INCIDENTS will be part of Evidence’s winter season at the Joyce (photo by Julia Cervantes)
Joyce Theater
175 Eighth Ave. at 19th St.
February 12-17, $10-$49
212-242-0800
www.joyce.org
www.evidencedance.com
Brooklyn-based choreographer Ronald K. Brown refers to what his company does as “the ritual and journey of dance,” and they continue what has been an exciting and rewarding journey this week at the Joyce. Founded by Brown in 1985, Evidence, a Dance Company, which incorporates traditional West African rhythm and movement into its exploration of the African American experience, will be performing two programs February 12-17. The first is highlighted by the world premiere of Torch, which is dedicated to the life and memory of former Brown student Beth Young, who passed away in January 2012, along with 2005’s Order My Steps, set to the music of Terry Riley, Fred Hammond, and Bob Marley; 2005’s IFE/My Heart, with guest artist and Alvin Ailey veteran Matthew Rushing, who recently performed in Brown’s updated version of Grace for Ailey’s winter season at City Center; and excerpts from 1998’s Incidents, in which five women evoke slavery life, with music by the Staple Singers, Aretha Franklin, and Wunmi Olaiya. Program B includes 2001’s Walking Out the Dark, combining an original score by Philip Hamilton with text in addition to songs by Sweet Honey in the Rock, Francisco Mora, and M’Bemba Bangoura; and 1998’s Upside Down, an excerpt from Destiny, which examines community mourning, set to the title song by Fela Kuti and “Kun Fe Ko (The Uncertainty of Things)” by Oumou Sangare. There will be a Dance Chat following the February 13 show and a Joyce Pre-Show talk before the February 14 performance, led by Amy Kail. Following the Joyce presentation, Brown and Evidence will be back next month, performing the 1999 Philadanco commission Gatekeepers March 15-17 as part of the 92nd St. Y Harkness Dance Festival series “Stripped/Dressed.”