Page 2
March 8, 2000
S U P P L E M E N T
Garth Fagan dance makes its moves onstage
On Stage
Focus
A
(Elie ÿlorUanh ffihaeruer
OF
CONTRIBUTED STORY
ÏÏtlie
^ o rtla n b
ÛDbseriïer
Editor in Chief,
Publisher
Charles H. W ashington
Editor
Larry J. Jackson, Sr.
Copy Editor
TOR T
uk E obilase -O bser ' er
White Bird announces the Portland
premiere o f Tony Award-winning
c h o re o g ra p h e r G arth F a g a n ’s
acclaimed company Garth Fagan
D ance. T he hu g ely p o p u la r
company will perform for one night
only on Wednesday, March 15,7:30
pm. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert
Hall in downtown Portland.
Garth Fagan, called “a true dance
original” by New York Post critic
Clive Barnes, founded his company
in 1970 in Rochester, New York
and has won worldwide acclaim tor
his unique movement language
called Fagan Technique, which is
derived from A fro -C a rib b e a n
dance, ballet, modem dance and
post-modernism. In 1996 he was
chosen to choreograph Disney’sThe
Lion King on Broadway, and he
was awarded the prestigious 1998
Tony Award for Best Choreography
as well as a host o f other awards.
Garth Fagan Dance is renowned for
the individuality and virtuosity o f
its dancers. Susan Reiter o f New
York Newsday comments, “No one
else moves like these virtuosos, with
th e ir u n c a n n y a ir o f calm
focus...and the sheer sculptural
beauty they bring to Fagan’s sensual,
often quirky m ovement." David
Vaughn exclaimed mBallet Review,
“The dancers...are fearless.. .able
to sustain long adagio balances, to
change direction in m id-air,...to
Joy Ramos
Garth Fagan, world fam ous fo r his
unique movement language called
"Fagan Technique" will present
his style o f dance at the Arlene
S c h n itz e r C o n c e rt H a ll on
Wednesday, March 1S which blends
Afro-Caribbean, ballet, modern
dance and post-modernism.
Business Manager
G ary A nn Taylor
Creative Director
Shawn Strahan
4747 N E M artin L uther
King, Jr., Blvd.
Portland, O R 97211
503-288-0033
Fax 503-2884)015
MARCH EVENTS
JON KOONCE & THE GAS HOGS
Thursday, March 9, at 7pm
THE STEVE BRADLEY GROUP
Thursday, March 16, at 7pm
e-mail:
news@
ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION
portlandobserver.com
Friday, March 17, 4pm to 11pm
Irish Bands • Irish Dancers • Irish Coffee
Leprechauns • Storytelling • Family Fun
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Ads: Monday by Noon
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submissions. M anuscripts and
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if accom panied by a self-
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become the sole property of
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CRAIG CAROTHERS
SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND
Sunday, March 19, Doors at 7pm, Show at 7:30pm
Admission $7
I & I
“Reggae Inna Afrikan Stylee”
Thursday, March 23, at 7pm
BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2000
STEVE BRADLEY GROUP
WITH JON KOONCE
VS
THE X ANGELS
Thursday, March 30 at 7pm
All ages welcome • No cover charge unless noted
w ritten consent of the general
manager, unless the client has
purchased the com position of
McMenamins Kennedy School
the ad.
5736 NE 33rd Portland, O regon • 2 4 9 -3 9 8 3
w w w .m rm en am in s.com
1999 The Portland Observer
stop on a dime.”
In Portland the com pany will
perform several works from Garth
Fagan’s classic tepexiowe-Prelude
(1981); A Trois (excerpted from
A/Zr25,1996); and Touring Jubilee
1924 (1982) - as w ell as two
critically acclaimed recent works:
Two Pieces o f One: Green (1998)
and Woza (1999). Woza is an
e x u b e ra n t p ie c e set to the
p o lyrhythm ic m usic o f South
African composer Lebo M, one o f
Garth Fagan’s collaborators in The
Lion King. After the Joyce Theater
premiere in New York City only
three months ago, Anna Kisselgoff
o f The New York Times raved that
“Mr. Fagan has come up with a
dazzling piece - from finger to toe,
everything dances in Woza.” Two
Pieces o f One: Green is serenely
beautiful work set to 16,h century
choral w orks interspersed with
contemporary)azz saxophone solos.
Anna Kisselgoff called the piece “a
deep work on a formal and human
level” that shows Fagan as “the
equivalent o f a painter who explores
the possibility o f paint itself.”
Tickets to Garth Fagan Dance, as
well as the two remaining dance
companies o f White Bird’s 1999-
2000 season, are available at all
Fred Mayer FASTIXX outlets, or
by calling 503/224-8499/ 800-992-
8499 (outside Portland). Ticket
prices range from $15.50 to $29
plus service charges. Discounted
tickets are available.