Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid 40 New York, NY Permit No. 6846

Cover: Will Rawls © devin alberda #platform2015

platform 2015 dancers, buildings and people in the streets

Dan spac40 e project daNSPaCe PROjeCt PReSeNtS PlatfORm 2015: dancers, buildings and people in the streets CURated BY ClaUdia la ROCCO

Silas Riener, adrian danchig-Waring, Claudia la Rocco, Rashaun mitchell, Sara mearns © Simon Courchel

danspace Project's 9th Platform for our 40th anniversary year was inspired, in part, by the writings of dance critic and poet edwin denby. in 2014 six pairs of artists were asked by Platform curator, poet and former new York times dance critic Claudia la Rocco, to participate in artistic exchanges. for almost a year, the artists have engaged with each other in person, via email and skype, in the studio, and in residencies at the Barshynikov art Center, NYU’s tisch School for the arts, jodi melnick & Sterling Hyltin © devin alberda Bard fisher Center, and american theatre’s innovation initiative. these exploratory exchanges are open-ended and include sharing dance practices, movement ideas, text, and films. PlatfORm 2015: dancers, buildings and people in the streets is: the Platform asks how shared and divergent cultural histories of artists from ballet • 3 weeks of dance dialogues between: Kaitlyn Gilliland & Will rawls, Silas and contemporary dance are relevant today, exploring the intersections of dance riener & adrian Danchig-Waring, Sara mearns & rashaun mitchell, Sterling and poetry, and the idea of poet as critic. la Rocco writes: Hyltin & Jodi melnick, Jillian peña & troy Schumacher, Emily Coates & Yve laris Cohen; this platform developed out of two ongoing conversations between me and • A one-time-only public rehearsal and performance in which pam tanowitz Judy [hussie-taylor]: one about how poetry and dance intersect, and one will choreograph a new dance over the course of one day for Dylan Crossman, about the lack of meaningful engagement between artists from ballet and melissa toogood and four corps de ballet members; contemporary dance…[We] became interested in the idea of denby and the poet-critic as a possible framework. • Intimate, once in a lifetime workshops taught by Silas riener (merce Cunningham), Kaitlyn Gilliland (Balanchine's ), and Emily Coates i responded to the [edwin denby] prompt by offering 12 artists from [denby's (Yvonne Rainer's trio a); "three nodal points of balanchine, cunningham and Judson dance theater"] (some of whom disagree with me about their relationships to these points), • Lively discussions with Platform artists and catalogue contributors; with the idea that they would work in six pairings, artificially created by me, a poor-man's denby…a lot of what sparks my enthusiasm here is curiosity. What • A limited-edition publication, which will be on sale at all Platform events. would happen if…? i don't have a sense of what these pairings will come up with, whether or not it will "work" or even will be meant to work, whether it will lead to new things…so those possibilities, those known unknowns or whatever, #platform2015 are exciting in and of themselves. CalENDar

feBRUaRY 11 A Reading for Edwin Denby (co-hosted by the Poetry Project) 13 Workshop: Silas Riener 14 Conversations Without Walls & platform Book party 19-21 Dance Dialogues: Kaitlyn Gilliland & Will Rawls adrian danchig-Waring & Silas Riener 20 Workshop: Silas Riener 27 Workshop: Kaitlyn Gilliland

maRCH 5-7 Dance Dialogues: Sara mearns & Rashaun mitchell Sterling Hyltin & jodi melnick 6 Workshop: Kaitlyn Gilliland 13 Workshop: emily Coates 19-21 Dance Dialogues: emily Coates & Yve laris Cohen jillian Peña & troy Schumacher 20 Workshop: emily Coates 23 open rehearsal & performance: Pam tanowitz 28 Conversations Without Walls

Sara mearns & Rashaun mitchell © devin alberda admiSSiON & tiCKetS $20 General admission / $15 for danspace Project members, unless otherwise noted. platform 2015 CataloGUE oN SalE at all platform Purchase tickets online at www.danspaceproject.org EVENtS! or by phone (Ovationtix/theatermania) at (866) 811-4111. danspace's ninth Platform publication covers a large spectrum of ideas ViSit US including poet-as-critic, edwin denby and New York City circa 1974; and includes danspace Project is located inside the historic St. mark's Church in-the-Bowery photographs by denby’s close friend and collaborator, photographer/filmmaker at 131 East 10th Street (at 2nd Avenue) in New York City's East Village. Rudy Burckhardt, as well as images of the Platform artists taken by New York City Ballet corps de ballet member devin alberda.

