GAYLETTER

Stephen Petronio has run his dance company for thirty years — no small feat in the demanding world of dance. We were fortunate enough to attend the stellar gala celebrating this momentous anniversary at the Joyce Theatre with a program that featured a new solo performce by Petronio called ‘Stripped‘ set to Philip Glass‘s Etude No. 5 with a costume intervention by artist Janine Antoni who sewed silk ties end to end that were wrapped around Petronio’s head then systematically unwrapped. For this piece, “Mr. Petronio loads himself with 30 gestures as well as a series of emotional states some recalled from his youth and with these materials he enacts his choreographic process onstage” — to great effect I may add.

Also on the bill is Petronio’s piece from 1999 ‘Strange Attractors Part l‘ a classic of sorts in it’s tension between chaos and order as well as the world premiere of ‘Locomotor‘ which is all about moving backwards — literally. The piece, which incorporates dancers moving backwards at break neck speeds with searing elan, has an original score by electronic/hip hop innovator Clams Casino and costumes by Narciso Rodriguez, with a peek-a-boo back. This collaboration works seamlessly as most of Petronio’s do, I say Bravo and look forward to thirty more years!

‘Strange Attractors Part 1’ Pictured: Nicholas Sciscione, Natalie Mackessy, Jaqlin Medlock and Davalois Fearon.

‘Locomotor’ Pictured L-R: Josh D Green and Jaqlin Medlock.

‘Locomotor’ Pictured: Barrington Hinds and Nicholas Sciscione.

Remaining performances for this week are Friday, 11th, Saturday, 12th at 8:00PM and Sunday, 13th at 2:00PM & 7:30PM. Joyce Theatre, 175 Eighth Ave. NY, NY. Click here for tickets.