Sunday October 23, 2011 – My curiosity is truly piqued by the news of upcoming showings of Anna Sokolow’s ODES; I had been hoping for a chance to see a rehearsal prior to attending the actual performance and this evening, unexpectedly, the opportunity arose. I met Kokyat at New York Live Arts (formerly Dance Theater Workshop) on West 19th Street for a look at ODES in the studio.
You can help fund the revival of this Anna Sokolow work by contributing here.
Jim May, artistic director of Sokolow Theatre Dance, gave the dancers – an assembly of Company members and free-lancers – a brisk warm up that included some shouting. Then we saw a run-thru of the opening movement of ODES.
Jim May coaching the women.
Dancers Lauren Naslund, Yayoi Suzuki and Greg Youdan
Atsushi Yahagi
Jim May coaches Durell R Comedy
Flautist Roberta Michel (above) was in the studio to work out tempos with the dancers who will be performing the central duet of ODES, set to Edgard’s Varese’s Density 21.5. This pas de deux is book-ended by other Varese selections: Octandre and Poème Électonique, both set for a large ensemble of dancers.
The pas de deux is danced by Yayoi Suzuki and Luis Gabriel Zaragoza (above and below)…
Jim May gives notes to Yayoi and Gabriel after the run-thru.
More photos from the rehearsal:
Atsushi Yahagi
Read about the upcoming performances of ODES here.
My appreciation to Jim May and publicist Audrey Ross for arranging for us to watch and photograph this rehearsal. More of Kokyat’s images will be found here, and my Facebook album is here.
In April 2010 I was very taken with Sokolow’s LYRIC SUITE, set to music of Alban Berg and danced by students from the Eugene Lang College Dance Department. I am very glad to have an opportunity to see more of Sokolow’s work.
Oberon's Glade 
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