Contributors: Devin alberda, reid Bartelme, Emily Coates, Yve laris Cohen, Douglas Crimp, adrian Danchig-Waring, Barbara Dilley, Douglas Dunn, larry fagin, Kaitlyn Gilliland, David Gordon, Christine Shan Shan Hou, Judy Hussie- taylor, Sterling Hyltin, Emmanuel Iduma, ryan Kelly, Claudia la rocco, ralph lemon, Sara mearns, Jodi melnick, megan metcalf, rashaun mitchell, fred moten, Eileen myles, David parker, Jillian peña, Cassie peterson, Will rawls, Silas riener, troy Schumacher, Dan Siegler, pam tanowitz, David Vaughan, David Velasco, anne Waldman, and John Yau. this limited edition publication will be on sale at all Platform events and online at danspaceproject.org.

fOllOW US! Instagram: @danspaceProject twitter: @danspaceProject facebook: danspace Project tumblr: danspaceproject.tumblr.com www.danspaceproject.org jillian Peña © devin alberda EVENtS

anne Waldman & edwin denby. Xerox image from a photograph taken by Bill Yoscary at the Gotham Book mart, NYC, adrian danchig-Waring, Claudia la Rocco, Sterling Hyltin, Will Rawls, Rashaun mitchell © devin alberda ca. 1973. From an interview with edwin denby conducted by anne Waldman, 1997. Danspace project and the poetry project invite you to Conversations Without Walls Conversations Without Walls Dancers, Buildings and People in the Streets: & platform 2015 Book party A Reading for Edwin Denby march 28 [Sat] 2-6pm february 14 [Sat] 2-6pm this final Platform-centric february 11 [Wed] at 8pm danspace's Conversation Without Conversation Without Walls will Walls will celebrate the PlatfORm include a wrap-up discussion between join us as we take inspiration from denby's multiple roles as poet-critic-curator. 2015 publication with contributors participating artists, writers, and reid Bartelme, Emily Coates, Yve special guest respondents who will the Poetry Project hosts an evening of readings by Bill Berkson, anselm laris Cohen, Kaitlyn Gilliland, Sara gather to share their questions, Berrigan, Jacob Burckhardt, Yoshiko Chuma, mimi Gross, Christine Shan Shan mearns, megan metcalf, David observations, and highlights from the Hou, Emmanuel Iduma, Yvonne Jacquette Burckhardt, Vincent Katz, Claudia parker, Jillian peña, Cassie peterson, multi-week event. la rocco, Eileen myles, ron padgett, and anne Waldman. Will rawls, Dan Siegler, David Vaughan, anne Waldman, and others a screening of Rudy Burckhardt's films "Remembering edwin denby" and "the who will discuss their contributions to Uncle's Return" will follow the readings. the catalogue.

the second part of the afternoon will admission: $8 at the door. No advance reservations. be a conversation between artforum Conversation admission: $10 editor David Velasco and author and suggested donation at the door. location: this reading takes place inside the Parish Hall at St. mark's Church in- art historian Douglas Crimp whose RSVP recommended at the-Bowery, 131 East 10th Street. personal correspondence about edwin danspaceproject.org. denby, , merce Cunningham and contemporary location: Both conversations take ballet and modern choreographers place inside the Parish Hall at St. is included in the PlatfORm 2015 Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, 131 East catalogue. 10th Street. WorKSHopS

