Baryshnikov Arts Center to Return to Live Performance in Spring – The New York Times

The Baryshnikov Arts Center will return to in-person performances this spring after two years of online programming.

The season features eight dance and music performances, with three presented virtually. The streamed performances are a part of the centers commissioning program, which began in fall 2020 as a way of sustaining the organization and encouraging artists to continue creating during the pandemic.

Cora Cahan, the centers president and chief executive, said the delay in the return to live performances was because of the postponement during the pandemic of a long-planned replacement of its buildings heating, ventilation and cooling systems.

Were going very slowly and carefully here because were moving back to having audiences on site for the first time in so long, Cahan said. Were thrilled to be planning for live performances in lock step with our commissioning program thats been so vibrant and dynamic since we began it almost two years ago.

The season is to open with two virtual presentations: the high-wire artist Philippe Petits Open Practice, about his creative process (Feb. 7-21); and a film and sound installation by the Toronto choreographer Peggy Baker, her body as words, inspired by Simone de Beauvoirs The Second Sex (Feb. 28-March 14).

The first live performances will be evenings of music by Chromic Duo, genre-fluid musicians who use prepared piano, toy piano and synthesizers (March 14-15); the violinist and producer Johnny Gandelsman, who will present the New York premiere of his project This Is America (March 16-17); and Andy Akiho, whose Seven Pillars, an evening-length work for percussion, will have its New York premiere (April 7-8).

Dance programming includes performances by Ashwini Ramaswamy (April 13-15), whose Let the Crows Come deconstructs the Bharatanatyam form, and the world premiere of Donna Uchizonos Wings of Iron (May 18-21). Both were originally scheduled for the centers spring 2020 season. A new dance film by Omar Romn De Jess will be presented virtually (April 25-May 9).

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Baryshnikov Arts Center to Return to Live Performance in Spring - The New York Times