By Tammy Scileppi
If you’ve never seen buckets of water used as creative props in modern dance or dancers’ bodies birthed out of fabric cocoons, then you shouldn’t miss the eighth annual Green Space Blooms Festival. It is a four-night, multi-cultural entertainment experience in Long Island City, showcasing 28 diverse choreographers.
Each evening will feature a new lineup of dance companies representing a different genre, followed by a reception with live musical guests, honoring Queens’ ethnic and traditional communities.
“The Green Space Blooms Festival is highly regarded in providing a greatly valued resource to the dance community, and has become a Queens highlight, allowing audiences to witness new and emerging talent in an intimate venue,” said Valerie Green, executive director and founder of Green Space Studios. “The reception provides an excellent opportunity for artists and audience to interact and listen to live music, all while enjoying Green Space’s spectacular view of Manhattan.”
Highlights of the festival include a performance of “The Bargain of a Lifetime” by Chris Ferris & Dancers on Thursday, April 10.
This Jackson Heights-based dance company is known for its fearless action, physical indulgence and elegant design.
“Fists pound the floor, bodies spiral with tactile awareness, and the planes of raw space are rearranged again and again, until you are dancing in your seat,” choreographer Ferris said.
Her work is based on an exploration of movement from a sculptural, dynamic and emotional point of view. Its focus is to bring you design in space and time with a human element. Her pieces incorporate sculptures that hang, swing, glow and illuminate, creating ethereal forms in a forest of moving architecture, and corporeal presences.
The company has been performing at Green Space since it has come into existence, and has taken part in all of its programs.
“Green Space Blooms brings together a variety of dance styles and choreographers at various stages of their careers. The audience will get a taste of many approaches to dance, and there is bound to be something they will love and something they have never seen before,” said Ferris. “It is important to have dance in Queens. There are not many venues in Queens producing dance and providing opportunities for choreographers and audience at this level.”
Then on Saturday, April 12, Azul Dance Theatre/Yuki Hasegawa perform their contemporary dance work, “Night Rainbow.”
Choreographer Hasegawa is a Japanese native who lives in Astoria. In 2004, she founded her company of international dancers, who hail from the United States, Canada, Austria, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.
This is the third appearance of Azul Dance Theatre in the festival.
Hasegawa strives to synthesize various styles, such as traditional Japanese dance, contemporary/jazz modern improvisation and Japanese traditional sword fighting, into her work. She believes this helps to convey themes of Eastern philosophy into her works.
A newcomer to the festival, Thomas/Ortiz Dance brings its signature blend of urban athleticism and Latin sensuality to the Green Space.
“I’m looking to expand my relationships with other dance organizations that share my love of this art form, while sharpening and nurturing my choreographic vision,” Ted Thomas said.
In 2001 Thomas and Frances Ortiz started their company, which includes a dozen dancers from diverse backgrounds, to explore thought-provoking and socially relevant themes.
Other performances include Valerie Green/Dance Entropy’s “Echo of a Trace,” in which a trio of dancers create goddess-like imagery of female knowledge, intricate sensuality and awkward aggressiveness, and its family matinee of “Wild Kingdom,” which includes audience participation.
California choreographer Leyya Tawil and her Dance Elixir troupe will present its work “KoolAid,” which shows dancers contending with questions in real time that determine the outcome of the performance.
“Valerie Green and her programming at Green Space have acted to promote many artists at different stages of their careers,” Tawil said. “Her curation is inclusive and at the same time well-articulated because of her vision and mission.”
If you Go:
Green Space Blooms Festival
When: April 10-13 at 8 pm, Family matinee is Sunday, April 13, at 1 pm
Where: Green Space Studio, 37-24 24th St., Suite 301, Long Island City
Cost: $15/in advance, $20/at door, $10/family matinee
Contact: (718) 956-3037
Website: www.greenspacestudio.org
