Abstract Concrete
choreographed by Sean Curran
Abstract Concrete is a full company work to buoyant percussion score choreographers = Tigger Benford. Using the choreographic devices of organized chaos and formalized structure; Curran has created a bright and whimsical dance which merges unconventional lifts, kinetic energy and Curran's touch in check view of the world.
Angelitos Negros
choreographed by Donald McKayle7 minutes, solo
Angelitos Negros by Donald McKayle, an internationally renowned choreographer, is a company premiere. This beautiful solo, for a women, depicts one of the most significant folk songs of Mexico and celebrates the children of Mexico and their ethnic diversity.
As One
choreographed by Paula Weber
A contemporary ballet by Assistant Director Paula Weber to the beautiful music of Johann Sebastian Bach. In the classical duet, the dancers move together and move apart but dance as one.
Ascension
music by Samuel Barbar
choreographed by Leni Wylliams
15 minutes, 12 dancers
Whispering Bench is set to traditional Appalachian Folk Music, is a humorous and quirky take-off of the children's game "Telephone" in which eight dancers sit, talk and delight in hearing gossip which lead to mischievous results.
Autumn
choreographed by Mary Giannone Talmi
Autumn, a company premiere by Mary Giannone Talmi, soars with sweeping lines in ever-changing and intricate patterns. Set to the music of George Winston, the ballet blows in like a crip fall wind in a classical and contemporary blend reminiscent ofthe brilliant flashing colors of Autumn.
Bachianna
choreographed by David Parsons
8 dancers
A joyous work for 8 dancers set to the glorious music of Bach. In this energetic ballet 4 couples dance and intertwine in a modem square dance and 4 delightful duets that capture the happiness and poignant twist in human relationships.
Beloved
music by Judith Hamilton
choreographed by Lester Horton
The Beloved is an American masterpiece by modern dance pioneer Lester Horton. Set to the music of Judith Hamilton with Biblical verses, The Beloved is a love/hate relationship between a man and a woman which slowly descends into fear and violence that speaks to the heart with profound meaning.
Bound To...
choreographed by Deeanna Hiett
A world premiere by DeeAnna Hiett to the dramatic music of John Deping. This sculptural abstract work for four dancers explores the meaning of the phrase "bound to". Everyone is bound to something, a relationship, an evil, an emotion...?
Change of Hearts
choreographed by William Whitener
A work created for WHDT by KC Ballet artistic director William Whitener. Set to the scintillating music of Peggy Lee, "Change of Hearts" looks at love, loss and Intimate relationships that only Peggy Lee's remarkable voice can capture and her words can define.
Church of Nations
music by Ennio Morricone
choreographed by Kevin Iega Jeff
Church of Nation, choreographed by Kevin Iega Jeff, presents a meeting of ministers who debate "Is there such a thing as a just and holy war?" This is set to music by Ennio Morricone, composer of music for 112 films including "Cinema Paradiso" and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly".
City
music by David Van Tieghem
choreographed by Jennifer Muller
City. by Jennifer Muller, set to the dynamic score by David van Tiegham is a technical "tour de force" evoking the pace of the urban environment. From the lithe and slithery movement to tense and weary movement the next, the stage filled with ten dancers in motion takes a familiar look at empty, sometimes threatening turmoil of city streets. Bustling with inventive patterns, accidental jostling turns into a mugging where danger lurks and people can't be trusted. "City" us a showcase for the extraordinary energy and virtuosity of the company.
Cyclical Hour
choreographed by Dwight Rhoden
The Cyclical Hour is a world premier by New York choreographer Dwight Rhoden that pulsates with the hypnotic tango music of Astor Piazzolla. Capturing the essence of tango. Cyclical Hour is a dance for three couples that brings with sexual intensity and non-stop energy. As the dancers strut, twirl, intertwine, leap and fall, the dance sweeps you away with its Latin American rhythms and the kinetic movement that walks the fine line between love, hate and passion.
