In Montclair, New Jersey at Peak Performances (Nov. 4-7), Stephanie Batten Bland’s “Look Who’s Coming to Dinner” tops this month’s calendar. Bland is known for “…creating performance at the intersection of dance-theater and installation, questioning contemporary and historical cultural symbolism and the complexities of human relationships.” And for “Look Who’s Coming to Dinner,” inspired by the 1967 Stanley Kramer film starring Sydney Poitier, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, she pays tribute to those who paved the way toward acceptance in love and life. “Set around a transformative dinner setting, seven dance-theater artists excavate interlaced universal traumas through imagery and ritual as they seek a seat at the table. In dialogue with the film’s use of intimate domestic settings to evoke the vast tensions of its cultural context, the dancers excavate interlaced universal traumas through imagery and ritual as they seek a seat at the table,” according to the release. For more information visit www.peakperfs.org/
STILL RUNNING:
Oct. 20 – Nov. 6 (Virtual & In-person)—“Crossing The Line Festival” spotlights Africa’s cultural renaissance through interdisciplinary artists and features works by Igbo-American artist Okwui Okpokwasili, in collaboration with Peter Born; nora chipaumire, a native of Zimbabwe and central Mozambique; and Somi, Chirstopher Myers and Kneza Schaal. For more information visit www.fiaf.org
ALSO THIS MONTH:
Nov. 1-15 (Virtual)—Sooraj Subramaniam and Kuala Lumpur-based January Low explore their parallel experiences of the Odissi Indian classical dance form in the world premiere of “Other Places of Being” for the BAC digital season. For more information visit www.bacnyc.org
Nov. 2-7 (In-person)—Gibney Company choreographic associate Rena Butler will offer world premieres along with Sonya Tayeh and Alan Lucien Øyen for the Company’s Joyce debut under founder, artistic director, and CEO Gina Gibney and directors Nigel Campbell and Amy Miller. For more information visit www.givneydance.org
Nov. 4, Dec. 9 & 16 (In-person)—The fall 2021 curatorial team, guest artist/curator Hilary Brown-Istrefi, Philip Treviño, and Gian Marco Riccardo Lo Forte brings Pioneers Go East Collective’s CROSSROADS to Judson Memorial Church. Featured will be Sheree Campbell, Yoshiko Chuma and Dane Terry, film by Anabella Lenzu, gorno (Glenn Potter-Takata), film by Yuan Liu, film by Janessa Clark, Jasmine Hearn and more. For more information visit www.pioneersgoeast.org
Nov. 7 (In-person)—As part of Works & Process at the Guggenheim, Akram Khan will share excerpts from “Creature” along with a discussion moderated by Meghan McNamara. For more information visit www.guggenheim.org
Nov. 11-13 (In-person)—The Chocolate Factory Theater presents the world premiere of PURO TEATRO: a Spell for Utopia by luciana achugar furthering achugar’s “…mission of making work as a practice of constructing a new theater – a utopian theater – as a practice of growing a collective utopian uncivilized body with the audience,” according to the release. For more information visit www.chocolatefactorytheater.org
Nov. 12-13 (In-person)—Miro Magloire’s New Chamber Ballet returns to the Mark Morris Dance Center with repertory works and the world premiere of a yet-to-be-titled work with composer Elizabeth Gartman. For more information visit www.newchamberballet.com
Nov. 14 (In-person)—As part of Works & Process at the Guggenheim, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater offers a season preview with artistic director Robert Battle. Prior to his farewell performance, there will be an appearance by dancer and resident choreographer Jamar Roberts, and the newly appointed artistic director of Ailey II, Francesca Harper will join the discussion. For more information visit www.guggenheim.org
Nov. 15 (In-person)—As part of Works & Process at the Guggenheim, members of Dance Theatre of Harlem will perform highlights and join the discussion about resident choreographer Robert Garland’s “Higher Ground” set to a selection of songs by Stevie Wonder with Imani Perry. For more information visit www.guggenheim.org
Nov. 9-14 (In-person)—The Indigenous Enterprise, a collective of dancers from across Turtle Island—currently known as North America— makes their Joyce debut and will present traditional works representing the legacies of their native elders and more. For more information visit www.joyce.org
Nov. 16-28 (In-person)—Complexions Contemporary Ballet returns to the Joyce Theater for its 27th season with two programs: (Program A), the world premiere of “SNATCHED BACK from the EDGES” and (Program B) “LOVE ROCKS.” All works are by co-founder Dwight Rhoden. Desmond Richardson is the other co-founder. For more information visit www.joyce.org
Nov. 17-21 (In-person)—Dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp celebrates her 80th birthday at City Center in a program of signature works and two world premieres with dancers from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (James Gilmer and Jacquelin Harris); American Ballet Theatre (Aran Bell and Catherine Hurlin); the actor and dancer Robert Fairchild; and New York City Ballet (Sara Mearns, Roman Mejia, and Tiler Peck). For more information visit www.nycitycenter.org
Nov. – Dec. 13 (Virtual)—Jordan Demetrius Lloyd will premiere “Trip Gloss World Premiere” “…an experiment in translation from a 3-dimensional world to a 2-dimensional screen…with layered animation that captures an amalgamation of movements by six dancers drawing from a web of inner stories and imagined fantasies,” according to the release,” for the BAC digital season. For more information visit www.bacnyc.org.