SIlaS rIENEr KaItlYN GIllIlaND EmIlY CoatES WorKSHopS

Complexity, Chance, and Balanchine's Serenade Yvonne rainer's Trio A Workshop capacity is limited! Indeterminacy in the advance registration is suggested. Choreographic Structures of february 27 [fri] 2-4:30pm march 13 [fri] 1:30-4:30pm Merce Cunningham & march 6 [fri] 2-4:30pm & march 20 [fri] 1:30-4:30pm Register at danspaceproject.org. february 13 [fri] 2-4pm former New York City Ballet dancer Emily Coates has directed the dance Observation-only tickets will be Technique as the Point of Kaitlyn Gilliland, currently on faculty studies curriculum at Yale University available at the door on the day of Departure for Experiments in at the School of american Ballet, since its inception in 2006. She has the workshop only. Choreography will teach phrases from the opening danced with New York City Ballet of George Balanchine's Serenade, february 20 [fri] 2-4pm (1992-1998), mikhail Baryshnikov the first original ballet he created in (1998-2002), and twyla tharp (2001- america. these two afternoons will 2003), and has been a member of Bessie award-winner Silas riener was include a brief introduction to the Yvonne Rainer's company since 2006. a member of the merce Cunningham ballet, followed by a warmup and Coates is one of five select artists that dance Company from November movement workshop and a discussion Rainer has approved to teach her 2007 until its closure at the end of with current New York City Ballet seminal dance Trio A. 2011. Riener, with the permission of dancers. the Cunningham trust, will cull from The March 13 workshop will cover Cunningham repertory in these two Workshops suitable for participants the first half of the dance. the second workshops. with little or no dance experience, half will be completed on march 20. ages 16+. Please dress comfortably Participants may join one or both Workshop cost: $25. advance and bring socks or ballet slippers. sessions. registration is suggested. Workshop cost: $25. advance Please dress comfortably and wear observation-only tickets: $10. registration is suggested. rubber-soled shoes. available at the door on the day of the workshop only. observation-only tickets: $10. Workshop cost: $25. advance available no earlier than 3:15pm at the registration is suggested. door on the day of the workshop only. observation-only tickets: $10. available at the door on the day of the workshop only. all photos © devin alberda Da NCE DI alo GUES

DaNCE DIaloGUES Week 1: Week 2: Week 3: february 19-21 [thu-Sat] 8pm march 5-7 [thu-Sat] 8pm march 19-21 [thu-Sat] 8pm dance dialogues are unique evenings of live movement KaItlYN GIllIlaND Sara mEarNS EmIlY CoatES exchanges, choreographic & WIll raWlS & raSHaUN mItCHEll & YVE larIS CoHEN studies, and playful performance explorations. aDrIaN DaNCHIG-WarING StErlING HYltIN JIllIaN pEÑa & SIlaS rIENEr & JoDI mElNICK & troY SCHUmaCHEr Over three weekends twelve dance artists from the worlds of Kaitlyn Gilliland is a former New York Sara mearns is a principal dancer with Emily Coates is a current performer several experimental New York City Ballet company member, a current New York City Ballet. in the work of Yvonne Rainer, a former traditions will be presenting work student at Columbia University, and dancer with New York City Ballet, at danspace Project. faculty member at School of american rashaun mitchell is a choreographer Baryshnikov’s White Oak dance Ballet. and former member of merce Project, and twyla tharp, and has these presentations will draw Cunningham dance Company. He directed the dance studies curriculum from the dance artists’ varied Will rawls is a writer, choreographer, is currently on faculty at NYU's tisch at Yale University since its inception in backgrounds, current performance and performer in the work of marina School of the arts. 2006. abramovic, tino Sehgal, and Xavier practices, and divergent leRoy. Sterling Hyltin is a principal dancer Yve laris Cohen is a choreographer sensibilities in the spirit of curator with New York City Ballet. and performer. Claudia la Rocco’s question “what adrian Danchig-Waring is a principal would happen if?” dancer with New York City Ballet. Jodi melnick is a choreographer, Jillian peña is a dance and video artist. please note: we await confirmation teacher, dancer, and has performed each opening night will be about whether or not danchig-Waring in the work of trisha Brown, john troy Schumacher is a corps de ballet followed by a toast with the artists. will be present over these three evenings. jasperse, and twyla tharp. member of New York City Ballet, and his choreographic ideas and exchanges director/resident choreographer of with riener will be presented as part of BalletCollective. this evening.

