Faso Dance Theater / Serge Eme Coulibaly According to choreographer Serge Eime Coulibaly, “Wakat” means “our time” in the Mosi language of Burkina Faso, where he was born. The North American premiere of Wakat is not hopeless, but Koulibaly’s assessment of our time is harsh. Accompanied by a non-stop score written and performed by Malik Mezadori, the piece explores the fear of others that fuels the rise of nationalism, but also contains moments of tenderness. (November 11-12, NYU Skirball Center)
garth fagan dance Fagan may be best known for his choreography for Broadway’s The Lion King. But while that show offers a good introduction to the undulating blend of modern, ballet, and Afro-Caribbean dance, nothing quite like watching Fagan’s dancers perform his choreography. , returns to Joyce with a premiere by Fagan and his one of his longtime dancers, 44-year veteran Norwood Pennewell. (November 15-20, Joyce Theater)
Michela Marino Rahman and her band’s love movement All great tap artists are musicians and dancers, shaping sounds and spaces. Tap dancer Michela Marino Rahman blurs that line even more, leading a band rather than her dance company. Music in Brooklyn At her venue National Sawdust, her multidisciplinary group, which combines the tones of both jazz music and traditional electronic tapboards, performed Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Levels of Love” speech (November 18th) will perform a piece inspired by ).
COMPLEXIONS Contemporary Ballet Led by artistic directors Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden, Complexions’ protean dancers will perform in New York City for two weeks this fall. As usual, Company’s season focuses on Roden’s flexible choreography — he premieres new material and revisits last year’s “Snatched Back From the Edges” — but William Forsythe’s “Slinger It also features the company premiere of an otherworldly duet from The Land. (November 22-December 4, Joyce Theater)
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater The company’s annual New York City Center season (November 30-December 24) features world premieres, company premieres and pivotal Alvin Ailey revivals. Kyle Abraham is in constant demand and has created a third production for the troupe, set on a mixtape of scores celebrating black music. Paying homage to jazz trumpeter Roy Eldridge, Twyla Tharp’s charmingly scruffy “Lloyd’s Joys” is Ailey’s debut. Airey’s 1986 Nelson and Winnie Mandela tribute “Survivors” is a new production. As usual, the company’s calling him card, Ailey’s glorious ‘Revelations’, features prominently in his repertoire mixes. This includes the City Center premiere of resident choreographer Jamar Roberts’ cinematic “In Ascentmental Mood” and Paul His Taylor’s lucid “Duet”.