Nimbus presents the inaugural performances of a new holiday tradition for Jersey City: Jersey City Nutcracker. Drawing on Nimbus Dance Works’ strong local ties and the company’s mission to integrate top-caliber dance directly into the community, Jersey City Nutcracker features a cast comprised of top professional dancers as well as community members, including youth from dance schools Jersey City Dance Academy, Next Step Broadway and from the Jersey City public schools. Created by a collaborative team of standout local artists, including Nimbus Dance Works Artistic Director Samuel Pott (choreographer), Alysia Souder (librettist/ playwright), Irene Borngraeber (scenic designer), and Allison Duncil (costume designer), the full production will be rolled out over the course of the next two years.

When: December 17th at 7:30pm; December 18th at 7:30pm & December 19th at 6pm
Where: Grace Church Van Vorst, 39 Erie Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302
Tickets: purchase online at www.brownpapertickets.org/event/137495

Nimbus' Jersey City Nutcracker contains elements of the original E.T.A Hoffman folktale and is set to Tchaikovsky’s renowned orchestral score, but presents a newly-configured storyline set in a contemporary urban environment. “We envision that Jersey City Nutcracker will bring people of all ages and all parts of the Jersey City community together around this classic dance. Our version celebrates the traditional elements of Nutcracker – holiday spirit, family values, and childhood fantasy – and simultaneously introduces themes relevant to contemporary youth and families” Pott said.

In addition to selections from Nutcracker, the winter program also features the world premiere of Priyè Ginen (Prayer for Africa) a new duet by company dancer Jean-Paul Jr., and Pott's poignant “Six Chansons,” set to the enthralling music of Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy.

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" I'm labeled ... angry ... because I will not do what they want from a black dancer. They want black exotics ... I have something to say and I want to say it honestly, strongly and without having it stolen, borrowed or messed over."

Eleo Pomare
(Johnson, "I Must Be Black and Do Black Things"
New York Times, Sept. 7. 1969, Sec II, p 31
from Black Dance from 1619 p 298)

Eleo Pomare
Born: 1937
Occupation: choreographer, dancer, teacher

Before moving to Harlem at the age of ten, Eleo Pomare spent his childhood in Cartagena, Colombia, San Andres, and Panama. After receiving a diploma from the High School of Performing Arts in New York City, he continued his dance training with Louis Horst, Jose Limon, and Curtis James, and by 1958 was directing his first company. Through a John Hay Whitney Fellowship, Pomare spent two years (1962-1964) studying initially with Kurt Jones in West Germany and later with Expressionists in Holland. There he organized a second company that was well received in Holland, Sweden, Germany, and Norway.

By 1965, Pomare returned to the United States seeking an artistic connection to American culture. His company performed throughout the United States and later toured successfully in Asia, Africa, Canada, Spain, Australia, and the West Indies.

Pomare's distinctive style is characterized by unexpected shapes that twist, bend, fall, and lean in continuous organic movement. With a keen musical sense, he creates sculptures-in-motion that extend, expand, and slice through space. They can be lush and lyrical, or bold, driving, and direct. Some of his characteristic works include "Missa Luba" (1965), "Blues for the Jungle" (1966), and "Las Desenamoradas" (1967).

Pomare often creates dances based on visual and literary works or socio-political issues. In 1988, he was selected by the American Dance Festival to participate in a three-year project entitled "The Black Tradition in American Modern Dance" set up to showcase and preserve modern dance classics by African-American choreographers. He has produced dances for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, The National Ballet of Holland, Balletinstituttet (Oslo, Norway), the Cleo Parker-Robinson Dance Company, the Australian Contemporary Dance Company, and the Ballet Palacio das Artes (Belo, Horizonte, Brazil).

As a founder and the first artistic director of Dancemobile (1967), Pomare helped bring free professional dance concerts to the streets of New York City. For his outstanding contributions to modern dance, January 7, 1987 was declared Eleo Pomare Day by the Borough President of Manhattan. Pomare is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and several awards from the National Endowment of the Arts.

-- Jacqui Malone

• Eleo Pomare, dancer and choreographer, born October 20 1937; died August 8 2008
In addition to his partner, Glenn Conner, he is survived by three sisters.

For more info on me visit my official website
www.rickyday.net

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Nimbus Dance Works: Fifth Anniversary Home Season Performances and Gala

Nimbus Dance Works, Jersey City's premier dance company, performs next weekend, June 11-13, at Grace Church Van Vorst in downtown Jersey City. This show will feature a striking collection of new dance works set to live music by a range of outstanding musicians and singers from the New York/New Jersey area. The performances kick off June 11, 2009 with an Opening Night Gala featuring the acclaimed New Amsterdam Singers’ a 70-voice New Yrok City-based chorus. In association with the Cathedral Arts Festival, the opening night gala will benefit Grace Church Van Vorst's Community Services. Each performance features live music by Jersey-City based chamber music group Con Vivo and by violinist Jane Chung.

Don't miss these extraordinary performances featuring Nimbus’ signature athleticism and captivating expression. See many of the best dancers in New Jersey right here in the local Jersey City community!

Performance Information:

June 11-13, 2009, at Grace Church Van Vorst,
39 Erie Street, Jersey City, NJ
(2.5 blocks from Grove Street PATH).
Tickets:

$30 - Opening Night Gala, June 11th, including champagne reception and performance with the New Amsterdam Singers. (half the proceeds from this performance benefit Grace Church Community Services)

$20 - ($15 for students/seniors) Friday, June 12th & Saturday, June 13th.

Tickets available at the door, or online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/66641.

Source: Nimbusdanceworks.org

For more info on me visit my official website
www.rickyday.net

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