Esperando nin Silencio
choreographed by Mary Pat Henry
This offers a poignant look at the mothers of Argentina who courageously protested the disappearance of thousands of their loved ones, set to the hauntingly beautiful South American rhythms of Utaki.
Evidence of Souls Not Seen
music by Mahler and Elgar
choreographed by Leni Wylliams
Evidence of Souls Not Seen by Leni Wylliams set to the music of Mahler and Elgar the work is a beautiful and poignant trio for 3 men honoring those who have passed on and their spirit and love that remain with us.
Games
choreographed by Donald McKayle
A recognized as a modern dance classic and is in the repertoires of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and the Ballet Hispanico among other. Perhaps his best known piece, "Games" juxtaposes the innocent imaginings of urban children with the real dangers they face. "Games" will be presented with live singers.
Give Your Hand to Struggle
choreographed by Jowole Zollar
Give Your Hands To Struggle is a work set to the music of Sweet Honey In The Rock about the real and metaphorical power of the hands to move, touch, hold and give and take in the realms of spiritual deliverance and social struggle.
Givin' Up
music by Donny Hathaway
choreographed by DeeAnna Hiett
Givin' Up, by DeeAnna Hiett, is a love duet to music by Donny Hathaway. With a great emotion it speaks to the heart about the ups and downs of a relationship.
Havoc
music by John Bergamo
choreographed by Bill T. Jones
25 minutes, 12 dancers
An avant-garde jewel Initially Inspired by the music of the Chinese Opera "Monkey Raises Havoc in Heaven" capturing images of a Chinese goddess, a sacred dancing monkey and ethereal Afro-Asian gods, Havoc Is a fusion of ballet, primitive and post-modem movement. In a frenzied whirlpool of movement, set to the East Indian-inspired score by John Bergamo, bodies fling and ricochet across the stage with relentless energy. With electric isolations and sensual undulations, 5 dancers move to drumming and vocal sounds with architectural athletldsm and intelligent grace.
Ice Fire
choreographed by Fred Benjamin
A life, high-kicking and fast-stepping jazz dance by New York choreographer Fred Benjamin. The full-company piece is guaranteed to catch your eye and bring you to your feet!
In Our Own Image
choreographed by Jerry Pearson
In Our Own Image by Jerry Pearson, formerly of Nlkolais Dance theater is a work that challenges the audience by pushing the boundaries of our perceptions of dance by Incorporating dance with inanimate objects. In this whimsical piece the dancers move among and are paired with white cylinders and large green spheres which makes one question who Is partnerlng who-the dancer or the prop.
Intimate Conversations
choreographed by Mary Pay Henry
Intimate Conversations is a collaborate work between choreographer Mary Pat and international jazz recording artist Bobchoreographers = Watson exploring the give and take that goes on meshing music and dance together. In a smoky night club, a cast of characters converse with each other through the music and the movement in an improvised dialogue that sparks an animated and jazzy theater piece which is sure to entertain!
Joy
choreographed by Milton Myers
Joy by New York choreographer Milton Myers explodes on the stage with energy and exuberance as eleven dancers move through space at lightning-fast speed, showcasing their technical prowess. Tempered in the middle with a slow and tender romantic trio, the dance is a virtual roller coaster ride of beautiful dance, athleticism and unabashed joy to the music of Bach.
Letters Never Sent
music by Marin Marais
choreographed by Erika Randall
Letters Never Sent by Erika Randall and danced to the "Sonnerie de St. Genevieve du Mont-de-Paris" by Marin Marais, is about the love letters and hate mail we write and do not send. The stage, littered with hundreds of letters that will never reach their intended, becomes yet another page for the dancers' physical inscriptions. As they articulate their emotions through intimate gestures and sweeping extensions, the five women express, through dance, volumes that may have otherwise been suppressed.
