Pilobolus Dance Theater to Launch FirstWorks 15th Season
World-renowned movement illusionists to unveil new work celebrating the natural world
Providence, RI – FirstWorks announces the kick-off of their 2018-19 Artistic Icons Series with Pilobolus dance theater, a wildly inventive company whose performances at the 79th Academy Awards and multiple Olympic games have been seen by millions of viewers worldwide. FirstWorks presents the legendary movement illusionists in the Rhode Island premiere of their new show, “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.
Pilobolus invites audiences to come back to their five senses by exploring the connection between the human body and the analog world around us. The company’s new evening-length program “Come to Your Senses” is a multi-sensory experience of music, dance and visuals from shape-shifting performers who are as much super athletes as they are dancers. A special program highlight is the Rhode Island premiere of“Branches,” a work commissioned by Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in celebration of the natural world.
Pilobolus returns to Providence to delight FirstWorks audiences on the heels of their popular interactive performances of “UP: The Umbrella Project” which took place at PVDFest on June 9, 2018. Curated by PVDFest Founding Partner FirstWorks, “The Umbrella Project” was a colorful spectacle in which festival participants illuminated the night using LED umbrellas developed in collaboration with CSAIL at MIT Distributed Robotics Laboratory.
Pilobolus has a long creative relationship with FirstWorks. They 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 before returning this June after eight years for their PVDFest interactive audience experience.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate 15 years of connecting art with audiences with Pilobolus, artists who continuously provide us astonishing new ways to view the world around us,” says FirstWorks Executive Artistic Director Kathleen Pletcher. “Pilobolus and FirstWorks share the belief that live art has the power to connect us in a time of sensory and media overload,” Pletcher continues. “This was exemplified in the audience interactive ‘Umbrella Project’ performances at PVDFest. We’re thrilled to bring Pilobolus and their perspective-changing work back to the FirstWorks stage this year.”
Founded by a group of Dartmouth College students in 1971, Pilobolus is named after a phototropic barnyard fungus that propels its spores with extraordinary speed, accuracy and strength. The company continues to propel the seeds of expression through human movement to every corner of the world, continually forming diverse collaborations that break down barriers between disciplines and challenge the way audiences think about dance.
Tickets to 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. Discounted tickets for eligible students and teachers are also available by contacting Kathleen McAreavey, FirstWorks Education and Community Outreach Manager at 401-421-4278.
About Pilobolus
Pilobolus is an internationally renowned movement company. For 45 years, they have tested the limits of human physicality, exploring the power of connected bodies. Pilobolus performs internationally for 300,000+ people each year – and creates custom performances, digital content, movement experiments, and live events. You’ve seen them at the Oscars, the VMAs, and the Olympics, and collaborating with OK Go, the NFL, Hyundai, RadioLab, and more. Honors include a TED Fellowship, a Grammy® Nomination, a Primetime Emmy® Award, and several Cannes Lion Awards.
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 http://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)