Last modified: Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company to perform Lincoln tribute at IU Auditorium Feb. 25
What: Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
When: Feb. 25, 8 p.m.
Where: IU Auditorium
Tickets: $13-$23 for IU Bloomington students with a valid ID and $25-$33 for general public, on sale now. Individual tickets may be purchased online at www.IUauditorium.com, in person at the IU Auditorium Box Office, as well as through Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, or charge by phone at 800-745-3000. The IU Auditorium Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 2, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company will make its first appearance in Bloomington at 8 p.m. Feb. 25 at IU Auditorium.
Photo by Russell Jenkins
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
Tony Award-winning Jones brings together dance, music, spoken word and video in his commemorative piece, Fondly Do We Hope ... Fervently Do We Pray (named for a line in Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address) celebrating the life and work of President Lincoln. The work premiered in 2009 and was commissioned by Ravinia Festival and co-commissioned by IU Auditorium and New York's Lincoln Center.
Inspired by texts from Shakespeare, the Old Testament, Walt Whitman and Lincoln's own words, Fondly Do We Hope ... Fervently Do We Pray honors Lincoln's life and the contributions he made to American society, examining how Lincoln has affected modern day society and what role his influence will have on the future.
"We are celebrating the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth and the 100th anniversary of the first issuance of the Lincoln one-cent coin," said Doug Booher, director of IU Auditorium. "Bill T. Jones' incredible talent as a master storyteller is showcased in this timely reminder of Lincoln's profound influence on this country."
Jones recently appeared on "The Colbert Report" to discuss his Broadway production Fela! and advocating for the importance of controversial, challenging characters in Broadway performances. He was also interviewed on "Bill Moyers Journal." "Bill T. Jones is one of this country's greatest dance artists," said Moyer. "You've never seen Lincoln's story told like this before."
Founded as a multicultural dance company in 1982, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company was born of an 11-year artistic collaboration between Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane (1948-1988). Jones has choreographed more than 140 pieces for his own company along with numerous works for other companies. In addition to his 2007 Tony Award (Best Choreography) for Spring Awakening, Jones has also earned a MacArthur "Genius" Award and in 2009 was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
More information on Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and all shows on IU Auditorium's 2009-2010 season can be found at IUauditorium.com. The Web site features video clips and a selection of songs from this season's performances, in addition to podcasts and a direct link to the IU Auditorium Facebook Fan Page and Twitter page, whose members receive exclusive benefits throughout the year.
Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company is sponsored by Indiana Memorial Union and the New England Foundation for the Arts. The IU Auditorium 2009-2010 season is presented by Curry Auto Center, B97, The Herald-Times, Indiana University Document Service Center, Indiana University Residential Programs and Services and Ivy Tech Community College.
