American Repertory Ballet celebrates its spring season finale at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, June 3 through 5, with Movin’ + Groovin’, with world premieres by three of today’s most exciting and innovative choreographers.
The program features: Claire Davison’s “Time Within A Time,” set to the music of Fleetwood Mac; Ja’ Malik’s “Moving to Bach,” set to Bach’s Sonata for Violin Solo No.1; and a new work by Caili Quan, inspired by an eclectic music mix ranging from Boban Marković Orchestra to Gabriella Smith’s “Carrot Revolution” performed by the Aizuri Quartet.
Inspired by songs from the legendary band Fleetwood Mac, Time Within Time reflects on recent years and how it might feel to return to a place, such as a theater, studio, workplace — or to each other. “I am thrilled to be returning to ARB as the dancers are a dream to work with: talented, eager, passionate and willing to play. And, the music of Fleetwood Mac is unbeatable,” says Claire Davison.
Davison currently dances with American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Her choreographic credits include One of Us (2019) for Boulder Ballet and Por Ti for Kaatsbaan Cultural Park’s 2021 Summer Festival. In 2021, Davison was also the selected choreographer for New York Theatre Ballet’s Lift Lab.
Newly appointed artistic director of Madison Ballet, Ja’ Malik has been called a “choreographer to watch” by The New York Times. Describing his piece “Moving to Bach,” Malik says he was “inspired by both the dancers of ARB and Bach’s beautiful Sonata for Violin Solo No. 1.”
Malik previously danced with North Carolina Dance Theater (now Charlotte Ballet), BalletX, Ballet Hispanico, in addition to working with Camille A. Brown (For Colored…at the Public Theater), Juel D. Lane, and College Dance Collective among others.
Caili Quan is a New York-based choreographer and a creative associate at The Juilliard School. Her new piece for ARB is inspired by how the body is affected during sleep. “Sleep gives us a place to recover, but it is also where our minds choose memories to keep. It also allows us space to reminisce and dream,” she says. “The music for the work is an eclectic mix that made me want to move, but also felt like a soundtrack to our dreams.”
Quan danced and choreographed for BalletX, and has created works for The Juilliard School, Nashville Ballet, and others. Her short documentary called Mahålang weaves familial conversations of her Chamorro Filipino upbringing on Guam with scenes from BalletX’s Love Letter, and was shown at the Hawai’i International Film Festival, CAAMFest, and the Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center.
Ticket information: Movin’ + Groovin’ will be performed at New Brunswick Performing Arts Center: Friday, June 3, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, June 4, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, June 5, at 2 p.m.
Tickets start at $25 and are available at https://secure.nbpac.org/movinandgroovin
