Emory Report

January 24, 2000

Volume 52, No. 18

Emory to showcase Avila/Weeks troupe By Deb Hammacher The inventive and provocative choreography of Homer Avila and Edisa Weeks will be on exhibit at Emory on Saturday, Jan. 29, in a performance by Avila/Weeks Dance that will expore the intricacies of human relations. Based in New York, their partnership merges various dance idioms with theatrics to create work that is intimate, physically dynamic and embraces the drama of humanity, according to Anna Leo, associate professor of dance. An integral aspect of their work is expanding the concepts of partnering to create a unique sharing of risk and responsibility by both men and women. The program will include "To Be Closer To Believing," a quiet but strong piece for five dancers interweaving intense partnering with lyrical phrases, all driven by the compelling rhythms of Philip Glass' interpretation of David Bowie's music. "Dubious Faith" is a signature duet that takes the audience on a humorous yet sinister exploration of obsession and desire between a man of the cloth and a woman of wiles. The piece integrates text by James Joyce with music by Juanita Hall and Ennio Morricone. "Seat of Dreams" travels through an imaginary landscape both glimmering and dark where reality and the absurd collide. Springing from a set of bright orange kindergarten chairs, "Seat of Dreams" peers into a world where the joy and cruelty of children's games, the anxiety of nightmares and the exhilaration of flying come together. It features original music by Fibre. Avila/Weeks Dance has performed on a variety of stages from the 1998 National Black Arts Festival to the "Christina Show," an internationally acclaimed Spanish language TV talk show. Their work has been performed by the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, New York University's Washington Square Repertory Ensemble and Agnes Scott College's Dancexplosion. The Jan. 29 performance will take place at 8:15 p.m. in the Performing Arts Studio. Tickets are $10 general admission, $8 faculty and staff, senior citizens and artists, and $6 for students. For ticket information, call the Emory box office at 404-727-5050. In addition to the performance, Avila and Weeks are holding a partnering workshop for Emory students and Atlanta dancers. The workshop at the P.E. Center began on Sunday, Jan. 23 and will run Monday-Thursday, Jan. 24-27, from 6­8:30 p.m. Return to January 24, 2000 contents page