GroundWorks
GroundWorks DanceTheater will feature the Akron premieres of two new works at the Akron-Summit County Public Library for one performance only at 7:30 p.m. on March 22.
The company performs “Inamorata,” a newly commissioned work by guest choreographer Kate Weare, and “LUNA” by GroundWorks Artistic Director David Shimotakahara. The program also includes “Brubeck,” Shimotakahara’s vibrant and acclaimed tribute to American Jazz icon Dave Brubeck.
Tickets, $25 for preferred seating, $20 for general admission and for $10 students, can be purchased at www.groundworksdance.org or 216-751-0088. The Akron-Summit County Public Library is located at 60 S High Street in Akron.
Weare, who founded her New York-based company in 2005, has collaborated with a variety of talents, including violinist David Ryther, Brooklyn-based indie band One Ring Zero, and composer Michel Galante and the Argento Chamber Ensemble, among others. The New York Times praises her “sophisticated movement invention” and “terrifically satisfying dance phrases.” For more information, visit www.kateweare.com.
Shimotakahara’s newest work “LUNA” was created in collaboration with composer Peter V. Swendsen, Assistant Professor of Computer Music and Digital Arts at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Swendsen has worked previously with GroundWorks Artistic Associate Amy Miller on a number of projects for GroundWorks, including “Valence” and “Running To Earth.” His compositions and research are focused on soundscape composition, interdisciplinary performance practice, and interactive technologies. www.swendsen.net.
“Brubeck,” which premiered in August of 2012 at the Glendale Cemetery in Akron as part of the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival, is a tribute to the infectious melodies and dynamic rhythms of the celebrated jazz pianist. The Akron Beacon Journal hailed its debut as “a bright splash of a dance featuring the entire company in full sass mode” and The Plain Dealer called the piece “breezy” and “wistful.”
Now in its 14th season, GroundWorks was founded by Shimotakahara in 1998 and is dedicated to the development and presentation of new choreography and collaborations. The five-member Company performs new works by Shimotakahara and Artistic Associate Amy Miller, as well as commissioned work by nationally and internationally acclaimed choreographers including Ronen Koresh, Dianne McIntyre, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Jill Sigman, Doug Elkins, David Parker and others.
