Be sure to catch mayfield brooks in “Letters To Marsha with Viewing Hours (a diptych)” at JACK in Brooklyn, which runs for just three days, Jan. 30––Feb. 1. “In 1992, mayfield brooks had a missed connection with queer ancestor Marsha P. Johnson. Based on danced and written love notes, Letters to Marsha explores the weight of bodies and history, and the artist’s own evolution as a Black, non-binary queer connecting specters of Black queer death to memory, movement, sound, humor, and pathos. Also as part of the evening, brooks shares ‘Viewing Hours,’ a piece that takes the form of a wake, with brooks examining perceptions of death and decay—specifically the spectacle of Black bodies dying, decomposing, and grieving in plain sight—and challenges the currency that makes Black death profitable,” according to the release. Stacy Grossfield is the curator of “Images//Landscapes,” part of the ongoing “Reparations365” series. The producer is Marýa Wethers. For more information visit www.jackny.org.
STILL RUNNING:
Jan. 21–Feb. 2: Under artistic direction of Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet closes out their two-week run at the Joyce with the world premiere of “Love Rocks” set to works by GRAMMY singer and songwriter, Lenny Kravitz. Also on the program is “BACH 25,” “WOKE,” “Essential Parts” and more. For more information visit www.joyce.org.
Jan. 30–Feb. 1: The Bang Group’s annual POP Performance: Women in Motion returns with commissioned works from Same As Sister (S.A.S.)/Briana Brown-Tipley + Hilary Brown-Istrefi, asubtout (Katy Pyle +Eleanor Hullihan) and Rebecca Stenn. For more information visit www.thebanggroup.com.
ALSO THIS MONTH:
Feb. 1: Sidra Bell Dance New York and Staycee Pearl Dance Project & Soy Sos come together to present a shared program in an evening titled “BIFOLD” at GK Arts Center. For more information visit www.sidrabelldanceny.org.
Feb. 4: At Dixon Place, curated by Doug Post, the “Under Exposed” series focuses on emerging and up & coming contemporary dance choreographers who are refining/defining their distinctive movement vocabulary. Featured will be Amanda Edwards, Jahod Elijah Silver, Thomas/Ortiz Dance, and Leah Tubbs. For more information visit www.dixonplace.org.
Feb. 4-9: Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker returns to the Joyce with “Cão Sem Plumas (Dog Without Feathers),” inspired by João Cabral de Melo Neto’s poem of the same name, and explores the Capibaribe River region in Northeast Brazil and the dry land and riverbed dwellers that water sustains. For more information visit www.joyce.org.
Feb. 6: As the 2019-2020 Randjelović/Stryker Resident Commissioned Artist at New York Live Arts Theater, Raja Feather Kelly and his company the feath3r theory will present a work-in-progress showing of his new work, WEDNESDAY where the performers “…search for the true motivations and outcome behind the bank robbery in the 1975 cinematic-drama “Dog Day Afternoon.” For more information visit www.newyorklivearts.org.
Feb. 8: Batoto Yetu returns to City College Center for the Arts/Aaron Davis Hall with “The Life and Spirit of a Warrior Queen: Nzinga Mbandi of Matamba.” For more information visit www.citycollegecenterforthearts.org.
Feb.11: At Dixon Place, curated around the theme “The Inner Strength,” the “Fast Forward” series will present Kizuna Dance in Rebirth by artistic director Cameron McKinney, and OCA Dance in Pal’ Monte by Kennyth Montes De Oca. For more information visit www.dixonplace.org.
Feb. 11-16: Che Malmbo, the all-male dance company filled with Argentinian traditions, bring their percussive dance and music spectacle to the Joyce. For more information visit www.joyce.org.
Feb. 15: The nine choreographers of “Queer Movie Movers” take over BAAD!’s stage with a series of dances set to music from their favorite LGBTQ film that features queer people of color in a positive light. The choreographers are: Aleixa & Molly, Dia Bui, Rodney Brown, Felix Ciprian, Nick Daniels, Frenchy Haynes, Houiea LOVE, Acharo Smith and Tamara M. Williams. For more information visit www.baadbronx.org.
Feb. 18-23: At the Joyce, France’s Compagnie Hervé KOUBI, an all-male cast of 13 dancers from Algeria, Morocco, France, and Burkina Faso celebrate its 20th anniversary season with “Les nuits barbares ou les premiers matins du monde,” a look into the shared history of the Mediterranean basin. For more information visit www.joyce.org.
Feb. 25-Mar. 1: Celebrating their 35th anniversary, Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE returns to the Joyce with his signature blend of African and contemporary style in “High Life (2000) and Grace (1999, originally made for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre). Also on the program is the newly commissioned Mercy featuring original music by Meshell Ndegeocello.” For more information visit www.joyce.org.
Feb. 22-Mar. 21: Performer Okwui Okpokwasili and Danspace executive director & chief curator, Judy Hussie-Taylor curates “PLATFORM 2020: Utterances from the Chorus at Danspace.” There are many activities: WEEK 1: Opening, SATURDAY AFTERNOON CONVERSATION #1: PLATFORM AS PRACTICE: COLLABORATIVE ORGANIZING: Lydia Bell, Maura Donohue, Judy Hussie-Taylor, Kristin Juarez, Seta Morton, Okwui Okpokwasili, Cecilia Vicuña, Asiya Wadud, Eva Yaa Asantewaa, and others to be announced (2/22, 12-5 p.m.). “SITTING ON A MAN’S HEAD:” a performance installation by Okpokwasili and Peter Born (NY premiere) including a rotating chorus of 30 performers including: Martita Abril, Peter Born, mayfield brooks, Leslie Cuyjet, Eisa Davis, Melanie Greene, Jasmine Hearn, Shayla-Vie Jenkins, Chaesong Kim, Tendayi Kuumba, Breyanna Maples, Anais Maviel, Okpokwasili, Greg Purnell, Katrina Reid, Samita Sinha, Tatyana Tenenbaum, David Thomson, Pyeng Threadgill and more (2/28, 6-10 p.m.). There is much more. For more information visit www.danspaceproject.org.
Feb. 23: Artistic Director Angel Corella of Pennsylvania Ballet brings his version of the classic work, La Bayadère to the on-going “Works and Process” series at the Guggenheim. For more information visit www.worksandprocess.org.
Feb. 25: For one-night-only, Philadelphia’s PHILADANCO! Under interim artistic direction Gaynell Sherrod comes to NJPAC. For more information visit www.njpac.org.
Feb. 29: At Faison Firehouse Theater, Lotus Music and Dance presents A Celebration of Gandhi’s 150th Birth Anniversary, Gandhi’s life story will be told through dance: Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Contemporary Dance and more. For more information visit www.lotusmusicanddance.org.