Parsons Dance is a

contemporary dance Contemporary dance is a genre of Concert dance, dance performance that developed during the mid-twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world, with particularly stron ...

company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...

founded in 1985 by

choreographer Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which Motion (physics), motion or Visual appearance, form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A chor ...

David Parsons and lighting designer

Howell Binkley Howell Bagby Binkley (July 25, 1956 – August 14, 2020) was an American lighting designer in modern dance and musical theatre. He received the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design in a Musical for ''Jersey Boys'' in 2006, and again in 2016 for ' ...

that tours nationally and internationally and includes an annual season in New York City, its base.

History

Parsons Dance was founded on July 17, 1985, by David Parsons and Howell Binkley. The company consists of nine full-time dancers. It maintains a repertory of more than 80 works, 20 featuring commissioned original scores by composers and musicians including

Dave Matthews David John Matthews (born January 9, 1967) is an American musician and the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band (DMB). Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and moved frequently between South Africa, ...

, Michael Gordon,

Milton Nascimento Milton Silva Campos do Nascimento (; born October 26, 1942), also known as Bituca, is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Nascimento has recorded 32 studio albums and has won five Grammy Awards, including Best World Music ...

, John Mackey and

Phil Woods Philip Wells Woods (November 2, 1931 – September 29, 2015) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader, and composer. Biography Woods was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. After inheriting a saxophone at age 12, he began t ...

. Parsons Dance has collaborated with many other artists, including

Julie Taymor Julie Taymor (born December 15, 1952) is an American director and writer of theater, opera, and film. Her stage adaptation of ''The Lion King (musical), The Lion King'' debuted in 1997 and received eleven Tony Awards, Tony Award nominations, with ...

William Ivey Long William Ivey Long II (born August 30, 1947) is an American costume designer for stage and screen. His most notable work includes the Broadway shows '' The Producers'', ''Hairspray'', ''Nine'', '' Crazy for You'', '' Grey Gardens'', '' Young Fran ...

Annie Leibovitz Anna-Lou Leibovitz ( ; born October 2, 1949) is an American Portrait photography, portrait photographer best known for her portraits, particularly of celebrities, which often feature subjects in intimate settings and poses. Leibovitz's Polaroid ...

Donna Karan Donna Karan ( ; born Donna Ivy Faske), also known as DK, is an American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels. Early life and education Karan was born to mother Helen "Queenie" Faske (née Rabinow ...

and

Alex Katz Alex Katz (born July 24, 1927) is an American figurative artist known for his paintings, sculptures, and printmaking, prints. Since 1951, Katz's work has been the subject of more than 200 solo exhibitions and nearly 500 group exhibitions through ...

. Since its founding, the company has performed in more than 445 cities, 30 countries, and 5 continents. In addition to performances, Parsons Dance also provides various education and outreach programs, workshops, post-show discussions, open rehearsals, studio showcases, and open company classes. In 2016, the company launched Autism-Friendly Programs, featuring sensory-friendly programs and relaxed performances. As of 2021, Parsons is Artistic Director and Choreographer. The company performs in the

Joyce Theater The Joyce Theatre Foundation is a leading presenter of dance in New York City and nationally. It is runs, in part, from the Joyce Theater, a 472-seat dance performance venue located in the Chelsea, Manhattan, Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in ...

Notable people

Robert Battle Robert Battle (born August 28, 1972) is a dancer, choreographer, and the former Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Early life and education Robert Battle was born on August 28, 1972 in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally fr ...

Roger Montoya Roger Evan Montoya (born February 3, 1961) is an American humanitarian, painter, former professional dancer and gymnast, and a former politician who served as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives from the 40th district. Elected i ...

Katarzyna Skarpetowska Katarzyna Skarpetowska (born ca. 1977) is a dancer and choreographer of Polish descent. She danced with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company from 2007 - 2014, and Parsons Dance Company. from 1999-2006. Her choreography, often set on the Parsons company, ...

(1999-2006)

References

* {{Authority control Dance companies in New York City Contemporary dance companies 1985 establishments in New York City Arts organizations established in 1985