Silas riener is a dancer, teacher, (Please note: dancers Cassie mey and choreographer, and former member Kaitlyn Gilliland will perform as part of the merce Cunningham dance of this evening.) Company. He teaches Cunningham Silas Riener & adrian danchig-Waring, jodi melnick & technique, stages merce's dances, and Sterling Hyltin, jillian Peña © devin alberda makes work with Rashaun mitchell. opEN r EHEar S al

pam taNoWItZ open rehearsal & performance march 23 [mon] 1-8pm admission gets you in for the whole day. Come and go as you wish! join us for a one-time-only public rehearsal and performance by pam tanowitz who will choreograph a new dance over the course of one day, incorporating movement from a solo by Viola farber. the piece will be set on former merce Cunningham dance Company dancers Dylan Crossman and melissa toogood and New York City Ballet corps de ballet members Devin alberda, russell Janzen, Jenelle manzi, and Gretchen Smith. an original score by Dan Siegler incorporating interviews with tanowitz will mirror the process from rehearsal to performance. tanowitz received a Bessie award for the dance be in the gray With Me (2009). She was awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in 2011 and was a 2013-14 Hodder fellow at Princeton University. tanowitz holds a Bfa in dance from the Ohio State University and an mfa in dance from Sarah lawrence College, where she was mentored by former merce Cunningham principal dancer Viola farber- Slayton.

Special support for this project provided by the Barbara Bell Cumming foundation.

jenelle manzi, Pam tanowitz, Gretchen Smith © devin alberda aBoUt US

40 danspace Project presents new work in dance, supports a diverse range of choreographers in developing their work, encourages experimentation, and connects artists to audiences. Since 1974, danspace Project has supported a vital community of contemporary dance artists in an environment unlike any other in the United States. located in the historic St. mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, danspace shares its facility with the Church, the Poetry Project, and New York theatre Ballet. danspace Project’s Commissioning initiative has commissioned over 450 new works since its inception in 1994. danspace Project’s Choreographic Center Without Walls (CW²) provides context for audiences and increased support for artists. Our presentation programs (including Platforms, food for thought, draftWork), Commissioning initiative, residencies, guest artist curators, and contextualizing activities and materials are core components of CW² offering a responsive framework for artists’ works. Since 2010, we have produced eight Platforms, published eight print catalogues and five e-books, launched the Conversations Without Walls discussion series, and explored models for public discourse and residencies.

40th anniversary leadership Circle & patrons (as of january 20, 2015) Helen & Peter Warwick Nina Winthrop anonymous jody & john arnhold frances Kazan Sam miller timothy & Virginia millhiser david & monica Zwirner

PlatfORm 2015: dancers, buildings and people in the streets is made possible with major support from the andrew W. mellon foundation, as well as special 40th anniversary support from the lambent foundation, foundation, the Harkness foundation for dance, and the Barbara Bell Cumming foundation. danspace Project's PlatfORm program is a series of guest artist-curated programs that are a part of the Choreographic Center Without Walls (CW²). as a framework for danspace's presentations and commissions, CW² examines and discovers ways of providing context, curatorial support, and space for choreographers and their works. the CW² and its PlatfORm series have received major support since their inception in 2010 from the andrew W. mellon foundation, lambent foundation, mertz Gilmore foundation, doris duke Charitable foundation, and the National endowment for the arts. Danspace Project | St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery | 131 East 10th Street | New York, NY 10003 Phone: (212) 674-8112 | Fax: (212) 529-2318 | Email: [email protected] Web: www.danspaceproject.org

Clockwise: Rashaun mitchell & Sara mearns © devin alberda; Yve laris Cohen, jillian Peña, & troy Schumacher © Simon Courchel; Will Rawls © devin alberda; jodi melnick © devin alberda; adrian danchig-Waring © devin alberda; Gretchen Smith © devin alberda; Kaitlyn Gilliland © devin alberda; Kaitlyn Gilliland & Cassie mey © devin alberda