These Major Companies Are Dancing to Support Puerto Rico and Texas
For many victims of recent natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Maria, the new “normal” involves power outages, food shortages and massive property damage. The dance community has stepped up to help by doing what they do best: This Sunday, October 22, members from major American companies will perform in two separate concerts in New York City, benefitting those affected by the hurricanes in Texas and Puerto Rico.
Hearts for Houston
Pennsylvania Ballet’s Arian Molina Soca and Mayara Pineiro will dance the pas de deux from Don Quixote. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev, Courtesy PA Ballet.
In the midst of Hurricane Harvey, Houston Ballet principals Jared Matthews and Yuriko Kajiya sprung into action to start planning relief efforts. The resulting event is Hearts For Houston, this Sunday at 7 pm, at the Ailey Citigroup Theater. All proceeds will go directly to United Way of Greater Houston, and the evening will feature a broad swath of ballet from classical to contemporary, danced by members of American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Houston Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater and The Washington Ballet. Also on tap are Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Kanji Segawa in Robert Battle’s solo Takademe and Ashley Mayeux and Sean Aaron Carmon in “Fix Me, Jesus” from Revelations. Other highlights include a world premiere by Ben Stevenson; Christopher Wheeldon’s poignant After the Rain pas de deux danced by Ailey’s Jacquelin Harris and NCYB’s Ask la Cour; and a solo performed by the dynamic Daniil Simkin.
Tickets: Available through Brown Paper Tickets for $150–$500
To donate, visit unitedwayhouston.org/flood.
Hurricane Relief for Puerto Rico Concert
Stephen Petronio Company in Locomotor. Photo by Yi-Chun Wu, Courtesy Stephen Petronio Company.
On the same evening at 6 pm, members from the modern dance community will share the stage at Gibney Dance to benefit victims of Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico. Co-producers Suzzanne Ponomarenko and Heather Robles have crafted a lineup of performances by choreographers and companies including Fredrick Earl Mosley, Buglisi Dance Theatre, konverjdans, TAKE Dance, Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, Heather Robles and Stephen Petronio Company.
Tickets: Available through Eventbrite for a suggested donation of $20–$100+
To donate, select “I won’t be there, but I stand for supporting Puerto Rico” under the “Tickets” section here.
