Peter London Dance Company (PLGDC) will present “Miami Night of Stars” at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 18.
The program includes London’s “Carmen,” “Ancestral King and Queens” with choreography by London and an original score by Kebra-Seyoun Charles.
“Carmen” is choreographed using American contemporary dance technique with a hint of Flamenco.“Ancestral King and Queens” portrays the Yoruba oral traditional story of the Orisha King Shango and two of his wives, Queen Oba and Queen Oya, as they compete to win his favors in a dynamic fusion of contemporary and Afro Diaspora dance drama.
‘ “King and Queens’ and ‘Carmen’ both speak to the forces of jealousy and the dynamic energies in relationships fueled by passion and the desire to attain love and control,” says London.
Photographer: GREGORY REED,MFA
Yanil Pabon, Carlos Realegeno, Camilo Toro in Peter London's "Carmen." (Photo by Gregory Reed)
“Both dances are based on mythology from two different cultures; ‘King and Queens’ from the oral tradition of the Yoruba people of Nigeria and ‘Carmen,’ a story rooted in Spain and cultural traditions of music, matadors, and Mystic forces.”
When working with his dancers on works with historical narratives, London says he conveys to them the layers involved in each of the stories.“The dancers are given a complete historical narrative of the stories and the characters, and the emotional, social, and psychological narratives that are at the core of the cause of the events.”
London says this allows the dancer to connect with the character and the story from their own lived experiences.
“It gives them freedom to create their own interpretation based on the story being told,” he says.
The program also includes Justin Rapaport’s “Awakening,” with a commissioned score by Grammy-nominated pianist and composer Martin Bejerano and ends with an audience favorite, London's “Kaiso Bacchanal,” full of the spiritual power of West African ancestors celebrated in Caribbean Carnival festivals.Peter London, a New World School of the Arts (NWSA) and Juilliard School graduate was a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Company, touring nationally and internationally.
He worked firsthand with major artists such as Mikhail Baryshnikov and Anna Sokolow, not to mention Graham herself. London now continues spreading his dance knowledge as a faculty member of NWSA teaching Graham technique and Afro-Caribbean dance.
Photographer: GREGORY REED,MFA
Yanil Pabón, Sierra Taylor, Stephanie Franco in Peter London's "Caribbean Suite." (Photo by Gregory Reed)
The Company was formed to offer an opportunity to train and retain the talent representative of the area's multicultural heritage.
“South Florida has been losing its talented dancers to out-of-state companies,” according to London.
PLGDC also performs at the Miami Botanical Gardens, 2000 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, on Sunday, June 1, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., in Garden Delight, a free performance. And, on Thursday, June 19, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. the company performs at Juneteenth, organized by the City of Miami Beach, the annual celebration is open to the community at the Lincoln Road Mall, Lincoln Road, Miami Beach.
WHAT: Peter London Global Dance Company
WHERE: Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami
WHEN: 7 p.m., May 18
TICKETS: $42.23, $31.93, $26.78
INFORMATION: miamibeachbandshell.com
