STOMP Recommended

SPLIT KNUCKLE THEATRE  │ ENDURANCE
Created by Split Knuckle Theatre in collaboration with Nick Ryan

Friday, October 16 at 8 p.m.
Bowker Auditorium

Trapped in Antarctica with no hope of rescue, the great British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton kept 27 men alive for two years in the most inhospitable climate on earth. Ninety-five years later in the worst economic meltdown since the Great Depression, Hartford insurance man Walter Spivey relives Shackleton’s story, struggling to justify his recent promotion and save his employees’ jobs. Can one of the greatest leaders in human history inspire him to conquer the corporate world? “...Wowing audiences with humor, innovation, and high-energy performances!” – nytheater.com

Audience members are invited to stay for a post-performance talk with the company immediately following the performance.

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DOUG VARONE AND DANCERS

Tuesday, October 20, ReComposed, at 7:30 p.m.
Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, Chamber Seating

Doug Varone’s kinetically-thrilling dances explore the complexity of the human spirit. From the smallest gesture to full-throttle bursts of movement, Varone’s work can take your breath away. The program will feature ReComposed, a visual dance creation inspired by American abstract artist Joan Mitchell’s pastel drawings, set to Max Richter’s newly constructed version of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Doug Varone and his company have been hailed as “superb dancers…always worth seeing” by The New York Times.

Audience members are invited to stay for a post-performance talk with the company immediately following the performance.

Monday, October 19, Stripped (performance showcase stripped of costumes/lights)
7 p.m., Hampshire College Dance Studio
Hear from the choreographer himself as he reveals the creative process of dance. Acting as emcee, Varone offers an intimate glimpse into the construction of his works. Here, the dancers are dressed only in rehearsal clothes with simple work lighting, offering a behind-the-scenes look into how dance is created, and finishing with “stripped” performance excerpts from the company’s repertory.  Tickets are limited and are available beginning Monday, September 14 by calling or visiting the box office, 413-545-2511.

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DADA MASILO │SWAN LAKE

Tuesday, January 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, Chamber Seating

Dada Masilo has become one of the most celebrated choreographers in South Africa, renowned for her reworking of classical ballets. In this creation of Swan Lake, her company of male and female African dancers revisit this great classic with a modern scope, keeping Tchaikovsky’s music, themes, tutus and pointes intact but weaving high-energy, down-to-earth South African pantsula and gumboot into the mix. Re-imagining this ballet through a South African lens, Masilo tackles the issues of sex, gender and homophobia in a country confronting the impact of AIDS on its people. Partial nudity. Recommended for ages 14 and up.

Audience members are invited for a pre-concert talk at 6:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall lobby, and to stay for a post-performance talk with the company immediately following the performance.

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TAO: SEVENTEEN SAMURAI

Wednesday, February 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Fine Arts Center Concert Hall

Following a successful, sold-out world premiere run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, TAO’s brand new production, Seventeen Samurai, takes you on a journey to ancient times. Evoking the traditional disciplines of strength, pureness of mind and the spirit of the fearless Samurai warrior, athletic bodies combine with explosive Japanese drumming in a new and innovative choreography. With TAO’s extraordinary precision, energy and stamina, it’s no wonder they consistently perform at hundreds of sold-out shows. TAO has proven that modern entertainment based on the timeless, traditional art of Taiko drumming entertains international audiences again and again.

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PILOBOLUS DANCE THEATRE  

Tuesday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Fine Arts Center Concert Hall

With its mix of acrobatic dexterity, inventive wit, and startling imagery, this internationally acclaimed company transforms itself into striking sculptural expressions that are "clever, endearing, and physically awesome" (The Los Angeles Times). Pilobolus Dance Theatre returns to the FAC for more contortionist spectacle and daring surprises.

Family Alphabet Workshop with Pilobolus
Sunday, February 21, 3 - 4:30 p.m., Fine Arts Center Lobby
This playful, productive and fast-paced workshop for families and people of all ages and abilities will create a unique community Family Alphabet. Children and adults will team up to take on the challenge of creating all the letters for a human alphabet. Limited to 30 participants (priority given to families), early registration necessary. Call (413) 545-0190 or email hrathbun@admin.umass.edu .