Mazzini Dance Collective and Dances Patrelle Make It Short and (Hopefully) Sweet

Chloé Sherman and Alexander Castillo as the title characters in Dance Patrelle's "Romeo & Juliet. Photo by Eduardo Patino.

BY TAMARA BECK

ONE tends to assume that the season of a production will be at least a few months.

Occasionally, however, it can pass as quickly as a schoolboy's summer. Such will be the case next month when two dance companies will showcase blink-of-an eye seasons, condensed into just a few days.

The Mazzini Dance Collective (MDC), founded by former Paul Taylor Dance Company principal, Annmaria Mazzini, is an interdisciplinary, multi-generational troupe. It defines itself as a family collaborative of young dancers inspired by veterans to reach new levels of excellence in technique and choreography.

MDC's goal is to integrate visual and performing arts in emotionally accessible productions,

Several premieres will be presented during the inaugural season on 6 and 7 Sept. One of note is "Playing with Angels," a reflection on the relationship between mothers and sons, choreographed by AM with music by MDC composer-in-residence Robert Paterson.

Performing the score live are members of AME: Billy Hestand and Billy Short on bassoon and Bryan Wagorn on piano.

"When We Rise," a piece choreographed by longtime MDC collaborator Orion Duckstein with music by Zoe Keating and performed by OD and AM, premieres as well. Another new creation from AM is "Criminal Commoners." It is set to music by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, St. Vincent, Phantogram, Cold War Kids, Pulp and Goldfrapp.

Anna Maria Mazzini Photo by Sarah Sterner.

The venue for the two-day program is the Ailey Citigroup Theater in the Joan Weill Center for Dance.

Elsewhere, Francis Patrelle of the eponymous Dances Patrelle (dP), home to the FP-choreographed annual "Yorkville Nutcracker," presents a season in honor of dP's 25th anniversary.
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He offers his take on the immortal story of young love. His "Romeo & Juliet" is set to Prokofiev's score. Unlike Baz Luhrmann, FP doesn't modernize it. This is a classicist version in celebration of Shakespeare's 450th birthday. (See video above of dP 1993 "Romeo & Juliet" revival)

Mazzini Dance Collective will perform several new works in its inaugural season. Photo from Mazzini Dance Collective Web site.

The featured performers in this evening-length revival are Alexander Castillo, a transplant from New York to the West Coast, and Chloé Sherman, journeying from Los Angeles especially to dance with dP.

The performances, 11-14 Sept., are planned for Hunter College's Kaye Playhouse.

Visit http://www.mazzinidancecollective.org to learn more about the Mazzini Dance Collective.; visit http://www.dancespatrelle.org/ to learn more about Dances Patrelle.