Year: 2026-2027
DanceForce Member: Margaret Kaiser
Partnering DanceForce Member: Paz Tanjuaquio
Artists: Sukanya Burman; Elaine Gardner; Paz Tanjuaquio
Community Partner: Torn Space Theatre
Audience: 230
County: Erie

A Celebration of Martha Graham’s Legacy represents a five-year ongoing partnership between the NYS DanceForce and Buffalo’s Torn Space Theater. Featured on Friday, September 18, at Torn Space Theater during Buffalo’s 43rd annual Curtain UP! event, this presentation represents the first time that dance has taken center stage on a night traditionally dedicated to curtains rising to Buffalo’s theater offerings.

This comprehensive program will feature the commissioning of three choreographers: Elaine Gardner, Buffalo-based; Sukanya Burman, Jamestown-based; and, Paz Tanjuaquio, Queens-based. All three have studied the Graham technique extensively, and all three have developed a broad repertoire of original dance pieces.

For this evening, each will choreograph a new piece inspired by Graham’s 1934 performance of “ Lamentation”, the film of which will precede the performance of the three commissioned works. Janjuaquio and Burman will perform in either a solo piece or a duet, and Gardner will feature a solo dancer.

Each dance will be performed with live music and will adhere to the Creative Structure for Choreographers, The Lamentation Variation Project, as provided by the Martha Graham Dance Company (MGDC). We will pay a licensing and administrative fee which gives us access to the 1934 film of Martha Graham performing Lamentation. The rules for each choreographer includes the expectations of the choreographers’ process, the length of the piece, costume and music guidelines, and the sequence of the film showing with the new variations.

In addition to the three Lamentation variations – the three variations created by Burman, Gardner, and Tanjuaquio – a new dance piece created and performed by a current member of the Martha Graham Dance Company (MGDC) and a film or an original piece choreographed by another MGDC will be presented. NYSDF member Burman will support half the cost of the film rental from MGDC and will have access to it during her Jamestown Dance Festival.

TST’s Shanahan will support performances by well-respected Buffalo musicians, as well as providing an artists’ reception follow the performance. Dance master classes will be provided in studios TBD. NYSDF will pay artists fees and for TST tech support. TST will support the use of the theater, musicians’ fees, the artists’ reception and all marketing costs.

Curtain UP! is a special annual event in Buffalo that honors the importance of our theatre district in WNY ‘s cultural life….now dance is being included in that celebration!