DANSPACE PROJECT PRESENTS Koma Otake You Thursday, December 14 | 7:30PM Friday, December 15 | 7:30PM Saturday, December 16 | 7:30PM
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO AN AUDIO RECORDING OF KOMA'S CHOREOGRAPHER'S NOTE
Conceived, choreographed, and performed by: Koma Otake Painting and set by: Koma Otake Lighting design by: Kathy Kaufmann Costume by: Otaniya Production assistants: Viviane Eng and Paula Tartell Choreographer’s Notes by: Koma Otake read by: Viviane Eng
SUPPORT FOR YOU
You is commissioned by Danspace Project.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Born and raised in Japan and based in New York since 1976, Koma Otake collaborated with Eiko for over 40 years as Eiko & Koma creating 46 interdisciplinary performance works. He began working as a soloist in 2016. Always performing their own choreography, Eiko & Koma designed and handcrafted all aspects of their works including sets, costumes and sound. They presented their works in theaters, universities, museums, galleries, outdoor sites, and festivals worldwide, including many appearances at American Dance Festival, and five seasons at BAM’s Next Wave Festival. Durational performance works they call living installations were commissioned by the Whitney Museum, the Walker Art Center, and MoMA. The Walker Art Center published a comprehensive monograph of their works, Eiko & Koma: Time is Not Even, Space is Not Empty, as a part of their Retrospective Project (2009—2012), which included new performance works, restaging of old works, mediaworks, installations, museum exhibitions, film showings, panels, and lectures. Among other honors, Eiko & Koma were awarded Guggenheim Fellowships (1984), two Bessie Awards (1984, 1990), a MacArthur Fellowship (1996), the first United States Artists Fellowship (2006), the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award (2004) for lifetime achievement in modern dance, and the Dance Magazine Award (2006). Koma was also honored by the inaugural Doris Duke Performing Arts Awards (2012). Koma premiered his first solo The Ghost Festival at American Dance Festival and The Yard in 2016 and brought it to Jacob's Pillow and Danspace Project in 2017. Kathy Kaufmann (Lighting Designer) is a New York City native, and two time Bessie recipient. She designs regularly for Dorrance Dance, Joanna Kotze, The Bang Group, Mariana Valencia, Rebecca Stenn, Ephrat Asherie Dance, Vicky Shick, Mina Nishimura, and Music From The Sole. It is a pleasure to be collaborating with Koma once again.
THANK YOU FROM KOMA
Thank you to Judy Hussie-Taylor, Seta Morton, Lily Cohen, Kathy Kaufmann, Rosaly Ruiz, and Niko Tsocanos, Kenny Olguin, and everyone at Danspace Project. Koma is grateful for the help from Viviane Eng, Allison Hsu, John Killacky, Paula Lawrence, Iris McCloughan, Eiko Otake, Ivan Sygoda, Paula Tartell, and Isao Tsujimoto. Sincere thanks to friends, funders and presenters for their support.
Danspace Project pays respect to Lenape peoples. We acknowledge that this work is situated on the Lenape island of Manhattan (Mannahatta) in Lenapehoking, the Lenape homeland. We pay respect to Lenape land, water, and ancestors past, present and future.
ABOUT DANSPACE PROJECT
Danspace Project presents new work in dance, supports a diverse range of choreographers in developing their work, encourages experimentation, and connects artists to audiences. For almost 50 years, Danspace Project has supported a vital community of contemporary dance artists in an environment unlike any other in the United States. Located in the historic St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, Danspace shares its facility with the Church, The Poetry Project, and New York Theatre Ballet. Danspace Project’s Commissioning Initiative has commissioned nearly 600 new works since its inception in 1994. More about our staff, our mission, and values For information on our funders, visit danspaceproject.org/support FOLLOW US @danspaceproject danspaceproject.org