For sixteen seasons, the Festival has welcomed existing and new dance lovers to experience an international array of dance artists. The 2019 line-up includes artists from Argentina, Canada, France, Russia, Sweden, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In keeping with City Center’s founding mission to make the arts accessible to everyone, all tickets are $15.   

Program 4

CNDC d’Angers/Robert Swinston (France)  
Beach Birds Choreography by Merce Cunningham 

A work for eleven dancers, the rhythm for Beach Birds is much more fluid than other Cunningham dances, so the sections can differ in length from performance to performance. John Cage composed the music and painter Marsha Skinner provided the costumes and decor. The dancers are dressed identically in all-white leotards and tights, with black gloves. Skinner’s backcloth is a white scrim on which the light varies in color and intensity. While the timings do not relate to the dance structure, the gradual changes of light have been interpreted to imitate those that might occur from dawn to dusk on a beach. Beach Birds was adapted for film and called Beach Birds for Camera. 

Alicia Graf Mack  
Come Sunday Choreography by Geoffrey Holder

Alicia Graf Mack began her inaugural season as the Director of Dance at The Juilliard School in the fall of 2018. She enjoyed a distinguished career as a leading dancer of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and has also been a principal dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Multi-faceted performer and creator Geoffrey Holder originally created Come Sunday for his wife Carmen de Lavallade. Set to four spirituals sung by Odetta, the solo would become one of de Lavallade’s signature vehicles.  

MADBOOTS DANCE  
FOR US Choreography by Jonathan Campbell & Austin Diaz 

MADBOOTS DANCE is a queer, contemporary dance company based in New York City, co-founded in 2011 by Jonathan Campbell and Austin Diaz. FOR US is a response to the Orlando massacre at Pulse Nightclub in June 2016 and premiered at Fire Island Dance Festival that summer. 

Sonya Tayeh Dance with Moses Sumney  
Unveiling Choreography by Sonya Tayeh (World Premiere, New York City Center Co-Commission with Kaatsbaan) 

Sonya Tayeh is a New York City-based choreographer and director. Since paving her professional career, her work has been characterized as a blend of powerful versatility and theatrical range. Moses Sumney is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. 

The 2019 Fall for Dance Festival runs October 1 – 13 at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues). All tickets are $15 and go on sale Sunday, September 8, at 11am. Tickets can be purchased online at NYCityCenter.org, by calling 212.581.1212, or in person at the box office.