Minus Him
music by Uptown String Quartet
choreographed by Leni Wylliams
A woman dances, imagining her love and partner in a solo, sensual dance of memory and yearning.
Monfasso
music by Jeoff Bennet
choreographed by Dee Anna Hiatt
15 minutes, 12 dancers
Choreographed by DeeAnna Hiett, to the electrifying music of Geoff Bennett, draws on the driving rhythms and archaic images of the early societies. With a primal energy the work pulsates, slithers and explodes with dramatic intent and passionate dancing.
Moore in Time
choreographed by Mary Pat Henry15 minutes, 10 dancers
Inspired by the beauty of the sculpture of Henry Moore and the abstract sculpture garden at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Using the exciting frontiers in electronic music, Mary Pat Henry and the dancers will trigger electronic sensors, which create and alter the music during the performance.
Naeemah's Room
choreographed by Kevin Iega Jeff
Naeemah's Room by Kevin Iega Jeff, artistic director of Deeply Rooted Dance Company in Chicago, is a national premiere created for the Wylliams/Henry Dance Theatre. This dramatic work is a poignant psychological journey through one woman's fragile mind. It is hauntingly beautiful and emotionally powerful.
Obsession
music by John Abercrombe and Ralph Tower
choreographed by Mary Pat Henry
Obsession by artistic Director, Mary Pat Henry is a dramatic work that portrays psychological journey through one woman's consciousness. Set to music of John Abercrombe and Ralph Tower and using the poetry of Sylvia Platt, "Obsession" powerfully depicts one woman's emotions, struggles and life decisions that ultimately lead to acceptance, liberation and serenity.
Orfeo
music by Beethoven
choreographed by Jose Limon
20 minutes, 5 dancers
Orfeo by Jose Limon, underwritten through the partial support of the National Endowment for the Arts. One of the Jose Limon's final works, Orfeo follows the travails of the mythological poet and musician as he descends into the underworld to bring his beloved Eurydice back to earth. Set to Beethoven's Fourth Concerto, this 18-minute piece is a quintet for one man and four women. Wylliams/Henry is fortunate to stage this remarkable piece on the 35th anniversary of its world premier during the Company's 2007 season.
Ozark Suite
music by Elie Seigmenster
choreographed by Hanya Holm
Ozark Suite is one of the masterpieces of modern dance pioneer Hanya Holm. Capturing the everyday life of the people of Ozark mountain region, "Ozark Suite" is set to the original score by Elie Seigmenster gives a glimpse into the life of a bygone era. From the Halleluiah of a joyous camp meeting, to,the slow pace of a lazy afternoon to the exuberant Saturday Night socials which eventually leads to a square dance, "Ozark Suite" brilliantly visualizes the culture of the Ozark Mountain region.
Passage
choreographed by DeeAnna Hiett
Life is full of journeys. Set to the music of Vas, "The Passage" represents the odysseys each one of us face during our lives. Its movement symbolizes both the inner struggles we go through and the mandatory pilgrimages we endure as time marches on.
Pearls
choreographed by Kenny Pervine
Pearls is a poignant solo for a woman wet to the music and lyrics of Sade. Choreographed by Kenny Pervine, Peals depicts the valiant struggles of mothers in poor countries to maintain both their families and their dignity in difficult times.
Quiet City
choreographed by Leni Wylliams
Choreographed by Leni Wylliams, to the spacious score of Aaron Copeland is an elegant work with sweeping lines and lyrical movements which explores wide open spaces and blends elements of ballet and modern. Quiet City is a work of true beauty and grace.
Rippling Souls
choreographed by Vincent Brosseau
Rippling Souls, is Vincent Brosseau's signature piece built for two women and two me.l1. The dancers move from slow, delicate, earthbound movements to intricate, body sculpting movements which climax in breathtaking, airborne choreography executed on & foot poles. It is an unrelentingly athletic piece that pits bodies against gravity in risky combinations.
