Director’s View: January all about dance

We are pleased to bring back the Moiseyev Dance Company, one of the world’s greatest folk-dance ensembles, after a long absence from Eisenhower Auditorium. Igor Moiseyev transformed folk dance into a legitimate genre of choreographic art and won worldwide acclaim. He passed away in November at the age of 101, but his company lives in its brilliant portrayals of the music, culture, traditions, and costumes of the former Soviet Union. This is the original professional folk dance company, and the work of Moiseyev inspired the creation of similar ensembles around the world. The company opens the second half of our season with its performance January 17.

I had the good fortune in 2004 to attend a conference in Mexico City, at which the highlight for many of us was the discovery of the talented Mexican choreographer and dancer Tania Pérez-Salas. Part of the conference included a “pitch session” at which artists had a short time to promote their latest project. You could say Pérez-Salas was a walk-on. She asked to be included at the last minute, and her presentation simply involved a couple of dancers from her company performing a short excerpt. That’s all we needed, however, to know we were watching the creation of a major artist. Several of us got busy with plans to present her company in the United States, which amazingly it had never toured. And now, finally, we have the chance to see this unique artistic voice on the Eisenhower stage January 29. The work is sensual and magical. I can’t wait!

Please join us for these exceptional and diverse dance events.

George Trudeau
Center for the Performing Arts director