GORDONDANCE (Illinois/Texas)
www.longordon.com
Founder / Artistic Director,
Lonny Joseph Gordon. 1968 World premiere
at Toranomon Hall in Tokyo, Japan. 1970 United States premiere was at
Jacob’s Pillow, Lee, Massachusetts 1971. New York City premiere was
at the Museum of Modern Art. “A TRAILBLAZER” – WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL "A REAL ORIGINAL WORKING" – CHICAGO TRIBUNE "VERY MUCH HIS OWN MAN" – NEW YORK TIMES Touring Programs
For over 40 years, GORDONDANCE Has garnered exceptional praise for: a
rare combination of strength and delicacy in performance, a unique
artistic vision, and technical virtuosity. Elegant, spellbinding,
and sophisticated are some of the words that have described the company
and solo work.
Mr. Gordon is a venerable Artist and Scholar. He has chaired the Dance
Departments At the University of Wisconsin,
Madison and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has been the
founding director of development for the Las Vegas Performing Arts
Center and the Dean of Fine Arts at
Illinois State University. He is currently an ambassador for the Fine
Arts as the first WORLD
OUTREACH PROFESSOR for Illinois State University.
With his unique experiences in both academia and the professional art
world, he brings exceptional credentials to educational outreach in
master classes focused on
1. GORDONDANCE TECHNIQUE
2. CHOREOGRAPHY AND IMPROVISATION
3. ARTISTIC DISCUSSIONS OF WHAT HE CALLS: PX 7
“PROBLEM - PROCESS - PRODUCT - PUBLIC RELATIONS - PRODUCTION -
PERFORMANCE - AND PATRONAGE"
He served as artist in residence at over 150 world cultural
institutions and received 115 commissions for original works of art in
choreography, painting/drawing, and theatrical design.
He is an artist, scholar, and performer comfortable in all cultures of
the world with his focus on the "ECOLOGY OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT"
Lonny Joseph Gordon has been acclaimed as
Each of the following concerts is a solo concert featuring Lonny Joseph
Gordon.The concerts represent a one of a kind life experience and are
autobiographical in nature and content, and performed by Lonny Joseph
Gordon as full concerts without intermission. By arrangements made with
the presenter, the concerts may be presented in Two Acts with one
intermission of 15 - 20 minutes duration
Concert One:
Ka Bu Ki,
Leaning out of the Ordinary
Tales and Tests of a Texas in
Japan
directed by: Joe Preachier
lighting by: Adam Morrow
costumes by: Tatsuhiko Heima
music by: Mara Purl
In August 1967, Lonny Joseph Gordon had just completed his MFA at
the University of Wisconsin Madison in Painting and Choreography.
In October 1967, he was the first non-Japanese ever admitted into the
elite and sacred world of the Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza in Tokyo,
Japan. This was the beginning of a three year apprenticeship with the
great actor, dancer, and National Cultural Treasure - Kanzaburo
Nakamura XVII.
Ka = song, Bu = dance, Ki = act, Za = place, seat, theatre
This is the story and coming of age of a Texan from Gordon Ranch
immersing himself in one of the great theatrical and dance forms of the
world and soaring with disciplined, focused, stern and loving mentor
ship. The onstage relationship of the live Koto music played by Mara
Purl has a connection with Lonny Gordon which is immediate in the
moment, improvisatory, haunting, and radiant.
The meaning of Kabuki is presented through exquisite fan work, gorgeous
costumes, technical virtuosic dancing, acting of characters and
personalities, and both hilarious stories and profound observations of
the learning and achieving process. It is an uplifting concert of
playfulness and deep wisdom that engages the audience on a journey of
discovery about the self following dreams to stars.
Concert Two:
LIFE MOMENTS ON THE GLOBAL STAGE
With over 40 years of performing all over the world, Lonny Joseph Gordon recounts true life stories of experiences in his theatrical evolution from the studio to the stage that are hilarious and heart warming. Included in the stories are Martha Graham, Rosalind DeMille, Kanzaburo Nakamura XVII, Count Crispi, Yukio Mishima, Lady Hachisuka, and some that are unnamed - a theatrical Agent, a Japanese Princess, a theatre director, etc. In the stories are locations in the United States, Japan, Russia, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Nepal, India, and on around the world. There are stories involving a dog, a monkey, a moth, a mongoose, and an elephant, even a Christmas tree and 50 dozen yellow roses. Stage properties are used and there is a fluid connection of movement and dance with the actors dialogue.
This concert is well suited for the full stage, the intimate black box theatre, the music hall, and other venues to be arranged with the presenters. This is a low tech concert with minimal lighting needs.
At the end of the concert, Lonny Gordon engages the audience in a talk back dialogue. This is an exceptional concert for aspiring theatre and dance students to become aware of the rigors, surprises, and stamina of longevity in the theatre.
Concert Three:
GORDONDANCE: Dancing the Masters
Will be ready for touring in Autumn 2011 and 2012. In this concert, Lonny Gordon and members of GORDONDANCE will present an evening of solos created by luminaries of the dance world created just for the repertory of GORDONDANCE. New works will be premieres by national and world established choreographers including Winifred Haun, MIchael Mao, Don Redlich, Lisa Thurrell, Yasunori Umewaka, and other choreographers.
Performance Calendar
| 2011 January 8-9 |
|
Jodi Kaplan Booking Dance Showcase Alvin Ailey City Corp Theatre Association of Performing Arts Presenters (New York City) Performing excerpts from: Ka Bu Ki - Leaning out of the ordinary, tales and tests of a Texan in Japan |
| January 30 - February 21 |
|
Residency with Kanopy Dance Theatre - Commissioned
rehearsals for The Radiant Dance (Madison, Wisconsin) |
| February 18-20 |
|
Overture Center (Madison, Wisconsin) Performing: Two GORDONDANCE solos and Premiere of The Radiant Dance created for Kanopy Dance Company |
| March 17-18 |
|
Hamlin Park Theatre (Chicago, Illinois) Winifred Haun and dancers, guest choreographer and soloist. Performing: Untitled created by Winifred Haun for Lonny Gordon Revisioned - The Woman Who Fed Her Diamonds To The Goldfish Bowl |
| Late March to end of April |
|
To be arranged possible time for rehearsals. Creation of new solo by Don Redlich for Lonny Gordon |
| May into June |
|
Umewaka Noh Theatre Creation of new solo by Yasunori Umewaka for Lonny Gordon (Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan) |
| August 1 - September 10 |
|
Drawing projects for Bilberg and Moeller Arts The Leaf and Flower Series (Stockholm and Blido, Sweden) |
| September 16-17 |
|
Ruth Page Center Theatre (Chicago, Illinois) Joint concert with Winifred Haun and dancers, GORDONDANCE, and Kanopy Dance Theatre |
| October TBA |
|
California International Theatre Festival (Los Angeles,
California) |
| November 11-13 |
|
Overture Center (Madison, Wisconsin) Residency with Kanopy Dance Theatre Joint concert with Winifred Haun and dancers, GORDONDANCE, and Kanopy Dance Theatre |
| December TBA |
|
GORDONDANCE at Gordon Ranch (San Juan, Texas) Performing: Wall Shadow/Shadow Wall |
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