Gemma Bond Dance: HARVEST
Community ACCESS provides subsidized off-season rental opportunities for Danspace Project community members.
HARVEST is an evening of new and reconstructed works by choreographer Gemma Bond, in collaboration with a select group of ten dancers from American Ballet Theatre and New York Theatre Ballet.
The evening’s four works consider the connection between everyday events and the aesthetics of ballet. Bond’s choreography is a study in placing ballet in a less traditional setting—without scenery, without mime and gesture, or a set narrative, but through pure dance creates and inspires emotion that connects with the audience.
“Being a dancer with American Ballet Theatre myself, I’m surrounded by beautiful talent that longs to express itself through new and different avenues. Together we hope to take this great opportunity to explore, create, and bring classical ballet to a new audience in this remarkable location.” – Gemma Bond
The program includes: Being (Music by Karen LeFrak), Manner (Music: Franz Liszt, Six Consolations), Depuis le Jour (Music: Gustave Chapentier, Opera Louise), and Untitled (Music: Alfredo Piatti, Twelve Caprices for cello solo, Op. 25)
Choreography: Gemma Bond
Lighting Design: Serena Wong
Dancers: Zhong-Jing Fang, Thomas Forster, Steven Melendez, Lauren Post, Calvin Royal iii, Jose Sebastian, Christine Shevchenko, Devon Teuscher, Katherine Williams, Stephanie Williams
Gemma Bond got her first taste of choreography at the young age of 13 when she competed in the Royal Ballet’s Sir Kenneth MacMillan Choreographic Competition. She later returned to choreography when she joined American Ballet Theater, in 2008.
From 2010 to the present, Ms Bond has created three new ballets for ABT’s Choreographic Institute, and various new works for New York Theatre Ballet, Intermezzo Ballet Company, and the Hartt School. She choreographed a pas de deux that was performed at the prestigious Eric Bruhn Prize, and a ballet that was performed at the Youth America Grand Prix Gala in 2014. Ms Bond has also worked on commercial projects with 1stAveMachine.
Ms. Bond was awarded the fellowship grant from The New York Choreographic Institute (an affiliate of New York City Ballet) in 2014. With this grant Ms Bond was able to create her new work, The Giving . The Giving is inspired by Shel Silverstein’s, The Giving Tree. Ms Bond took this opportunity to commission original music by Lori Scacco, and used two dancers from American Ballet Theater, Christine Shevchenko and Sterling Baca.