Ayodele Casel: "Chasing Magic" at The Joyce Theater
Company:
The Joyce Theater
Trailblazer Ayodele Casel captures the spark of connection and creation in her latest work, Chasing Magic. Directed by Torya Beard, a long-time collaborator and Creative Director for Casel’s 2019 unanimously-praised Joyce debut, this world premiere explores the magic of both tap dance and everyday life. Welcoming old and new musical collaborators into the mix, Chasing Magic features performances by acclaimed jazz musician Arturo O’Farrill, singer/songwriter Crystal Monee Hall, music director and composer Annastasia Victory, and percussionist Senfu Stoney.
Alongside an impressive crew of dancers, Casel leans into this moment of reconnecting. In a long-awaited collaboration with EVIDENCE Artistic Director Ronald K. Brown, Casel’s own archival tap dances serve as the soundtrack to which she and Brown respond. The lineup also features the New York premiere of “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Cheek to Cheek,” performed and co-choreographed by Casel and fellow tap dancer Anthony Morigerato. Joined by tap artists Naomi Funaki, Amanda Castro, and John Manzari, and filmed on The Joyce stage by tap dancer and filmmaker Kurt Csolak, Casel continues to tap into moments of collaboration that feel like magic.
“Chasing Magic is an offering of old stuff, new stuff, and undefined stuff,” says Casel. “I called on my friends, who I hadn’t seen in over a year. We gathered for a short time focused on the sweetness of being reunited, and humbly honoring the fact that we are still here."
Streaming On-Demand Thursday, April 8 at 8pm ET through Wednesday, April 21 at 11:59pm ET
Share Your Audience Review. Your Words Are Valuable to Dance.
Are you going to see this show, or have you seen it? Share "your" review here on The Dance Enthusiast. Your words are valuable. They help artists, educate audiences, and support the dance field in general. There is no need to be a professional critic. Just click through to our Audience Review Section and you will have the option to write free-form, or answer our helpful Enthusiast Review Questionnaire, or if you feel creative, even write a haiku review. So join the conversation.
