The Trocks.
The return of Pilobolus, Philip Glass and Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo — “The Trocks,” a drag ballet troupe — mark the 2013-14 TITAS season, but it’s what’s new about the season that makes the biggest impact.
For decades, TITAS has programmed about 10 shows a year — five music, five dance — until the last two seasons when dance has predominated slightly. That domination is full-force now, with nine of the 11 performances (including the bonus Command Performance Gala) dance.
“We needed to stop thinking about what [TITAS] has done in the past and look to the future,” said Charles Santos, the arts organization’s executive director. “We need to be curatorial as part of ATTPAC.” The center, he noted, already programs music (the interview took place even as the music of Rodriguez wafted from Annette Strauss Square adjacent to the Winspear Opera House), but TITAS does dance “better than anyone.”
It also does collaborations. Next season will include several, and Santos promises more down the road, including commissions such as one already in the works with gay-run Cedar Lake Contemporary Dance for the 2014-15 season. “And we will continue to bring in music acts [with which we already have relationships] like Philip Glass, Kronos Quartet and Kodo Drummers.” But dance will be the focus, from ballet companies to modern troupes and everything in between (including The Trocks).
He made the announcement during the return of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to Dallas after a decades-long absence … a drought that won’t continue: Santos said Ailey will return to Dallas every other season for the foreseeable future.
“We need to develop relationships with companies [like Ailey],” Santos said. “Dance has been having a real resurgence with the likes of Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, which, cheesy as they are, provide [visibility].”
The entire season:
Jessica Lang Dance, Sept. 9, 2013 — Dallas debut of a company whose choreographer/founder has already worked with TITAS in the past for its Command Performance Galas.
Scrap • Arts • Music, Nov. 22, 2013 — A Stomp-ish performance troupe in its Dallas debut.
Pilobolus, Jan. 17–18, 2014 — Return of the eye-bending modern movement company — a TITAS tradition.
Alonso King LINES Ballet, Jan. 25, 2014 — Another return of the contemporary ballet company.
Philip Glass: An Evening of Chamber Music, Feb. 24, 2014 — The minimalist composer performs in duets with Tim Fain.
Israel’s Kibbutz Contemporary Dance, Mar. 1, 2014 — A Dallas debut, performed at City Performance Hall.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Apr. 4–5, 2014 — Two nights of the outrageous but technically masterful gay troupe, performing classics with a campy sensibility at City Performance Hall.
Motionhouse, Apr. 12–13, 2014 — Another Dallas debut of the British performance art company at City Performance Hall.
Command Performance Gala, May 3, 2014 — The special event amalgam of dance troupes.
Mark Morris Dance Group, May 10, 2014 — The return of the modern company.
Shen Wei Dance Arts, June 19, 2014 — The Dallas debut of the celebrated Chinese artist.
