this week in dance

This Week in Dance

URSULA EAGLY / ORI FLOMIN / MINA NISHIMURA

Dance Theater Workshop, Bessie Schonberg Theater

219 West 19th St. between Seventh & Eighth Aves.

Tickets: $15

http://www.dancetheaterworkshop.org

Thursday, October 8

through

Saturday, October 10 Ursula Eagly presents FIELDS OF IDA, Ori Flomin presents TORONTO with Antonio Ramos and Colleen Thomas, and Mina Nishimura presents TIMMY’S IDEA, 7:30

SENSE OF WAY

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Theater

120 West 46th ST. between Sixth & Seventh Aves.

Tickets: $15-$20

http://www.maxinesteinman.com

Thursday, October 8

through

Saturday, October 10 World premiere of multimedia piece by Maxine Steinman & Dancers, along with APERITIF MUSINGS, “…still we sit,” UNDERFROST, and an excerpt from WINDOW STORIES, 8:00

CLEAVE

Danspace Project

St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery

131 East Tenth St. at Second Ave.

Tickets: $18

866-811-4111

http://www.danspaceproject.org

Thursday, October 8

through

Saturday, October 10 World premiere of piece performed by Douglas Dunn & Dancers, inspired by the St. Mark’s sanctuary, with piano music by Bach; the October 8 show will be followed by a discussion with members of the production, moderated by Anne Waldman, 8:00

WEEKEND DANCE MARATHON 75

92nd St. Y

1395 Lexington Ave. at 92nd St.

Tickets: $10 per day

http://www.92y.org

Saturday, October 10 Bridgman/Packer, John Jasperse, Ellen Cornfield, Ashley Friend, Tiffany Mills, 3:00; Eva Dean, Lonne Moretton, Barry Blumenfeld, Richard Daniels, Randy James; 4:00; Deborah Zall, Virginie Mecene, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Stuart Hodes and Alice Teirstein., 5:00; Peter Sciscioli, Zenaide & Blanca, Heather Harrington, Hilary Easton, Patricia Beaman, 6:00; Kathy Wildberger, Mary Seidman, Christopher Caines, Mark DeGarmo, Suki John, with a dedication to Jeff Duncan, 7:00; Peter Pucci, Chris Elam, Isabel Gotzkowsky, Roberto Garcia, LeeSaar/the Company, 8:00

Sunday, October 11 Donlin Foreman, Douglas Dunn, Daria Fain, Peter Kyle, Rebecca Lazier, 3:00; Patti Bradshaw, Patricia Hoffbauer, Kathy Westwater, Merian Soto, 4:00; Nejla Yatkin, Robin Becker, Lynn Perkerson and more, with a dedication to Eleo Pomare, 5:00

BALLETTO TEATRO DI TORINO

Joyce Theater

175 Eighth Ave. at 19th St.

Tickets: $10-$49

212-645-2904

http://www.joyce.org

Tuesday, October 13

through

Sunday, October 18 BTT makes its New York City debut with five works, including two world premieres, choreographed by Matteo Lavaggi

MARIA HASSABI: SOLO

Maria Hassabi is performing SOLO as part of Crossing the Line festival (photo by Paula Court)

Maria Hassabi is performing SOLO as part of Crossing the Line festival (photo by Paula Court)

Crossing the Line 2009

Performance Space 122

150 First Ave. between Ninth & Tenth Aves.

Sept. 29 – Oct. 4, $20, 7:30 (Oct. 1 performance reviewed)

This week, Maria Hassabi premiered the first part of what she calls “a dance diptych,” the fifty-minute SOLO, in P.S. 122’s intimate first-floor theater. As the audience enters the space, the Cyprus-born, New York-based dancer and choreographer is already on the floor, half covered by a Persian carpet. As ambient city noises (courtesy of sound designer James Lo) slowly filter in — cars honking, people shuffling off to work, snatches of conversations – Hassabi begins to interact with the carpet, sprawling over and under it, balancing precipitously on it, and picking it up and throwing it back on the floor. She turns the object into a weapon, a prayer mat, a high wire, a piece of furniture, clothing, and even a lover, very rarely breaking contact. At one point she contorts her athletic body — a character unto itself, the sinews in her feet, the muscles in her shoulder, the veins in her arm performing their own marvelous dance — as if she is trapped, the four corners of the carpet calling to mind the brick walls of the apartment she seems unable to leave.

As day turns to night, Hassabi’s relationship with the carpet gets more emotional — in fact, she never breaks into the barest hint of a smile, remaining serious throughout. While one sometimes looks in vain for narrative elements of the ironically titled SOLO — it’s really a very different kind of pas de deux — it’s a thrill watching what Hassabi the dancer is capable of. SOLO is part of the French Institute Alliance Française’s Crossing the Line festival; the second section, SOLOSHOW, runs November 12-15 at P.S. 122 as part of Performa 09.