Complexions Contemporary Ballet, widely known as Complexions, is set to commemorate its 30th anniversary under the direction of its Co-Founders Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. This milestone celebration will unfold over two weeks at The Joyce Theater. Enthusiasts can secure tickets for this much-anticipated engagement at The Joyce, with prices ranging from $27 to $82, available for purchase online at Joyce.org.
In celebration of Rhoden’s artistic legacy, which has captivated audiences around the globe for three decades, Complexions will present a retrospective with the theme “Love Revolution.” Co-Founder and Artistic Director Desmond Richardson commented, “Dwight is not only a friend but a master craftsman and prolific artist. His choreography is enchanting to dancers, probing their artistry, passion, technique, and soul. His humanity resonates in every movement, and it is my honor to be an ambassador for his work.”
The anniversary repertoire promises to showcase premieres alongside audience favorites, including Avè Maria, Growth, Naked Perfume, Mercy, Higher Ground, Star Dust, and other dynamic works with scores spanning from Beethoven and Tchaikovsky to Earth, Wind & Fire. The world premieres include:
Rhoden’s Bolero, a new work for the entire company choreographed to Maurice Ravel’s dynamic composition, underscores the collective spirit and the strength derived from a shared purpose. As the piece unfolds, it illustrates the internal struggle within the journey to unity. Bolero delves deeply into the human psyche, using struggles, challenges, and triumphs as a basis to convey the intensity of living life anchored in love.
Additionally, there are two world premieres featuring duets choreographed by Rhoden with identical movements but set to different musical pieces. Pas De Deux, set to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and Benny, set to music by Sir Elton John, are largely experimental. These works explore the concept of movement as a language, allowing the performing artists to interpret the choreography uniquely according to the music and the narrative they aim to express.
In commemoration of this landmark season, the company will present “30,” an anniversary tribute ballet enriched with spoken word by Resident Poet-Journalist Aaron Dworkin.
The New York premieres feature:
Rhoden’s This Time, With Feeling, a neoclassical ballet set to an original score by David Rozenblatt. This work is staged within a traditional framework that has been broken down, deconstructed, and reassembled. The piece unfolds in a juxtaposition that initially houses an internal energy within its design structure, eager to be expressed. It delves into natural emotions without boundaries yet within a construct, finding the ‘feeling’ in the composition that is eventually unleashed. Rhoden and Rozenblatt have a collaboration history spanning over two decades, most recently co-creating the acclaimed work, The Lightning Round, for The Houston Ballet.
Blood Calls Blood, a quartet commissioned by the New Orleans Ballet Association in 2023, is choreographed to the remarkable music of Grammy-nominated artist Chief Adjuah. In two movements, the piece constructs a world where energies clash in chaotic and passionate ways, depicting the human spirit’s restless yearning for understanding, love, and harmony at its core.
The company will also premiere Cry Me, a new work by former company member and resident choreographer Jae Man Joo, set to the music of Phillip Glass. This piece captures a spectrum of emotions—passion, love, and grief—and is set to a poem by Joo, which is included at the end of the press release.
The engagement will feature Retro-Suite, a celebratory suite of works highlighting Complexions’ 30-year history, including such classics as Growth, Naked Perfume, Avè Maria, and Mercy. The musical accompaniment spans from Tchaikovsky and Handel to Earth, Wind & Fire and Elton John. This suite includes the return of Rhoden’s For Crying Out Loud (2023), set to U2’s acoustic album Songs of Surrender, unfolding in an interconnected “wandering narrative.”
The special Gala Night program on Tuesday, November 19 at 7 p.m., will honor Dwight Rhoden and Dr. Donald J. Rose. This event features the World Premiere of “30: Ode to the Dance of Revolution,” written and performed by Resident Poet-Journalist Aaron Dworkin, alongside performances of Retro-Suite, the Complexions Academy Pre-Professional Program students, and special guests. “30: Ode to the Dance of Revolution” is a compelling blend of spoken word and music, celebrating the transformative power of dance, with Dworkin’s words accompanied by Michael Abels’ evocative composition “Global Warming.” Rhoden, whose illustrious career spans over three decades, co-founded Complexions and has redefined contemporary ballet through a multicultural approach, creating over 100 ballets and collaborating with renowned companies and artists worldwide.
Dr. Donald J. Rose, a sports medicine physician, orthopedic surgeon, and Founding Director of the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries at NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, will be presented with the 2024 Elegy Award. Dr. Rose has served as an orthopedic consultant for numerous dance companies, including Complexions, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and STREB Extreme Action, as well as for Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. Additionally, he has been an orthopedic consultant for the National Football League, Cirque du Soleil, The Joyce Theater, and SUNY Purchase, and served as the New York medical director for the Women’s Association of Volleyball Professionals tour.