INTERVIEW: Ariel Rivka Dance wants to know ‘What You Want’
Photo: Ariel Rivka Dance will present their spring season this month in New York City. Photo courtesy of Whitney Browne / Provided by Michelle Tabnick PR with permission.
Ariel Rivka Dance is back with its spring season in New York City, and among its new offerings is the world premiere of What You Want. Performances run May 19-21 at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, according to press notes.
What You Want promises commentary on the vulnerabilities needed to fly, even at the risk of falling, according to an official press release. The piece comes courtesy of choreographer Ariel Grossman, the artistic director and executive director of Ariel Rivka Dance. She works off an original composition by Summer Dregs, with Stefania de Kenessey. Other Grossman-choreographed works included in the spring season are Mossy, Lead Me, Ori, Converge and an excerpt from No Words.
Grossman leads Ariel Rivka Dance, an all-female contemporary dance company that is based in New Jersey. The company champions female artists, and they stay focused on original choreography, original compositions and family programming, according to their official biography. Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Grossman about the spring season. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What are you most excited for in this spring season?
I am most excited about being back in the theater, in an intimate setting with the audience. There is nothing like telling these stories while feeling the energy of the audience and sharing this special space.
Is What You Want a particularly challenging piece to perform?
What You Want is challenging in a different way than other ARD pieces. This is our first new piece since the pandemic with three new company members. The piece is centered on partnerships and duets, which requires a great deal of listening and responding to each other in the moment. We developed most of the piece at the height of the Omicron variant, so attendance was inconsistent and sometimes felt scattered. The momentum of the company kept me moving forward, and the different energy of each rehearsal allowed for pairings and connections that wouldn’t have necessarily happened.
How much did the COVID-19 pandemic disrupt the company?
In May of 2020, we were set to premiere two brand-new works through a summer residency with Tisch NYU. Just like the rest of the world, the pandemic disrupted our timeline and how we imagined to share our work. But, the ARD board, dancers and creatives made it a priority to continue to work, stay connected to our audience through a virtual space and move forward in unimaginable ways. We had virtual residencies, collaborated with new dancers virtually and integrated technology into our work. The support from our board and community truly helped us not only get through, but expand creatively.
Do you feel that stillness and calmness are choreographic traits that are important? Not everything has to be flashy, right?
This has always been a challenge of mine! I love stillness and slow moments, but often change the parts that feel too slow or static. However, in What You Want, although there is a lot going on throughout the piece, all eight dancers moving at the same time doing variations of the same phrase, etc., I found the moments of stillness to be quite meaningful and deep. So much of the work is emotion driven and rooted in authentic human connection, that stillness, rest and time to process is necessary in digesting the work. Stillness reflects the ebb and flow of our emotions, deepness of connection, and reveals vulnerable moments.
How did Converge emerge as a piece?
Shifting between the frantic and the calm, Converge emerged from an improvisation using gestures of loneliness, frustration and connectivity. The piece explores the internal, intimate space of the dancers and how that sometimes conflicts with how they are perceived externally. Converge was originally a commission for Konverjdans, but we have adapted it to the ARD dancers.
Do you enjoy when students and company members are able to share the same stage?
This past week I joined the last 15 minutes of our older students’ class to give some feedback on their piece. I watched as the students moved to my choreography with purpose, dedication and artistry. When I spoke to them afterwards, providing a few suggestions of movement quality and maybe a pep talk on the responsibility and privilege taking to the stage is, I could see these children who know me as Eva and Max’s mom, respond with a seriousness that spoke to their respect of their work and the profession. Not only is it inspiring for the students, but it speaks to one of our core values: community.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Ariel Rivka Dance’s spring season runs May 19-21 at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center. Click here for more information and tickets.
