From May 1-4, the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, SUNY, will present a compelling program of world premieres and modern and contemporary masterpieces accompanied by live music.

The program will be performed by members of the Purchase Dance Company, selected from the college’s highly competitive Conservatory of Dance BFA program, which, according to the New York Times is “one of the country’s most highly regarded dance conservatories.” They will be joined onstage by the Purchase Symphony Orchestra and Choral Singers and Conservatory of Dance pianist Colin Rose.

A special pre-concert talk with the artists will be held on Friday, May 3 at 7:15 pm. 

About the works

 The program will open with a short rendition of Decadance by renowned Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin – one of the most sought after choreographers in the world today – whose unique movement language, Gaga, has transformed the dance landscape.  This is the first time the Purchase Dance Company has had the opportunity to perform a piece by Naharin, who is the former artistic director of the internationally acclaimed Batsheva Dance Company.

Esteemed Conservatory of Dance faculty member and former New York City Ballet dancer, Bettijane Sills, presents Songbook,  a virtuosic new pointe work set to a lively mix of classic pop, show tunes, and with accompaniment by pianist Colin Rose and Conservatory of Music students including vocalist Samara McLendon and drummer Martine Mauro-Wade.

Live music with a 2002 score by Jon Magnussen performed by the Purchase Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Singers conducted by David Recca will accompany an important restaging of José Limon’s modern masterpiece, Psalm (1967).

A brand new contemporary work created specifically for the Purchase Dance Company by celebrated Conservatory of Dance alum, Roderick George ’05 will round out the program. George’s professional credits include The Forsythe Company and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. 

Entitled Unprotected Set, the powerful original work will explore race relations and the immigrant experience through a vocabulary that blends classical ballet, hip hop and breakdance, and modern/contemporary dance.