By: Cory Nakasue

The people at DanceNow/NYC have done it again; they’ve found a new way to present contemporary dance that’s more “Yay!” and less “yawwwwn.”

Coming at the tail end of the Dancenow/NYC Festival, Dancemopolitan feels like a celebration. Long-time partners in this venture, Joe’s Pub hosts three evenings of bite-sized morsels of dance to go along with morsels of food and a full bar. Drinking and eating while watching dance may seem a bit low-brow, but rest assured, while the experience is odd at first, the swanky digs, discreet service, and the nature of the performances make for a fun evening of interesting theatre that will attract new dance audiences.

This particular Dancemopolitan presentation featured the work of choreographers who use text and/or live music. Standouts included: Julian Barnett, who played a rock set with songs about moving; Claire Porter, whose special brand of physical stand-up comedy is perfect in this setting; and Zach Morris, who brought the feel of a down-and-out country bar to the city with line-dancing references and the amazing Dang-It Bobbys live alt-bluegrass.

All the artists used the tiny stage imaginatively, and some, like Barnett and Dorian Nuskind-Oder, used the bar/restaurant space to interact with audience members. This is what is at the heart of the Dancemopolitan series — bridging the gaps between the art of dance and entertainment, and presenting dance in a way that is accessible to newcomers.

Future Dancemopolitan Presentations:

THE WHIZ – Featured Artist Series: Nicholas Leichter and Monstah Black
March 18th-20th, 2010
With the assistance of 651 Arts, choreographer Nicholas Leichter and Monstah Black began their collaboration that produced “Killa” and “Space Funk Odyssey.”
Now, at the invitation of DanceNOW [NYC], Leichter and Black are exploring another project – to re-imagine the music from The Wiz and produce their own eclectic vision of New York City’s underground communities through a blend of music, movement, and Prince-esque extravaganzardry.

AND

John Heginbotham’s One-Man Show – Featured Artist Series
June 3rd-6th, 2010
John Heginbotham’s new evening of dance and theater, tentatively titled One-Man Show, introduces the character Jean Heginbotham. Jean is given one year to create an evening of dance and theater, tentatively titled Un Homme Spectacle. He must deliver or die. C’est la mort. Expect ragtime composer Scott Joplin, ice fishing, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, octogenarian Broadway legend Elaine Stritch, cutting-edge computer technology, and The Joffrey Ballet all to play a part.

For more info, click here.