Year: 2023-2024
DanceForce Member: James Lemons
Artist: Rebecca Josue
Community Partner: Lake Placid Center for the Arts
Audience: 355
County: Essex
Parsons Dance is a contemporary American dance company, internationally renowned for its energized, athletic ensemble work. Founded in 1985 by Artistic Director David Parsons and Tony Award-winning lighting designer Howell Binkley, the company has toured to more than 445 cities, 30 countries, and 5 continents. Parsons Dance is committed to providing enriching experiences beyond its performances as it seeks to engage audiences of all ages through education and outreach programs; through post-show discussions, open rehearsals, studio showcases, video workshops, open company classes, summer workshops for pre-professional dancers; and in-school workshops for public school students. All these activities are driven by the vision of Artistic Director David Parsons, who, for more than 30 years, has combined his choreographic gifts and talent for training highly skilled dancers with a real passion for the art form.
From August 14 to September 2, 2013, the Lake Placid Center for the Arts in upstate New York will host a three-week residency program allowing for creative time for the artists, technical element exploration, community engagement activities, masterclasses and a public performance.
The aim of the multi-week residency will be two-fold: to allow Parsons the time and space in dance studios to creatively explore and share new work towards an NYC-based premiere in the 2024 season. Access to the performance space during the final week of residency will provide time to integrate sound and lights for the first time into the new work.
A secondary residency goal will be to integrate the company into the local community in long-lasting and meaningful ways through a series of touchpoints with community members. The company will offer free open rehearsals, workshops and masterclasses at scheduled times throughout the residency – inviting the public to train alongside professional dancers and explore the behind-the-scenes process of creating new work. At least two community engagement activities per week are planned.
The residency will conclude with a public performance on the LPCA Main Stage on Friday, September 1, 2023. Ticket prices are $20-$25 and will include a post-show Q&A with the company.