Maria Hassabi and Hristoula Harakas will take SHOW back indoors for “American Realness” festival (photo by twi-ny/mdr)
Abrons Arts Center Playhouse
466 Grand St. at Pitt St.
Thursday, January 10, 7:00; Friday, January 11, 7:00; Saturday, January 12, 4:30; Sunday, January 13, 7:00
Tickets: $20
212-598-0400
www.abronsartscenter.org
www.mariahassabi.com
In November 2011, Maria Hassabi presented SHOW at the Kitchen, where she and longtime collaborator Hristoula Harakas slowly weaved, wiggled, and wound their way across the floor amid the audience, which was allowed to go wherever they wanted, whether standing in the back or sitting right next to the performers. This past June, Hassabi and Harakas took the fab gathering outdoors on Broad St. as part of the free River to River Festival, where they interacted not only with an audience specifically there to see them but with passersby who had no idea what was going on. Intricately connected with its surroundings, SHOW can next be seen January 10-13 at Abrons Arts Center as part of the “American Realness” festival. Featuring sound design by Alex Waterman that incorporates freshly recorded noise and voices, including those of the audience itself, SHOW is an intimate experience in which Hassabi and Harakas do amazing things with their bodies, displaying remarkable elegance and strength as they move incredibly slowly, staring deep into each other’s eyes, crawling over their bodies, and holding their legs in the air in breathtaking positions. But SHOW breaks down the wall between audience and performer only so much as the crowd separates like a human Red Sea to let Hassabi and Harakas dance through. “American Realness” runs January 10-20 and also features works by Trajal Harrell, Faye Driscoll, Jack Ferver, Jeanine Durning, Tere O’Connor, Juliana May, and others.