Dance Now Miami delivers a stellar performance!

After much speculation on where the world would end up after COVID we realize that we are stronger than we thought! DANCE NOW MIAMI is back with a jaw dropping spectacular performance.  Dance NOW! Miami (DNM) brought a taste of Lisbon’s vibrant cultural scene to their Program II of the season with special guests Portugal’s Dança em Diálogos (DeD), in their Florida debut.

Dança em Diálogo  means Dance in Dialogue, each piece told a story. The most impactful one sparked a sense of familiarity of us. Who hasn’t heard of Bach’s Suite No 1 in G major on the cello a sound recognizable by most art enthusiasts. The 4th act was certainly our favorite, interpreted by dancers Valentina Codinha and Joao Reis and choregraphed by Fernando Duarte. “Prelude was choregraphed upon the desire of materializing, through bodies and movement, the divine first movement of Bach’s Suite No 1 for unaccompanied cello played by Michael Andrews of South Beach Chamber Ensemble, creating an endlessly wavering relation between the beauty of two partners and their deep connection with the (in)visible music.” A true masterpiece. 

We were certainly impressed with the overall presentation and can’t wait to see what they have in store next years.

The performance ended on a high note with the US Premiere of Anusim, What is Hidden is Never Lost and we were privileged enough to share the reprise with the world :

 

Anusim is inspired by a rarely told story in Jewish history – the 1497 decree of the Portuguese King Manuel I forcing Jews to practice their religion in secret instead of facing
the most fierce persecution, conversion, expulsion or worse. The Jews were given a
20-year reprieve, during which they could maintain their Judaism in secret but publicly
had to practice Catholicism. They were called “New Christians.” Eventually many assimilated, but some Jewish practices remained as “Family Traditions.” These themes of loss, cultural annihilation and forced conversion resonate with many different populations in the past and even today.

Anusim builds on a pivotal dance performed by Dance NOW! entitled Odisea. Choreographed by Carolyn Dorfman in 2005 and restaged on Dance NOW! in 2015, Odisea
chronicles the physical, emotional and spiritual journey of twenty-three Jews leaving
similar persecution in Recife, Brazil in 1654 and their journey and ultimate landing on
American soil in New Amsterdam (New York City).

Anusim, what is hidden is never lost has been created as part of an International Cultural
Partnership with Dança Em Diálogós, our partner company in Portugal. This project is
funded by Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs with the support of the
Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Miami Beach Sister Cities International and the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Dancers: Fatima Andere. Pedro Antonio Carvalho, Amanda Nicole Davis,
Austin Duclos, Julia Faris, Joshua Feist, David Harris, David Jewett, Ryker Laramore,
Carlota Rodrigues, Renee Roberts, Margarida Trigueiros

Anusim, What is Hidden is Never Lost
(United States Premiere)
Anusim is dedicated to Sheila Baumgarten
from her sisters, daughters, husband and the generosity of friends.
Choreography: Hannah Baumgarten, Fernando Duarte & Diego Salterini
Music Composition, Recording and Editing: Federico Bonacossa
Musicians and Vocalists: 
Edgar San Feliz Botta, Countertenor
Susana Behar, Sephardic Singer
Marti Moreland, Harpist
Reza Filssofi, Percussionist
Federico Bonacossa, Guitarist
Special thanks to Malka Israel Biton for her assistance with the interpretation of the Hebrew texts
Production and Lighting Design: Bruce F. Brown
Costume Design: Haydee Morales
Costume Artist: Maria Morales
Costume Construction: Haydee Morales, Maria Morales, Alberto Arroyo, Jesus Lorenzo