Acclaimed choreographer Kyle Abraham has crafted many profound and memorable dances throughout his career. Seeing one of his works can be a truly transformative experience. And now’s your chance. This week for 3 nights only, Kyle Abraham and his dance company, A.I.M. will be at Lincoln Center for the New York premiere of Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth. It’s an innovative new take on Mozart’s classic work Requiem in D Minor. And it breathes new life into the centuries-old piece. Our correspondent Abbie Martin Greenbaum shares highlights of Abraham’s storied career, and previews what makes this work so special.
Requiem at Lincoln Center in New York
Death. Rebirth. Black Futurism. These are some of the themes that will ignite the stage at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater later this week, when Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth premieres in New York. The latest masterpiece from A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham, Requiem is a triumph several years in the making.
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Afrofuturism exhibits and events are plentiful this summer
Afro-futurism is having a Moment this summer in the halls and on the walls of iconic Western arts institutions the world over. The Metropolitan Museum in New York is hosting an ongoing exhibit called “The Afrofuturism Room.” In London, the Hayward Gallery’s summer exhibition “In the Black Fantastic” has taken the city by storm.
And now, for 3 nights only, comes an innovative new take on Afrofuturism in the form of a new dance. Choreographed by Kyle Abraham and set to a techno-dub version of Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor, we’re pretty sure you’ve never seen anything like it.
about Kyle Abraham and his collaborators
Kyle Abraham is one of this century’s most legendary choreographers. He’s a MacArthur “Genius” grant recipient who has created works for the Royal Ballet, the New York City Ballet and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater among others.
Kyle Abraham’s dance company is at Lincoln Center New York for Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth.
Abraham founded A.I.M. in 2006 to offer educational programming and community workshops. In addition, though, the company has also spent the last decade creating extraordinary works of dance inspired by Black culture and history. Abraham, who is A.I.M’s artistic director, has developed more than fifteen original pieces for the company.
As with many of Abraham’s productions, Requiem is a collaboration with artists across different disciplines, all of whom have added their expertise to the universe that Abraham envisions. What the audience will see – a world that feels fully-developed and rich with nuance – is the composite of meticulous details supplied by a team of world-class experts.
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For example, for this work, composer and electronic dance music artist Jlin has reimagined Mozart’s Requiem in d minor as a techno-dub song. British fashion designer Giles Deacon designed the costumes. Dan Scully handled the lighting and scenic design.
Kyle Abraham’s dance company is at Lincoln Center New York for Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth.
what to expect from Requiem at Lincoln Center in New York this week
The result of this partnership between creative geniuses is transformative. Elaborate. Or, as described by Martell Ruffin, “Out of this world.” Ruffin is one of the ten dancers from A.I.M. who performs in the latest opus.
a journey to another space
Ruffin encourages audience members to go into the experience without expectation. Instead, he suggests that you “allow yourself to go into another space.” And since the choreographer has worked to refine and harmonize every detail, mind-travel is eminently possible.
Kyle Abraham’s dance company is at Lincoln Center New York for Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth.
“When audience members are watching it, they can create their own storylines,” said Gianna Theodore, another member of A.I.M. “That’s the fun of it.”
And the audience members are not the only ones creating these storylines.
“The definition of this work changes every time I do it,” said Theodore. She noted that entire narratives exist under the surface for her and her dancer partner, Donovan Reed.
“We imagine that we’re in this amazing mansion and we have all our guests come into the space,” she said. “They come in to have dinner with us and dance in our incredible ballroom.”
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the dancers’ dreams
For anyone who has ever peered up at a stage and wondered what is going on in the minds of the performers, there is something magical about this revelation. Something special in knowing that the dancers believe in the daydream of the experience as much as – or even more than – the audience.
If you have ever felt like you needed permission to let your mind fly free, or to suspend your disbelief, then let this be your permission. You will not be alone.
Kyle Abraham’s dance company is at Lincoln Center New York for Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth.
Theodore also said that she and Reed will incorporate “glitches” into their performances: instances where their façades will falter. And their true selves will shine through their aristocratic personas.
These glitches seem key to Requiem. It’s a carefully constructed universe, but those moments when the fourth wall breaks are part of that construction. Even if they last only a few seconds.
And these glitches allow for the feeling of constant expansion – for the proposition that there might be infinite narratives contained in this one production.
dramatic throughlines
“There are so many throughlines,” Theodore said of the piece. “There’s so many definitions…There’s a new story each time.”
And one of those throughlines? Superpowers.
“Kyle was heavily inspired by Marvel characters,” said Ruffin. He noted that they would often have old X-Men cartoons on in the background. Even if they were not focusing on the episodes, there will be traces of those superhero stories for the audience to identify in Requiem – a throughline that runs straight through the zeitgeist, and into this brand-new creation.
And yet, even knowing all of this – knowing that Requiem was built with such care, and knowing that it will open a doorway to a brand-new world – the thing that makes us most excited to see the performance is the joy that we know is being experienced by everyone on the stage.
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“They’re the most incredible people that I’ve ever met,” said Theodore, when talking about her A.I.M collaborators. “So for me it’s such a treat to get to dance and tour with them.”
Ruffin echoed her sentiments. “I’m always excited to be around my coworkers.”
Kyle Abraham’s dance company is at Lincoln Center New York for Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth.
And these feelings are what will really bring the world of Requiem to life. Because it isn’t just an imagined universe – one that’s fleshed out with music, and costumes, and inner narratives – but an imagined universe that’s loved and cherished by the people helping to create it.
After premiering at Lincoln Center, Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth will begin its tour, traveling to Minneapolis, Boston, and other cities that are soon to be announced. And every time Requiem is performed, it will be a little different. “It’s a different space, so the piece should be different,” Ruffin said. Each audience responds in a new way, and each stage offers a new landscape – literally; some are raked, and others may be more narrow or wide.
But these small alterations only add to the transportive feeling of Requiem, the same way the “glitches” in narrative do. They offer an organic counterbalance to the details that have been pre-determined. And maybe that is the trick to believing the world we see on stage – to have a reminder, no matter how small, of the world we’re leaving behind.
Kyle Abraham’s Requiem at Lincoln Center
Choreographer Kyle Abraham’s dance company, A.I.M. is at Lincoln Center New York for Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth. You’ve got three opportunities to see it for yourself this week. Grab your tickets here, dear reader. And prepare for takeoff.
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Abbie Martin Greenbaum grew up in New York City and currently lives in Brooklyn, where she drinks a lot of coffee and matches roommates together for a living. At Oberlin College, she studied English and Cinema, which are still two of her favorite things, along with dessert and musical theater. She believes in magic.