Ritual
choreographed by Amber Perkins
Ritual is a dramatic and breathtaking physical duet set to the poignant music of Arvo part. Ritual showcases then technical brilliance of the dancers in a primal/mating ritual between a man and a women that will leave the audience spellbound.
Ritual is a visual display of sculptural elegance to the hauntingly beautiful music of ARVO Part. Moving through phases of emotional tension and release, the 2 dancers create a dramatic interplay between attraction and control in a ballet of intensity, strength and balance. "Church of Nations" by Kevin Iega Jeffwas catalyzed by a television news broadcast in which President Bush, just hours before the invasion of Iraq, was quoted as saying that he had consulted his spiritual advisor and he was given consent to go to war. "Church of Nations" poses the question-Should the house(s) in which we worship give consent to death and destruction in the name of God? The empty chair represents religious leaders who do not endorse war.
Sentimental on Sinatra
choreographed by Mary Pat Henry
A romantic romp to love songs by Frank Sinatra. Whimsical characters stroll in the moonlight aboard an ocean liner bound for romance.
Shah Tah Tee
choreographed by Leni Wylliams
Set to the driving rhythms of M. Shrieve this signature piece blends the sensuous movements of the Middle East with the bold, striking movement of contemporary dance to create a visual montage of vibrant images that explode with energy.
Six Laments
choreographed by Sean Curran
Six Laments by Sean Curran is a company premiere that poignantly captures the deep feelings of remorse and pain that comes with human or individual loss. Framed by the beautiful portrait paintings of Kieran McGonnell, six dances subtly reveal their individual or personal loss to an original score of Seamus Egan.
Sleep Study
choreographed by David Parsons
7 dancers
To the music of Film and The BB's this is a gloriously funny look at the phenomena of sleep. While horizontal on the floor the 7 dancers in tight quarters depict the frustration and humor in getting a good night's sleep. True to its name, young and old alike will recognice the tossing and turning that make up this sleep study.
Soiree
choreographed by Mary Pat Henry
Soirre depicts an elegant lighthearted evening abroad a luxurious ocean liner during the early days of WW II. The mood comes darker as the prejudices and biases that were the undercurrent of prewar Germany begin to surface and divide the part goers. The audience hears original garbled radio broadcasts and sees flurried war film images that become part of the background sound and scenery. This new multi-medi production will showcase the talents of Joe Vanek, head designer of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, and Mary Pat Henry, choreographer of "Soiree" and artistic director of Wylliams-Henry Dance Theater.
Solemn Vow
choreographed by Mary Pat Henry
A poignant portrait of a Victorian woman as she journeys through crucial phases in her life, danced by three women. Throughout the work, a rung is the central focus of the movement. The choreograph explores a gamut of emotion; from exuberant happiness to anger and despair, as she contemplates the choices she had made. Ultimately as the older woman, she must make one final choice which powerfully summarizes her life.
Sonata
music by Leos Janeceks
choreographed by Sean Curran
20 minutes, 8 dancers
A reflection of community and the ways that shared memories are held by individuals within the group.
Southern Exposure
choreographed by Mary-Pat Henry
"Southern Exposure" is a multi-media dance/ theater work by Mary Pat Henry, inspired by the photographs and artwork of renowned artist William Christenberry’s "Klan Room". Drawing on the striking images of Christenberry and the memories of Mary Pat Henry, growing up the in South during desegregation, "Southern Exposure" asks us to question “prejudice” and look back to history to see who we were and who we are now.
Set on the artists of the Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company and using the pop music from the 60’s, social conscious jazz artists such as Nina Simone, gospel artists, and an original score , in collaboration with the Marrs Sound Archives, "Southern Exposure" is a music journey to an era and a people that defined America at its best and its worst. With original film by video artists Steven Cadie and scenic/costume designer Antonia Roberts, "Southern Exposure" embodies, visually, a pivotal time in America full of social graces and racial prejudice.
