New York and Eugene will fuse together Friday and Saturday, spawning a performance Dance Theatre of Oregon co-director Marc Siegel calls “wild, crazy and beautiful.” DTO will kick off its 11th anniversary season with “New York, New York” at 7:30 p.m. at the Hult Center both evenings.
According to Siegel, the company’s entire season will center around New York-inspired themes.
“It’s memories of our time living in New York and our friends,” he said. Siegel and wife Pamela Lehan-Siegel lived in the city until 1991, when they moved to Eugene to create DTO.
The “New York, New York” program will consist of three separate works, each one including choreography inspired by the city. New York-based, internationally acclaimed artist David Parsons also contributed some of his own work.
Parsons’ “The Envelope” will begin the evening. Parsons choreographed the piece in 1984, and it centers around the intricacies of envelopes. Both Siegel and Lehan-Siegel will perform in this section, along with other dancers from the 11-member company. Intricate choreography, combined with music by renowned composer Giochino Rossini, forge a choreographic work DTO dubs “funny, intriguing and 100 percent Parsons!”
According to Siegel, Parsons’ “Sleep Study” is anything but a snore. The piece, which explores the nuances of nocturnal respite, is only five and a half minutes long. Siegel described it as “outrageously comedic.” Audiences can expect to see pajama-clad dancers tossing and turning to the music of Flim & the BB’s. Once again, the co-directors will contribute their performing talents.
“Trocks,” Siegel’s own work, will showcase men in pointe shoes.
“It’s about my time when I danced with the ballet Trockadero,” he said, referring to the New York company, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Siegel toured with the all-male company in 1988 and 1989, dancing comedic women’s and men’s roles.
Siegel said the selection is also a tribute to his artist-friends in New York — living and deceased.
“But mostly, it’s very light-hearted,” he said.
Lehan-Siegel will add her “Jones Beach, Long Island circa 1929” to the mix.
“The inspirations were childhood memories of being at Jones Beach on Long Island,” co-director Lehan-Siegel said.
She took the idea farther back in time, to the opening of Jones Beach in 1929 — an era Siegel calls “a time of exploration.”
The choreography will incorporate skimpy, period-style swimsuits as well as 10 black inner tubes. Favorite old, old oldies, including “I’ll See You in My Dreams” and “Manda,” will provide a musical backdrop.
Lehan-Siegel said audience members — young and old — will appreciate all the program’s aspects.
“It’s a fun, original look at dance, and it’s inspiring because of the technical and athletic qualities of the choreography, too.”
Siegel said the inspiration behind the show is simple.
“We just wanted to go back to our roots,” he said.
Tickets are $14.50 for youth and $18 for adults, available at the Hult Center ticket office.