Include dance in your holiday plans, and begin with the world premiere of George Emilio Sanchez’s “Bang, Bang, Gun Amok,” a 24-hour “performance filibuster” dedicated to U.S. gun culture, Dec. 8-9 at Abrons Arts Center and which promises to “…create a space for a community of creators to educate and express how the issue of gun violence in the United States is rooted in a history of institutionalized violence. Initiated by performance artist and activist George Emilio Sanchez, this landmark event will feature more than 50 artists, survivors of gun violence, activists and scholars coming together through music, dance, theater, comedy, discussion, bodywork, healing practices and more,” notes the release. “Even though we’re flooded with tragic stories of gun violence, I think people, in general, tend to overlook it,” said performance artist and activist George Emilio Sanchez. The lineup of participants includes musician Vernon Reid (Living Colour); poet and performance artist Pamela Sneed; representatives of Save Out Streets, Gays Against Guns and Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes; scholar and writer Alex Vitale (“The End of Policing”); journalist Jimmie Briggs; singer Nicky Paraiso; writer Eva Yaa Asantewaa; and performance artist Jennifer Miller, along with dance artists luciana achugar, Maura Donohue, Jaamil Olawale Kosoko, Paz Tanjuaquio, David Thomson, Charmaine Warren, Edisa Weeks and others. For more information, visit www.abronsartscenter.org.
STILL RUNNING
Nov. 29-Dec. 31—The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns for their annual New York City Center’s five-week season. Included on the programs are world premieres “Victoria” by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano and “Members Don’t Get Weary” by Ailey dancer Jamar Roberts, plus new productions by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar (“Shelter,” 1992), Twyla Tharp (“The Golden Section,” 1983) and Talley Beatty (“Stack Up,” 1983). The Opening Night Gala benefit performance, with host Janelle Monáe, will feature a variety of one-night-only performances plus “Revelations,” with live musicians and singers. Other season highlights include the Family Matinee Series, which runs every Saturday afternoon, plus the Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve performances. The artistic director is Robert Battle. For more information, visit www.nycitycenter.org.
Nov. 30-Dec. 16—The specially curated, split-bill, DoublePlus series returns at Gibney Dance, Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center. Two weekends of performances remain: Dr. Mique’l Dangeli & Mike Dangeli + Maria Hupfield, curated by Emily Johnson (Dec. 7-9) and Wesley Chavis + Cori Olinghouse, curated by Dean Moss (Dec. 14-16). For more information, visit www.gibneydance.org.
ALSO THIS MONTH
Dec. 6-Dec. 9—Jaamil Olawale Kosoko includes his own writtings and those by Audre Lorde and Ruby Sales in the world premiere of his “Séancers,” a new dance-based production featuring performances by Kosoko, and by artist IMMA and a live sound score by Jeremy Toussaint-Baptiste. “Setting the fugitive experoence afforded Black people on fire with majesty, opulence and agency, ‘Séancers’ combines lyrical poetry and psychic movement forms to investigate conceps of loss, resurrection and paranormal activity,” according to the release. For more information visit www.abronsartcenter.org
Dec. 13-15—The Baryshnikov Arts Center will present Kota Yamazaki and his company Fluid Hug-Hug in the world premiere of “Darkness Odyssey Part 2: I or Hallucination,” in which “…philosophy, dance and folklore merge in…[this]…second installment … [of the] … trilogy, which explores the idea of the body as a black hole, absorbing all that it encounters.” For more information, visit www.bacnyc.org.
Dec. 14 and Dec. 15—New Jersey Performing Arts Center brings back their “Hip Hop Nutcracker,” a contemporary version of the timeless holiday classic with performances by MC Kurtis Blow. The two performances are United Palace Theater (Dec. 14) and NJPAC (Dec. 15). For more information, visit www.hiphopnutcracker.com.
Dec. 9—Batoto Yetu (Swahili for “Our Children”) company celebrates the holiday at Aaron Davis Hall, Marian Anderson Theater with “…African dance, music and folklore…for all ages,” notes the release. For more information, visit www.citycollegecenterforthearts.org.
Dec. 17—Forces of Nature Dance Company, under artistic director and choreographer Abdel R. Salaam, brings their annual “A Kwanzaa Celebration” to NJPAC, with special guest poets Ntozake Shange and Sonia Sanchez, as part of NJPAC’s Kwanzaa festivities. For more information visit, www.njpac.org.