firstworks

FirstWorks Reveals 15th Season Launch with Pilobolus in new Tour

World-renowned movement illusionists invite audiences to explore living art through movement, music and video

 

 

Providence, RI – In their continued commitment to connecting world-class performing arts programs to local audiences, FirstWorks announces the kick-off their 2018-19 Artistic Icons Series with Pilobolus dance theater. The company’s wildly inventive performances at the Academy Awards and Olympic games, and collaborations with music icons from OK Go to Béla Fleck have been experienced by millions of people worldwide on stage and on screen. FirstWorks presents legendary movement illusionists Pilobolus in the Rhode Island premiere of their new tour, “Come to Your Senses,” on Friday, October 26, 2018, 8:00 pm at The VETS (1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence). Tickets range from $28-95 (price includes $3 restoration fee) and are available now at first-works.org and through The VETS Box Office at 401-421-ARTS (2787), 220 Weybosset Street, Providence.

FirstWorks has a long creative relationship with Pilobolus. In June 2018 they teamed up with FirstWorks at PVDFest to present “UP! The Umbrella Project“, an interactive audience experience. Pilobolus headlined the inaugural FirstWorksProv Festival in 2004 with an appearance at The VETS, and again headlined FirstWorks Festival in 2010 with a performance at Providence Performing Arts Center.

Pilobolus‘ “Come to Your Senses” is a multisensory experience, featuring live performances of onstage Pilobolus works alongside transmedia digital creations. In this brand new repertory show, they invite audiences to come back to their senses and explore the connection between the human body and the analog world around us.

“As we head into our 15th season of connecting art with audiences, we’re delighted to bring Pilobolus full circle with us, with new works to experience and living art to see, hear, feel and share,” said Kathleen Pletcher, FirstWorks Executive Artistic Director.

The evening program of firsts and repertory favorites features three Rhode Island premieres. The Artistic Icons performance opens with a first-time chance for Providence audiences to experience live choreography from “All is Not Lost,” Pilobolus‘ award-winning video collaboration with rock icons OK Go, tango master Trish Sie and Google. The Grammy-Award nominated music video for the band’s song “All Is Not Lost” played with multiple perspectives, gravity, and dimensionality, challenging the audience to look at dance through a kaleidoscopic view of human connection. Pilobolus will perform their original choreography with a live video backdrop for a unique, behind-the-scenes view into a pop culture media collaboration which garnered multiple Cannes Lion Awards.

Program highlights include the Rhode Island premiere of “Branches,” a work commissioned by Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in celebration of the natural world. The beautiful ensemble work is scored to a piece by David Van Tieghem which incorporates sounds from nature. The piece examines the competition and struggle between animals and the situations that develop from this competition. “Branches” searches for the comedy in our Darwinian world in a way that is inherently unique to Pilobolus.

Every FirstWorks project engages Rhode Island students. Pilobolus‘ return to Providence will include a FirstWorks Arts Learning matinee performance featuring excerpts from “Branches” and interpretive video. The FirstWorks Arts Learning program connects K-12 students from across Rhode Island with live performances and workshops, while providing teachers resource guides to reinforce curricula standards. FirstWorks reaches over 4,000 students annually with live arts experiences from world-renowned artistic icons and international rising stars.  The FirstWorks Arts Learning matinee will be held at The Vets on Friday, October 26 at 11:00 am.  Tickets for school groups are available by contacting Kathleen McAreavey, FirstWorks Education and Community Manager at 401-421-4278.

Tickets to the evening performance of Pilobolus Come to Your Senses” are available for purchase now from $28-95 at first-works.org or by calling The VETS Box Office at 401-421-ARTS (2787). Premium tickets include the best seats, plus access to a pre-show VIP event in The VETS Loft. Specially priced family four-packs of tickets are available with code: FAM4DANCE.

 

About Pilobolus

For 45 years, Pilobolus has tested the limits of human physicality to explore the beauty and the power of connected bodies. They continue to bring this tradition to global audiences through post-disciplinary collaborations with some of the greatest influencers, thinkers, and creators in the world. They also reach beyond performance to teach people how to connect through designed live experiences. Pilobolus brings decades of expertise telling stories with the human form to show diverse communities, brands, and organizations how to maximize group creativity, solve problems, create surprise, and generate joy through the power of nonverbal communication. Pilobolus has created and toured over 120 pieces of repertory to more than 65 countries. They currently perform for over 300,000 people across the U.S. and around the world each year. Pilobolus has been recognized with many prestigious honors, including a TED Fellowship, a 2012 Grammy® Award Nomination, a Primetime Emmy® Award, and several Cannes Lion Awards at the International Festival of Creativity. In 2015, Pilobolus was named one of Dance Heritage Coalition’s “Irreplaceable Dance Treasures”.  Pilobolus has collaborated with more than 75 brands and organizations in finance, retail, media, fashion, sports, and more to create bespoke performances for television, film, and live events.

About FirstWorks

FirstWorks is a non-profit based in Providence, Rhode Island whose purpose is to build the cultural, educational and economic vitality of its community by engaging audiences with world-class performing arts and education programs. Since 2004, FirstWorks festivals, performances and programs have attracted more than 500,000 participants. The FirstWorks Arts Learning Program reaches more than 4,000 students from public and charter schools across Rhode Island with transformative arts-based learning experiences. FirstWorks is Founding Partner for PVDFest, collaborating with the City of Providence to produce an international arts celebration held each June that in 2018 drew 100,000 visitors to Providence to experience music, art and spectacular performances. Visit first-works.org to learn more.

Listings Information:

WHO: FirstWorks Artistic Icons Series presents Pilobolus Come to Your Senses

WHAT: A thrilling evening of music and movement from legendary movement illusionists.

WHEN: Friday, October 26, 2018 at 8:00 pm

WHERE: The VETS, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence, RI

TICKETS: $28-95 (includes $3 restoration fee)