Whether it is racial injustice or prejudice concerning gender, political, or cultural bias, "Southern Exposure" hopes to create an open dialogue in communities. This thirty minute work will be performed in collaboration with other works such as "Trains" by Mary Pat Henry to the music of Stephen Reich about the trains bound for the Nazi concentration camps, "Church of Nations" by Kevin Iega Jeff that questions the idea, "Is there such a thing as a just and holy war?", and the light hearted and humorous "Whispering Bench" by Mary Pat Henry looking at gossip and its effects.
The performance will include a community component with community leaders/activists with seminars to dialogue about prejudice, as well as open discussions with high school students who will attend the concert.
Stonehenge
choreographed by Amber Perkins
Stonehenge is a work by East Coast choreographer, Amber Perkins. Set to the music of Shostakovich Fourth Ballet Suite, captures the images, the structures, and the cosmic aura surrounding this mystical place.
Sweet In the Morning
choreographed by Leni Wylliams
Sweet In the Morning, a male solo choreographed by Leni Wylliams is set to the vocals of Bobby McFerrin. A lone man walks solemnly down a bench framed by a stain-glass window reminiscent of a church. The dance is a journey to reconnect to those he loved as he reaches back to say "do not grieve for me-all is well."
Sweet Otis Suite
choreographed by Mary Pat Henry
A company premier to the soulful vocals of legendary artist Otis Redding. Touching on the emotions of love, loss and yearning, this full company work captures the mercurial experiences of the heart brings us both joy and sorrow.
Symbolic Logic II
choreographed by Sean Curran
Choreographed by Sean Curran (NY) to the meditative music of Sheila Chandra, is a kinetic collage of shapes and gestures, influenced by traditional Indian dancing and martial arts, that moves, whirls and leaps with pure energy. Described as "vehement dancing for dance sake" by the Village Voice in New York. This work is sure to fascinate and delight any audience.
To Have and to Hold
music by Scott Killian
choreographed by Shapiro and Smith
An exciting work with a commisioned score by Sctoll Killian that intermingles wood and bodies in a personal view of relationships and loss. On, around and under three long wooden benches, six dancers slide, fall and support each other as the wor reminds us of those we have loved and lost but not forgotten.
Trains
music by Steven Reich
choreographed by Mary Pat Henry
25 minutes, 12 dancers
Depicting a by-gone era, the dance reaches through three historic periods, Pre-World War 2, World War 2, and Post-World War 2, capturing the relationships of people meeting on trains and the circumstances that bring them together and rip them apart.
Untitled
choreographed by Paula Weber
Untitled is a company premiere. This new duet is balletic and lyrical. Ms Weber has created works for the Kansas City Ballet, Albany Berkshire Ballet, and regional ballet companies.
Variations
choreographed by Milton Myers
Variations is an exuberant work for 4 dancers set to the driving percussion music of WilIiams Catanzaro This work showcases the technical prowess of the dancers in an energetic competition that resembles a chess match in which the dancers perform a series of check and checkmate movements that leap, lunge, kick and turn with relentless energy that will excite the audience and challenge the dancers.
View Over Atlantis
music by John Mitchell
choreographed by Laura Dean
15 minutes, 8 dancers
A dance for seven women who use patterns and whirling poetically to interpret the inspirational book of the same name written by John Michell. Laura Dean is a primary driving force in the development of the post modern dance movement and is considered by many to be one of our finest American choreographers.
We Dance
music by J.S. Bach
choreographed by Kevin Iega Jeff
10 minutes, 4 dancers
Dancers create a diaphanous in which movement, gesture, and social manners become one.
Whispering Bench
choreographed by Mary Pat Henry5 minutes, 7 dancers
Whispering Bench is set to traditional Appalachian Folk Music, is a humorous and quirky take-off of the children's game "Telephone" in which eight dancers sit, talk and delight in hearing gossip which lead to mischievous results.