BY ALICIA GREEN | The annual River To River Festival brings music, visual arts, new media projects, learning and socializing to Lower Manhattan. This year’s sprawling 11-day event, which begins on June 18, offers an ambitious roster of dance performances. Highlights include:
COURT/GARDEN
Inspired by the imperial ballets of Louis XIV’s French Court, the spectatorship of the stage and video feeds, a canary torsi (Yanira Castro’s immersive performance troupe) will perform a three-act dance and live music event at Federal Hall.
Fri., June 19, 8 p.m. Sat., June 20, 3 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. At Federal Hall (26 Wall St.). RSVP required.
THE ONE HUNDREDS
If you’re lucky enough, you will be one of the 100 audience members to perform with Twyla Tharp’s ensemble — for one night only — as they perform 11-second phrases in “The One Hundreds,” a critically acclaimed dance inspired by baseball player Sandy Koufax.
Sat., June 20, 7 p.m. At Nelson A. Rockefeller Park (River Terrace at Warren St.).
DANCE MY LIFE
Join choreographer and dancer Souleymane Badolo at Pier 15, as he brings audiences together to perform “Dance my life,” a piece inspired by the differences of his native country, Burkina Faso, and his second home, New York.
Fri., June 19, Sun., June 21 and Mon., June 22, 3 p.m. at Pier 15 (South Street Seaport, 19 Fulton St.).
SOUVENIER: UNDONE
Move along, literally, to Rachel Tess’s “Souvenir: Undone” when it arrives at Governor’s Island. Spectators will explore the relationship between architecture and choreographer — and choreographer and audience — during this seven-day performance.
Fri., June 19, Sat., June 20, Mon., June 22, Wed., June 24 and Thurs., June 25 at 1 p.m. & 4 p.m. Also, Sat., June 27 and Sun., June 28 at 1 p.m. On Governor’s Island. RSVP required.
A BODY IN A STATION
Usually known as one-half of the Japanese performance duo Eiko and Koma, Eiko Otake will be dancing solo as she debuts “A Body in a Station,” a continuation of her first solo project “A Body in Places” (2014), at this year’s festival.
Mon., June 22 & Wed., June 24, 7 p.m. Tues., June 23 at 4 p.m. At the Fulton Center (200 Broadway at Fulton St.).
WHITE
For three days, Michelle Boulé’s “White” will explore the meaning of choreography and its relationship to bodies in space and time. “White” recently world premiered in April, at the Danspace Project at St. Mark’s Church.
Wed., June 24, 5 p.m. Fri., June 26, 5:30 p.m. Sat., June 27, 7 p.m. At Peck Slip Park (Peck Slip, btw. Front & South Sts.).
THE SET UP: SAYA LEI
For three nights, dancers will master and perform the Mandalay-style of classical Burmese dance from the teachings of international and master artist Saya Lei. This installment is a part of choreographers Wally Cardona and Jennifer Lacey’s eight-part dance series “The Set Up” — a five-year project that focuses on learning about distinct traditions of mastery.
Wed., June 24, 6 p.m., Thurs., June 25, 9:30 p.m. Fri., June 26, 8:30 p.m. At Cannon’s Walk (South Street Seaport, 206 Front St.). RSVP required.
The River to River Festival happens June 18–28. All dance performances are free, but some require RSVP. For more information, and to RSVP, visit lmcc.net/program/river-to-river/. Social media hashtag #R2R15.
