New York Theatre Ballet has been recommended for a National Endowment for the Arts Art Works grant for its upcoming revival of Merce Cunningham’s 1964 dance piece, Cross Currents, which will premiere as the centerpiece of the NYTB Repertory ’15: Legends & Visionaries program.  The program will be performed at New York City’s Florence Gould Hall in March and April 2015 and for tour audiences throughout the United States in 2015.

The late Merce Cunningham was among the greatest choreographers of the 20th Century.  Cross Currents, a dance trio originally performed by Merce Cunningham, Carolyn Brown, and Viola Farber, is set to an arrangement by John Cage of Conlon Nancarrow’s Rhythm Studies for Player Piano Nos. 1-6.  According to the Merce Cunningham Trust, “The title comes from the way the dancer’s paths frequently intersected, and from the original rhythmic qualities of the ballet, where each dancer had their own, different rhythms, but they would all come together at the end of the phrase.”

NYTB is known for its meticulous rendering of small, choreographic gems. The Company follows the teaching legacy of Margaret Craske (its founding ballet mistress & coach) who trained Carolyn Brown and many other Cunningham dancers.

Additionally, Cross Currents will be previewed in the NYTB studio as part of its Dance On A Shoestring series during its rehearsal period.

For full season information visit www.nytb.org.

ABOUT NEW YORK THEATRE BALLET

New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB), founded in 1978 by artistic director Diana Byer, is the most widely seen chamber ballet company in the United States and has been hailed by The New York Times as “an invaluable company.” NYTB is dedicated to inspiring a love of dance in diverse audiences through performances of chamber ballet masterpieces and bold new works, as well as innovative one-hour ballets for children, all at affordable prices.

By pairing the ballets of legendary creators with those of contemporary visionaries, NYTB brings a new understanding and appreciation of dance. The approach to live performance for children is groundbreaking and unique. New York Theatre Ballet offers an annual series of hour-long ballets tailored to the attention span of young audience members, while offering high production values and clever choreography sophisticated enough for discerning parents.

NYTB is committed to reaching underserved audiences by performing in small cities throughout the U.S. Its professional school provides ballet training based on the Cecchetti syllabus. Classes are offered at affordable prices. Scholarships are awarded to talented homeless and underserved children along with support for well-rounded learning.