Closed captions are available by clicking the “CC” button on the video.

A PDF transcript of the conversation is linked here.

This Conversation Without Walls (CWW) was recorded on November 30, 2020 and first broadcasted on YouTube Live on Saturday, December 12, 2020.

In this CWW, Danspace Project Program Director and Associate Curator, Benjamin Akio Kimitch is in conversation with Kyle Abraham, choreographer and Artistic Director of his company A.I.M, and Taylor Stanley, Principal Dancer for New York City Ballet. Abraham and Stanley discuss the development of their collaborative friendship, beginning with the creation of Abraham’s The Runaway (2018) for New York City Ballet and continuing with their short film collaboration, Ces noms que nous portons (2020) for Lincoln Center. Rehearsal footage of The Runaway (2018) and the full film, Ces noms que nous portons (2020) are screened during this conversation as they discuss shared experiences with representation, trust, and advocate for change within dance institutions at every scale.

Included in this CWW 

Works Choreographed by Kyle Abraham and Danced by Taylor Stanley

Ces noms que nous portons, choreographed by Kyle Abraham, commissioned by New York City Ballet and Lincoln Center (2020), Performed by Taylor Stanley, Music: “Gnossienne No. 3,” Erik Satie

The Runaway, choreographed by Kyle Abraham, commissioned by New York City Ballet (2018), Dancers: Ashley Bouder, Jonathan Fahoury, Sara Mearns, Roman Mejia, Georgina Pazcoguin, Taylor Stanley, Sebastian Villarini-Velez, Peter Walker, Music: James Blake, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Nico Muhly, Costume: Giles Deacon, Lighting: Dan Scully

Other Works Mentioned

Brick and The Dripping Kind, choreographed by Kyle Abraham, commissioned by Dance Theater Workshop (2008)

The Radio Show, choreographed by Kyle Abraham, commissioned by Danspace Project (2010)

to be seen, choreographed by Kyle Abraham, performed by Calvin Royal III, commissioned by New York City Center Fall for Dance Festival (2020)

The Times Are Racing, choreographed by Justin Peck, commissioned by New York City Ballet (2017)

Black Choreographers Commissioned for the New York City Ballet before Kyle Abraham’s Commission in 2018

• John Alleyne, Barbados born Canadian choreographer and artistic director of Ballet British Columbia from 1992 to 2009.
• Ulysses Dove, American choreographer (1947-1996).
• Albert Evans, American ballet dancer and choreographer (1968-2015).
• Robert Garland, American choreographer.

Institutions Mentioned 

• Brockus Studios, Los Angeles, CA
• CAPA Performing Arts High School, Pittsburg, PA
• GALLIM, Brooklyn, NY
• New York City Ballet, New York, NY
• NYU Tisch School of the Arts, New York, NY
• Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, MA
• Joffrey Ballet, New York, NY
• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York, NY
• Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadelphia, PA
• Purchase College, Harrison, NY
• The Rock School West (previously known as Westchester Ballet Theater), Westchester, PA
  • The Rock School, The school’s originating branch in Downtown Philadelphia, PA
• School of American Ballet, New York, NY

People Mentioned

• Leslie Anderson-Braswell, Dance educator (foundational to Kyle Abraham’s dance education).
• Daniel Applebaum, New York City Ballet Soloist.
• George Balanchine, Founding choreographer of New York City Ballet (1904-1983).
• Phil Chan, Co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface.
• Garth Fagan, Choreographer and Founder & Artistic Director of Garth Fagan Dance.
• Jodi Gates, USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance Founding Director and Professor of Dance.
• Jodi Melnick, Choreographer, dancer, and teacher.
• Andrea Miller, Choreographer, Artistic Director, and Founder of Brooklyn-based company GALLIM.
• Bebe Miller, Choreographer, dancer, and Founder & Director of Bebe Miller Company.
• Jon Nakagawa, Director, Contemporary Programming, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
• Georgina Pazcoguin, New York City Ballet Soloist and co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface .
• Wendy Perron, Dancer, choreographer, teacher, writer, and editor (wrote about Kyle Abraham and The Runaway).
• Stephanie Powell, Dance educator (foundational to Kyle Abraham’s dance education).
• Jerome Robbins, Founding choreographer of New York City Ballet (1918-1998).
• Jonathan Staffard, Artistic Director of New York City Ballet.
• Buddy Thompson, Dance educator (foundational to Kyle Abraham’s dance education).
• Bill T. Jones, Choreographer, dancer, theater director, writer, co-founder of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, and Artistic Director of New York Live Arts.
• Wendy Whelan, Associate Artistic Director of New York City Ballet.