On Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at 8:05 a.m. ET, Buglisi Dance Theatre, in partnership with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, will present the 14th annual “Table of Silence Project 9/11,” a profound public performance ritual and global call to action for peace. This free event will be held in person at Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center and livestreamed worldwide.
“Scattering the seeds of hope, we recognize the need for healing, compassion, and the courage that it takes to make change.” – Artistic Director/Choreographer Jacqulyn Buglisi
The “Table of Silence Project 9/11,” conceived and choreographed by Jacqulyn Buglisi, Artistic Director of Buglisi Dance Theatre, first debuted in 2011 as a tribute to the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. This moving work has evolved into an annual tradition, resonating with audiences across the globe as it addresses contemporary issues such as social justice, environmental sustainability, and the universal longing for freedom from oppression.
“We are deeply honored to present this powerful work, offering New Yorkers and viewers worldwide a way to remember those we’ve lost,” said Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. “Art plays a crucial role in fostering community, solace, and shared understanding as we move through the world. We’re proud to partner with Buglisi Dance Theatre on this project year after year.”
This year’s performance features a collaboration of esteemed artists, including Buglisi Dance Theatre Co-Founder/Bell Master/Principal Dancer Terese Capucilli, Visual Artist Rossella Vasta, Composer/Violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain, Principal Dancer Virginie Mécène, Composer/Percussionist Paula Jeanine Bennett, Conch/Flute Artist John Ragusa, Percussionists Jeremy Smith and Stahv Danker, Sopranos Carla Lopez-Speziale, Film/Livestream Producer Nel Shelby of Nel Shelby Productions, and over 150 dancers for peace. Notable performers include Lloyd Knight, Blakeley White-McGuire, Leslie Andrea Williams, Lauren Jaeger, Jessica Sgambelluri, Jai Perez and Isabella Pagano.
At dawn, more than 150 dancers, draped in white, will ascend Josie Robertson Plaza, guided by the indigenous sound of a conch shell’s call for truth, solidarity, and peace. As they move in unison, the dancers will be accompanied by the hauntingly beautiful sounds of violin, flute, saxophone, trumpet, bells, vocalists, and the resonant “heartbeat” of bass drums. Performing 12 ritualistic gestures, repeated in sequences of ten, the dancers will form three concentric circles around the iconic Revson Fountain, creating a Peace Labyrinth. This sacred space will be imbued with the transcendent energy of a Mandala, connecting both dancers and viewers to the healing rituals of the natural world. At precisely 8:46 a.m., the dancers will raise their arms skyward in a powerful gesture of universal peace.
Envisioned as a multicultural performance ritual for peace, the “Table of Silence Project 9/11”, awakens compassion and unity, bridging all cultural and geographical boundaries through a shared experience of resilience. As the work continues to evolve, it remains a potent healing ritual, confronting the urgent challenges of our time and standing as a voice for those enduring systemic oppression.
Presented by Lincoln Center in partnership with Buglisi Dance Theatre, the “Table of Silence Project 9/11” is a project of the Arnhold Dance Innovation Fund. The event is supported by an array of community partners, including Chelsea Factory, The Juilliard School, Martha Graham Dance Center, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Limón, Gibney Dance Center, and others. The performance will be livestreamed to a global audience, building on a tradition that has reached over 4.4 million viewers across all 50 states and 235 countries/territories.
