Roulette and Molissa Fenley and Company present From the Light, Between the Lamps, a collection of new and very recent dances. Three guests from the revival of State of Darkness (Joyce Theater Productions 2020-2021) join the core group of Molissa Fenley and Company on the Friday and Saturday performances. Also featuring live music (piano) for two of the dances.

Christiana Axelsen company dancer
Molissa Fenley choreographer and dancer
Michael Ferrara piano for De la Lumière, Entre les Lampes
Justin Lynch company dancer
Enriqueta Somarriba piano for Current Pieces 1-3
Timothy Ward company dancer
Michael Trusnovec dancer (guest on Friday 2/2 and Saturday 2/3)
Lloyd Knight dancer (guest on Saturday 2/3)
Cassandra Trenary dancer (guest on Saturday 2/3)

*Casting subject to change

Part 1
Cosmati Variations #5 – (music by John Cage, Third Construction) – Christiana Axelsen and Timothy Ward

Current Pieces #1-3: NYC Premiere – these scores are performed live by Enriqueta Somarriba on piano
#1 – (Vijay Iyer, Crown Thy Good) – Molissa Fenley
#2 – (Nico Muhly, Refine) – Christiana Axelsen
#3 – (JP Jofre, Air on America) – Timothy Ward

Etruscan Matisse/Blake – World Premiere – (music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, 20210310) – Christiana Axelsen, Molissa Fenley, Justin Lynch, Michael Trusnovec (2/2+2/3), Timothy Ward

Part 2
Lava Field – (music by John Bischoff, Piano 7hz) – Christiana Axelsen, Molissa Fenley, Justin Lynch, Timothy Ward

De La Lumière, Entre les Lampes – World Premiere – (music by Philip Glass, New Chaconne – performed live by Michael Ferrera on piano)
Christiana Axelsen + Justin Lynch (De la Lumière) 1/31, 2/1, 2/2
Justin Lynch + Timothy Ward (Entre les Lampes) 1/31, 2/1, 2/2
Lloyd Knight + Cassandra Trenary (De la Lumière, Entre les Lampes) 2/3

In the Garden (with Ryuichi) – Molissa Fenley, Justin Lynch, Michael Trusnovec (2/2 + 2/3), Timothy Ward

In the Garden (with Ryuichi) was commissioned by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Fine Arts Center’s Asian and Asian American Arts and Culture Program

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Molissa Fenley, was born in Nevada in 1954, grew up in Ibadan and Lagos, Nigeria (1961-71), and returned to the USA to attend Mills College 1971-1975. She moved to New York in 1975 and founded Molissa Fenley and Company in 1977. The Company has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Choreographic Commissions for Molissa Fenley and Company: the American Dance Festival, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Dia Art Foundation, Jacob’s Pillow, The Joyce Theater, The Kitchen, Lincoln Center, New National Theater of Tokyo, National Institute of Performing Arts, Seoul, and New York Live Arts (Dance Theater Workshop).

Choreographic Commissions for other Dance Companies: Australian Dance Theatre, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane, Richard Move, Oakland Ballet, Ohio Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Peggy Baker Projects, Robert Moses’ Kin.

Fellowships: American Academy in Rome, American Masterpieces of the National Endowment for the Arts, Asian Art Council, Atlantic Center for the Arts, Bogliasco Foundation, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, Guggenheim, National Endowment for the Arts.

Residencies: Bainbridge Dance Center, Bard College, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Bloedel Reserve, Dance HUB in Florence/Agropoli, Italy, Dance Hub in Santa Barbara, Harvard University, Hotchkiss School, Yaddo.

Bessie Awards: Choreography: Cenotaph (1985), State of Darkness (1988). Outstanding Revival: State of Darkness (2021).

Faculty: Mills College (1999-2020), now Professor Emerita.
Rhythm Field: The Dance of Molissa Fenley, Seagull Press/University of Chicago (2015).