Cerise Valenzuela Metzger“No choreographer alive has a higher reputation for musicality than Mark Morris; and that reputation…has been well earned over more than 30 years of marvelously eclectic creativity.” – The New York Times
“She is a griot of dance, carrying the lore of how dance urges humans towards freedom, celebration and unity. If any artist can finally persuade America of dance’s essential value, it will be Camille A. Brown.” – Dance Magazine
“Moses Pendleton and the entire company are notorious for consistently creating complex, dizzying universes and inviting the audience to join their new realities. And one thing is certain: Every ride is an incredible, unforgettable journey.” – Broadway World
Chapman University’s Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Center for the Arts is launching a new dance series featuring an extraordinary range of performances to spotlight contemporary dance, and offer students professional-caliber workshops. The series was envisioned by and named for the center’s co-founding benefactor, Marybelle Musco.
“I proposed this series as a celebration of contemporary dance, showcasing prestigious companies that provide platforms for innovative choreography and performance,” Musco said. “In addition to performances by these world-class dance companies, the series will also incorporate classes for Chapman students, offering unique opportunities for our aspiring dancers to learn from these distinguished professionals in the field.”
The series is set to debut in the fall, and tickets for performances by professional dance companies Mark Morris Dance Group (performing “The Look of Love,”), Camille A. Brown & Dancers (performing “Ink,”) and MOMIX (performing “Alice”) go on sale at muscocenter.org June 20.
The creation of this new dance series continues the leadership and philanthropic tradition for which Marybelle Musco and her late husband Paul are so well known and highly regarded. The couple’s gift of $39 million was the foundation upon which Chapman’s Musco Center was built. Its ambitious mission is to offer students and faculty the opportunity to achieve the highest standard of arts-related education through hands-on, real-world performance experiences; to feature the work of visiting artists and companies that define excellence in the areas of arts taught at Chapman; to engage and honor the many nearby communities; and to provide exemplary audience experience and service.
“Marybelle Musco has a lifetime interest in dance and is deeply knowledgeable about where dance is today,” said Richard T. Bryant, executive director of Musco Center. “This collaboration will provide a powerful platform for creative expression and cultural exchange, while also enriching the dance curricula offered by our College of Performing Arts and its Department of Dance,” he added.
MARYBELLE MUSCO CONTEMPORARY DANCE SERIES
Musco Center for the Arts
Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 – Mark Morris Dance Group: The Look of Love
In The Look of Love, Mark Morris and his dancers present a wistful and heartfelt homage to the chart-topping songs of the late Burt Bacharach and his longtime lyricist Hal David. This evening-length work features original choreography by Morris and new musical arrangements by Ethan Iverson, with Broadway star Marcy Harriell on lead vocals. Bacharach’s marvelous music “calls out for dancing,” says Morris. You’ll hear new arrangements of classic hits, performed live by the Mark Morris Dance Group’s Music Ensemble, from “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Walk On By” to “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.” Morris, a hugely influential figure in the world of dance, founded his Mark Morris Dance Group in 1980 and remains its artistic director. His works are universally celebrated for their wit, creativity, musicality, and emotional depth.
“No choreographer alive has a higher reputation for musicality than Mark Morris; and that reputation…has been well earned over more than 30 years of marvelously eclectic creativity.” – The New York Times
Friday, Jan. 26, 2024 – Camille A. Brown & Dancers: Ink
Dancer, choreographer, director and dance educator Camille A. Brown is the founder and artistic director of Camille A. Brown & Dancers, and has choreographed commissioned pieces for dance companies, Broadway shows and universities throughout the United States. Brown started her career as a dancer in Ronald K. Brown’s Evidence, A Dance Company, and has been a guest artist with Rennie Harris’s Puremovement, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She has choreographed major Broadway shows such as Choir Boy, Once on This Island and the production of Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert! that aired on NBC.
“She is a griot of dance, carrying the lore of how dance urges humans towards freedom, celebration and unity. If any artist can finally persuade America of dance’s essential value, it will be Camille A. Brown.” – Dance Magazine
Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 – MOMIX: Alice
Travel down the rabbit hole MOMIX-style with Moses Pendleton’s newest creation, Alice, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s immortal fantasy Alice in Wonderland. As Alice’s body grows and shrinks and grows again, Pendleton’s dancers extend themselves by means of props, ropes and other dancers. Alice is a natural fit for MOMIX and an opportunity to extend the company’s reach with a fusion of its signature dancing, lighting, music, costumes and projected imagery. Pendleton founded MOMIX in 1980, and the company is now known worldwide for its visually stunning and innovative performances that blend dance, music, and multimedia elements.
“Moses Pendleton and the entire company are notorious for consistently creating complex, dizzying universes and inviting the audience to join their new realities. And one thing is certain: Every ride is an incredible, unforgettable journey.” – Broadway World
About Chapman University
Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university located in Southern California. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution and offers personalized education to more than 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Based in the City of Orange, Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. In 2019, the university opened its 11th college, Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler School of Engineering, in its newest facility, Keck Center for Science and Engineering. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.
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Media Contact:
Cerise Valenzuela Metzger, Director of Public Relations | cmetzger@chapman.edu | 714-289-3143
Carly Murphy, Public Relations Coordinator | carmurphy@chapman.edu | Desk: 714-289-3181 | Mobile: 714-497-9683
