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MoMA invites six international choreographers to present their work in a dance series guest-curated by Ralph Lemon
Some sweet day is a three-week program of dance performances by contemporary choreographers in the Museum's Marron Atrium. The series, which pairs six internationally renowned choreographers engaged in an intergenerational and cross-cultural dialogue, demonstrates how the current state of dance can address a variety of subjects, including aesthetics, gender, race, and history. Concurrently—by putting a focus on choreography in an institution that traditionally showcases static objects—Some sweet day argues for the extended potentials and possibilities of the museum space.
Each Saturday, the contributing artists and curators will be present for a response following the performances. These conversations will be led by different respondents, among them Daphne A. Brooks (Princeton University), Douglas Crimp (University of Rochester), and Brent Hayes Edwards (Columbia University).
More information on MoMA's Performance Program and a detailed schedule are available at MoMA.org/performance.
Steve Paxton, Satisfyin' Lover and State
Steve Paxton (American, b. 1939) transformed the vocabulary of dance through his contributions to the Judson Dance Theatre in the 1960s and his development of the Contact Improvisation movement technique in 1972. For Some sweet day, Paxton presents his seminal postmodern works Satisfyin' Lover (1967) and State (1968), which question the established parameters of dance, such as virtuosity and style, while also addressing the artist's fascination with the ideas of simple everyday movements and the untrained body.
Wednesday, October 17, 1pm
Wednesday, October 17, 4pm
Sunday, October 21, 4pm
Jérôme Bel, The Show Must Go On
Jérôme Bel (French, b.1964) has produced highly conceptual and critical works that expand the boundaries of what dance and choreography can be. At MoMA, Bel stages The Show Must Go On (2001), which, in many respects, serves as a response to the work of the Judson Dance Theatre and Steve Paxton, whose work is shown in the same week.
Saturday, October 20, 1pm
Saturday, October 20, 3pm
Sunday, October 21, 1pm
Faustin Linyekula, What Is Black Music Anyway…/Self-Portraits
Choreographer and director Faustin Linyekula (Congolese, b.1974) creates works that reflect the sociopolitical history and cultural struggles of his native Democratic Republic of Congo. In What Is Black Music Anyway…/Self-Portraits, Linyekula is joined by Congolese guitarist and composer Flamme Kapaya (Congolese, b.1978) and South African singer Hlengiwe Lushaba (South African, b.1982).
Wednesday, October 24, 1pm
Saturday, October 27, 4pm
Sunday, October 28, 4pm
Dean Moss and Laylah Ali, Voluntaries
For his MoMA commission, Voluntaries, Dean Moss (American, b. 1954) invited visual artist Laylah Ali to join him in a work reexamining the legacy of John Brown, a white abolitionist who attempted an armed slave revolt in Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in 1859, resulting in his capture and execution.
Wednesday, October 24, 1pm
Saturday, October 27, 3pm
Sunday, October 28, 1pm
Kevin Beasley, I Want My Spot Back
In his sculptures, Kevin Beasley (American, b.1985) explores spaces of ambivalence. His contribution to Some sweet day consists of a two-day performance in which he takes on the role of a DJ, mixing slowed-down a cappella tracks by deceased rappers from the 1990s with additional textures, rhythms, and feedback.
Thursday, October 25, 3:30pm
Friday, October 26, 3:30pm
Deborah Hay, Blues
As a founding member of New York's Judson Dance Theatre in the 1960s, Deborah Hay (American, b.1941), took part in radically reshaping American dance by opening it up to other art forms and by shifting it away from spectacle toward ordinary, everyday movements. For Some sweet day, Hay contributes a new work that was inspired by Hay's vision of a dance for 11 African American and 15 white American dancers.
Friday, November 2, 1pm
Saturday, November 3, 3pm
Sunday, November 4, 1pm
Sarah Michelson, Devotion Study #3
The choreographic works of Sarah Michelson (British, b. 1964) are recognized for their ongoing and dynamic examination of the formal components and stylized tropes of dance. By highlighting the design and architectural structure of the performance space and dissecting the roles of choreographer and dancer, she explores the potential for new forms of contemporary dance to arise.
Friday, November 2, 4pm
Saturday, November 3, 1pm
Sunday, November 4, 4pm
Organized by Ralph Lemon, guest curator and choreographer; with Jenny Schlenzka, Associate Curator, MoMA PS1; and Jill A. Samuels, Producer, Department of Media and Performance Art, The Museum of Modern Art. Presented as part of MoMA's ongoing Performance Program, organized by Sabine Breitwieser, Chief Curator, Department of Media and Performance Art.
Some sweet day is made possible by MoMA's Wallis Annenberg Fund for Innovation in Contemporary Art through the Annenberg Foundation.
Additional funding is provided by The Modern Women's Fund.
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