Lady Gaga has Nothing on Nikolais

Today’s DM Archive photo is of Alwin Nikolais’ 1964 piece Sanctum. Nikolais was exploring the use of bizarre/amazing costumes way before pop musicians thought to do it. Wikipedia has this to say about it: “SANCTUM, showcased 27 performers, compared to the standard 10-15 Nikolais commonly used. This act dealt with opposites: natural vs. man-made, reality vs. imagination, primitive vs. sophisticated. The performance sold-out for 6 straight weeks in New York.” If you’re interested in Nikolais technique, the Nikolais Louis Foundation for Dance is having a summer intensive in NYC. Applications are being accepted now until June 11th (though late registration will cost a little extra.) Check it out: http://www.nikolaislouis.org/