m¡longa, a Sadler’s Wells production.
New York City Center (Arlene Shuler, President & CEO) has played a defining role in the cultural life of the city since 1943. It was Manhattan’s first performing arts center, dedicated by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia with a mission to make the best in music, theater and dance accessible to all audiences. Today, City Center is home to many distinguished companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, City Center’s Principal Dance Company, as well as Manhattan Theatre Club; a roster of renowned national and international visiting artists; and its own critically acclaimed and popular programs. The Tony-honored Encores! musical theater series has been hailed as “one of the very best reasons to be alive in New York.” In summer 2013, City Center launched Encores! Off-Center, a new series featuring landmark Off-Broadway musicals filtered through the lens of today’s most innovative artists. Dance has been integral to the theater’s mission from the start, and dance programs, including the annual Fall for Dance Festival, remain central to City Center’s identity. Vital partnerships with arts organizations including Jazz at Lincoln Center and London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre enhance City Center’s programmatic offerings. City Center is dedicated to providing educational opportunities to New York City students and teachers with programs such as Encores! In Schools and the Young People’s Dance Series. Special workshops cater to families, seniors, and other groups, while events such as the Fall for Dance DanceTalk series offer learning opportunities for the general public. In October 2011, City Center completed an extensive renovation project to revitalize and modernize its historic theater.
m¡longa is the second production of City Center’s A Bailar: Dance at the Center, a three-week Latin dance festival running February 18 – March 7. The Festival opens with the U.S. debut of Havana Rakatan (February 18 – 22) from Cuba, followed by m¡longa (February 26 – March 1) and ending with Voces, Suite Flamenca, a new work from flamenco superstar Sara Baras (March 4 – 7). The Festival’s many free pre-show events include dance lessons and discussion panels that will explore Latin culture through a variety of lenses.
m¡longa will play four performances, February 26 – March 1 as follows: Thursday, February 26, Friday, February 27, and Saturday, February 28 at 8 pm; and Sunday, March 1 at 2 pm.
Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased online at www.NYCityCenter.org, by calling CityTix® at (212) 581-1212, or at the City Center Box Office at 131 W. 55th St. (between 6th & 7th Aves). For more information, please visit www.NYCityCenter.org
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