Parsons Dance with the Allen Toussaint Orchestra
“This is a dance your heart out (at all times, no excuses) kind of enterprise” -The New York Times
Hailed by the Toronto Star as “one of the hottest tickets in contemporary dance,” the always-popular Parsons Dance company returns to take your breath away with its brand of joyous, high-voltage dances. Led by Artistic Director and prolific dance-maker David Parsons, the company brings a tailor-made program that includes signature works like Caught, a gravity-defying fusion of art and technology demanding split-second timing and athletic stamina by the dancer, and Swing Shift, a cherished David Parsons piece built around a series of duets and trios that he describes as “a study of speed and partnering.” The evening’s very special finale will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Parsons’ critically acclaimed work Whirlaway to a soundtrack of Allen Toussaint hits. Originally commissioned by NOBA and premiering at the Mahalia Jackson Theater in 2014, the dramatic restaging of this work with new costumes and choreography by Parsons Dance will be joined by Reginald Toussaint and The Allen Toussaint Orchestra, as we honor the life and legacy of a New Orleans icon. “Parsons’ dancers are young, hot and incredibly athletic. Gorgeous daredevils, they keep people gaping … ” (The Washington Post).