Bowen McCauley Dance Celebration

Bowen McCauley Dance (BMD) will return to The John F. Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. with two world-premiere works, all live musical accompaniment, and two newly commissioned scores. BMD is known for a commitment to live music and collaboration – this special anniversary concert will embrace both as artistic director and choreographer, Lucy Bowen McCauley, brings together world-class artistic partners Alan Paul, Tony Cisek, Martha Mountain, Gaetano DiBacco, The Witkowski Piano Duo, Maryland Youth Ballet, and a host of talented musicians.

In Before the Fall, BMD Music Director, Larry Alan Smith, performs his new piano score that was written to accompany a dance prequel to the tale of Humpty Dumpty. Smith and McCauley present their vision of how Humpty came to be on “The Wall”. The dance will be performed by exceptional students from The Maryland Youth Ballet.

Fire and Air, a theatrical reimagining of the final act of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra features a rare performance by Lucy Bowen McCauley, and is directed by The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Associate Director, Alan Paul. On the selection of this project, Paul offers, “Cleopatra’s death is like none other in Shakespeare’s work. She famously says “I am fire and air; my other elements I give to baser life”.  Now if that line doesn’t deserve a dance, I don’t know what does!” Patrick Soluri has been commissioned to create an epic score that propels the dance to its dramatic closure. McCauley and Paul first connected through the Urban Arias where they found a rich partnership. “Lucy and I are on the same wavelength—emotionally, stylistically—there is no other way to put it,” as Paul comments.

Tableau de Province, is a new ensemble five-part dance inspired by the music of French composer Paule Maurice, which will be played by world-class Italian saxophonists Gaetano DiBacco and concert pianist Marguerita Oundjian Smith. DiBacco and Smith will preview the piece with BMD at the Italian Embassy on April 3 at 7pm.

The concert concludes with McCauley’s tribute to the centennial of Stravinsky’s groundbreaking work, Le Sacre du Printemps (Rite of Spring). McCauley’s version of Sacre is set to the lesser known four-hand piano version of the score, which will be played by The Witkowski Piano Duo. BMD honors the milestone with an interpretation The Washington Post called, McCauley’s “strongest work to date…muscular, theatrically arresting.”

The piece has been considered the staple of modern dance — angular and abstract — with a score full of harmonic dissonance and syncopated rhythms. “I want people to relate to the full emotional range of the work and the unfolding of events in a less obvious way,” she says. She adds elements of surprise for those familiar with the 1913 masterpiece. “I’m honored to choreograph to an incredible piece of music that has been a major artistic influence on me for more than half of my life,” McCauley says.

The work features set and costume design by award-winning designer Tony Cisek.

The Saturday, April 6 concert will be followed by a Soiree event at The Rooftop Terrace Restaurant where guests will enjoy a post-performance reception with the artists including DJ and dancing. The event is a benefit to support BMD arts and education programs.