Be ready to bring in the New Year with the young and risk-taking choreographer, Italy Bianca Welton, in the premiere of her solo (“Ame-Ricana”) at Gibney (Jan. 10-Jan. 12). Drawn from her background as a South Carolina native, her life experiences as a daughter and granddaughter and the spiritual practices and South Carolina’s culture of Black southern herbal healers and farmers, (“Ame-Ricana”) “… evokes the memory of her maternal great grandmother who always advised that to neutralize harm caused by racism and the media, Black people must remember they are truly soul-rich.” In this multimedia work, packed with southern hip-hop, soul and R&B, Welton “…explores her southern roots through expressive contemporary movement, photography and film. Her work aims to motivate people to experience the true essence of evolution and freedom,” according to the release. For more information, visit http://gibneydance.org.
STILL RUNNING
Nov. 28-Dec. 30—Just two more weeks are left for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater annual New York City Center five-week season. Included on the programs are world premieres, “Lazarus” by Rennie Harris, “The Call” by Ronald K. Brown, “En” by Jessica Lang and “Kairos” by Wayne McGregor (company premiere), plus new productions by Artistic Director Robert Battle (“Juba,” 2003), Jawole Willa Jo Zollar (“Shelter,” 1988), Talley Beatty (“Stack Up,” 1982), Twyla Tharp (“The Golden Section,” 1983) and company member Jamar Roberts (“Members Don’t Get Weary,” 2017). Other season highlights include the Family Matinee Series, which runs every Saturday afternoon, plus the special season finale. The artistic director is Robert Battle. For more information, visit www.nycitycenter.org.
Dec. 29—Abdel R. Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, with special guest Sonia Sanchez and host Imhotep Gary Byrd returns to the Apollo Theater for the annual “Kwanzaa Celebration: Regeneration Night.” Two shows will be offered. The second show will feature a special tribute to Ntozake Shange, with appearances by Sanchez, Trazana Beverley, Craig Harris, Dyane Harvey, Billy “Spaceman” Patterson, Rueben Santiago-Hudson and Michael Wimberly. For more information, visit www.apollotheater.org.
ALSO IN JANUARY
Jan. 3-Jan. 7—For the fourth annual American Dance Platform at The Joyce Theater, curated by Amy Lam, artistic programmer of Boston’s “Celebrity Series,” six U.S.-based artists will again be showcased. This year’s lineup includes two from Philadelphia: the contemporary ballet company BalletX in Matthew Neenan’s “Increasing,” and Trey MacIntyre’s “Soul Train”-inspired “The Boogeyman,” plus hip-hop and break dancer Raphael Xavier’s “Points of Interest,” a Joyce debut. From New York, Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE with Arturo O’ Farrill and Resist in the Afro-Caribbean inspired work, “New Conversations: Iron Meets Water,” and an excerpt from “Upside Down,” plus Ephrat Asherie Dance mixing jazz and hip-hop, and finally, Stephen Petronio Company and Martha Graham Dance Company. For more information, visit www.Joyce.org.
Jan. 4-Jan. 5—Japan Society’s Contemporary Dance Festival, Japan + East Asia (formerly Contemporary Dance Showcase), returns with works from Japan (Mitsutake Kasai performs butoh master Akira Kasai’s “Pollen Revolution”) and Taiwan (Kuan-Hsiang Liu’s “Kids,” a tribute to death and the choreographer’s mother and Korea), and “Silver Knife” by Goblin Party, which delves into conflicting portrayals of female identity through movements of four women. For more information, visit www.japansociety.org.
Jan. 4-Jan. 12—As part of the annual coming together of dance artists and representatives, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals in and around New York City showcases include Kyle Marshall Choreography, Marjani Forté-Saunders and more at New York Live Arts (newyorklivearts.org, Jan. 4-Jan. 7); Alethea Pace, Chuck Wilt and Hee Ra Yoo, Artist-in-Residents recipients at the 92nd Street Y (92y.org, Jan. 4-Jan. 5); DELIRIOUS Dances/Edisa Weeks, Fana Fraser, mayfield brooks and many others at La MaMa as part of The Works 2019 (pmgartsmgt.com, Jan. 6-Jan. 7); and Reggie Wilson/Fist & Heel Performance Group’s “…they stood shaking while others began to shout” as part of “American Realness” 2019 at Danspace Project (www.danspaceproject.org/) (Jan. 7-Jan. 12).