Joshua Peugh, founder of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, which will be part of the 2017–18 Elevator Project
The Elevator Project began in 2014 to highlight a few arts organizations without regular performance space, offered the 99-seat studio space inside the Arts District’s Wyly Theatre. (You need to take a elevator to get there, hence the name.) Oral Fixation, the Danielle Georgiou Dance Group and others presented their spoken word or dance or other art works.
The project, though, has grown; recently, DGDG performed as part of the Elevator Project at Hamon Hall on the ground floor of the Winspear Opera House, so the only elevator you needed to take from from the parking garage.
The growth has led the AT&T Performing Arts Center to announce today that eight new companies will be added to the 2017-18 season (its third), among them: American Baroque Opera; Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, pictured; Jake Nice; Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble; Adam Adolfo; Soul Rep Theatre; Therefore Art & Performance Group; and Cry Havoc Theater Co.
Only three of the performances will take place on the Wyly’s Sixth Floor space; four will take place at Hamon Hall and one in the Sammons Park reflecting pool between the two buildings.
“It’s important that there’s a place in the Arts District where artists can take risks, premier work and find new audiences,” said David Denson, the ATTPAC’s director of programming who created the Elevator Project three years ago. The groups were selected by a panel of arts professionals that includes Terry Martin, Lily Weiss, Vicki Meek and Mike Richman.
Tickets are now on sale here. General admission single tickets are $25, with discounts available for multiple shows.
The lineup includes:
Masquerade: Opera Cabaret (American Baroque Opera). Sept. 14–16.
Big Bad Wolf and Les Fairies (Dark Circles Contemporary Dance). Oct. 19–21.
We’re Going to Die (Jake Nice). Feb. 8–10.
Guinea Fare: Her Story, Her Ipseity (Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble). March 22-24.
Elemental: Nature’s Rhapsody (Adam Adolfo). April 20–22.
The Freemans (Soul Rep Theatre). May 2–13.
The Alexa Dialogues (Therefore Art & Performance Group). May 24–26.
Babel (Cry Havoc Theater Co.). July 5–15.