Complimentary Opportunities
Wine Tasting Wednesdays
The ADF enjoyed partnering with the Hope Valley Bottle Shop this summer for the Festival’s inaugural Wine Tasting Wednesday events. Prior to four Reynolds Industries Theater performances, patrons sipped fine wines from a variety of regions and nibbled on delicious cheeses while enjoying conversation with fellow dance fans. Afterwards, it was off to the theatre for some remarkable modern dance!
Pre-Performance Talks and Post Performance Discussions
Pre-Performance Talk at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC)Critic-in-Residence Suzanne Carbonneau led pre-performance talks immediately preceding performances at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) and Reynolds Industries Theater. These talks provided an insightful look at the work each company presented,. Suzanne also moderated Post Performance Discussions which provided dance-goers the opportunity to participate in thoughtful dialogue with the performers after select performances. Patrons asked questions and learned more about the creators’ work and vision.
Panel Discussions
Where Ballet Meets Modern: The Choreographer's View, Where Ballet Meets Modern: Training the Dancer, Susan Gittler: A Lifetime of Dance
The 2009 Festival provided numerous opportunities for the ADF community and general public to participate in moderated panel discussions that further explored the season’s theme. Choreographers Laura Dean, Mark Dendy, Emanuel Gat, and Ohad Naharin participated in a panel discussion entitled Where Ballet Meets Modern: The Choreographer's View on June 24. Moderated by ADF Director Charles Reinhart, the discussion explored the boundaries that do or do not exist between the two dance forms.
The second discussion, Where Ballet Meets Modern: Training the Dancer, took place on July 8 and was moderated by ADF Dean Donna Faye Burchfield. First-hand insights from the instructor’s perspective, as well as thoughts on injury prevention and preparedness, pedagogies, and approaches were shared and discussed. Panelists included ADF faculty Jeffery Bullock, Elizabeth Corbett, and Gerri Houlihan, alongside Dr. Marijeanne Liederbach, Director of Research and Education at the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries in New York City.
On July 15th, Susan Gittler: A Lifetime of Dance celebrated the storied career of 89-year-old artist Susan Gittler. The discussion was moderated by Rodger Belman, with panelists Charles L. Reinhart, Frances Wessells, and Susan Gittler, and included a performance of the artist’s memorable work Hiroshima: Lest We Forget to live harpsichord accompaniment by local musician Elaine Funaro.
Out of Focus Documentary Film Screening
Ohad Naharin's Decadance, performed by Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet at the 2009 ADFADF was pleased to screen this dynamic close-up documentary by Israeli filmmaker Tomer Heymann. Out of Focus captures an intensely candid picture of the life and work of choreographer Ohad Naharin as he works in rehearsal with New York’s Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet on his work, Decadance. Out of Focus was also presented at the 2009 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival earlier in the year. Choreographer Ohad Naharin received the prestigious 2009 Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Acheivement.
Modern Scene
Giant Twister, Sidewalk chalk drawing, Raffles and Hooping were some of the activites found at the ADF 2009 Block Party.
Photos by Andrew Synowiez
Modern Scene, a volunteer committee dedicated to cultivating new audiences for the ADF, coordinated two remarkable community events during the 2009 Festival. The inaugural ADF Block Party occurred on May 31 at Peabody Place in downtown Durham. Over 500 community members enjoyed hooping, sidewalk chalking, great music, delicious food, and discounts for ticket buyers. The enormous generosity of Morgan Imports, Parker & Otis, Pop’s, Our State, 1 in 8 Hoop Dance, and DJ J.sonel made this event possible. Look for a return in 2010!
Celebrating Mark Dendy’s second site-specific work of the season, Golden Belt, over 1,200 dance fans enjoyed the sweet tastes of summer in the coolest of locations on July 17. Complimentary champagne and strawberries provided by The Cotton Room topped of a remarkable evening of modern dance at the historic Golden Belt in downtown Durham. Special thanks to Scientific Properties, The Cotton Room at Golden Belt, and the Modern Scene volunteers for ensuring the success of this one-of-a-kind event.
ADF Tours
Free Festival tours offered individuals and community groups the opportunity to go behind the scenes of the ADF to witness modern dance in the making. Weekly tours began with Generations, a video documentary about the history of the ADF, followed by a walking tour of ADF classes. Visitors were able to experience ADF students live in their studios, catching glimpses of our faculty and dancers hard at work. Over 250 people took part in ADF tours this summer, including groups from Expressions Performing Arts Camp, the Research Triangle International Parent/Child Care Organization, the Durham Arts Council Afternoon Adventures Program, the Durham Mayor's Youth Summer Program, and the Southeast Center for Education in the Arts.
photos by Sara D. Davis