Tent
Alwin Nikolais was the master of innovative and startling dance. Each of his works is their own complete multimedia theater of abstraction for which he designed projections, sound, lighting, choreography and costumes making the dance a visual and kinetic art.
Dances performed include:Cruicible, Lythic, Blank on Blank, Liturgies, Noumenon, Mechanical Organ, Tensile Involvement, Pond, Tent, and Imago: The City Curious. (10 dancers)
For the first time in the United States, an existing company has absorbed the collection of a past master to preserve and present an irreplaceable artistic legacy. Murray Louis of The Nikolais/Louis Foundation for Dance selected Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company as the performing company to house Nikolais's works. This will be a national model for the continuing movement towards preserving America's artistic heritage.
Tensile Involvement
Noumenon
History of Nikolais With Ririe-Woodbury
The beginnings of Alwin Nikolais, Murray Louis and Joan Woodbury's history together began in 1949, when two eager students, Louis and Woodbury, attended a summer workshop directed by Hanya Holm, in which Nik was teaching. His philosophy and creative teaching drew Louis and Woodbury toward his work and fostered a relationship, which would last 44 years. Shirley Ririe studied with Alwin Nikolais in New York in 1952 during which time she was also taken with the perception, the clarity, and the genius of a man who was just beginning to form an all encompassing philosophy and practice of dance. She, Louis and Nikolais became fast friends at that time. Nik began his company, Nikolais Dance Theatre with Murray Louis as soloist. Murray was the movement vehicle for the philosophy, which Nik was beginning to shape of "total dance theater". Murray emerged as dancer extraordinaire, and later formed his own company. Joan and Shirley took Nik's vision for dance to the University of Utah where they were professors of modern dance for almost 5 decades.
For touring availability and funding information contact
Jena Woodbury Thompson
Tel: 801–297–4237 or 801–297–4241
Alberto del Saz
Tel: 646-336-0074
Fax: 212-463-8839
Imago: The City Curious
Pond