It’s a Dance Thing!!!

With It’s a Dance Thing!!!, LaMaMa E.T.C. creates a winter dance fest that is an emerging choreographers’ showcase. Choreographers will include: Julian Barnett, Rachel Dickstein/Ripetime, Shaneeka Harrell & Daniel Kubert, Ayo Janeen Jackson, Pedro Jimenez, Karinne Keithley, Clarina Mac Low, Luis Lara Malvacias, Potri Ranka Manis/Kinding Sindaw, John Peruzzi, Jenny Seastone Stern & DJ Mendel, and Christopher Williams & Kindra Windish. Most of the choreographers will dance in their creations.

The event is curated by Nicky Paraiso, who is also “Cultural Minister” of The Club at La MaMa. Paraiso made invitations for the showcase based on seeing the work of these choreographers in other people’s companies. Both Ayo Janeen Jackson and Shaneeka Harrell & Daniel Kubert are “progeny” of the Bill T. Jones company. Julian Barnett works with Doug Elkins, Doug Varone and Johannes Wieland. John Peruzzi, Jenny Seastone Stern hail from David Neumann’s company. DJ Mendel is an actor who has cut his teeth with Richard Foreman. Christopher Williams is also a puppeteer and has worked with Douglas Dunn, John Kelly and Wendy Rogers. Pedro Jimenez is currently in the company of Arthur Aviles, who was a longtime member of Bill T. Jones’ company. Kindra Windish is a veteran of Douglas Dunn and Homer Avila’s companies. Karinne Keithley and Luis Lara Malvacias cut their teeth with Yoshiko Chuma.

Nicky Paraiso considers them virtuosos in their own right and a noteworthy selection of second and third generation choreographers from the current waves of their various genres. Only Potri Ranka Manis, doyenne of Kinding Sindaw, the well-known Philippine-New York dance company, is a “senior.” She is also a resident choreographer of La MaMa.

Lighting for the evening is designed by Adrian Clark.