Rennie Harris Puremovement Celebrates 15-Year Anniversary Retrospective at the Kimmel Center February 2-4
January 22, 2007
Free Rennie Harris Artist Chat Following Each Performance in Perelman Theater
Acrobatic hip-hop meets African-American dance traditions. Now celebrating its 15th anniversary, Rennie Harris Puremovement continues to stun audiences with evocative hip hop dance scenes, and returns to the Kimmel Center to perform a retrospective in Perelman Theater on Friday-Saturday, February 2-3 at 7:30pm and Sunday, February 4, 2007 at 3pm. A North Philadelphia native, Rennie Harris is a hip-hop poet on stage who has experienced dance as a transformative, positive energy on stage which can often reflect distant cultures. Harris engages audiences with modern interpretations of Shakespearean classic Romeo and Juliet with a West Side Story spin that only Harris can tell using the acrobatic feats of choreographed dancers on stage. The weekend repertoire includes a sneak preview of "PrinceScareKrows Road To Da Emerald City" before Bessie Award winner "Rome & Jewels," "Facing Mekka," and a Repertory of "P-funk," "March of the Antmen," "GQ," "Endangered Species," among others, including a preview of a never-before-seen work in progress.
An Artist Chat with Artistic Director and Choreographer Rennie Harris and Kimmel Center Director of Programming Tom Warner will take place following each ticketed performance in Perelman Theater on Friday- Sunday, February 2- February 4. Please check online for additional information on Artist Chats, and other Free in the Plaza performance events.
This is the second set of performance of the Dance series. The next performance in this series is PHILADANCO on Thursday-Sunday, May 10-13, 2007.
Tickets for Rennie Harris Puremovement on Friday – Sunday February 2-4, 2007 are priced at $46, $36 and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at www.kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center box office, open daily from 10am to 6pm and later on performance evenings. (Additional fees may apply.) For group sales call 215-893-5883.
A limited number of $10 tickets are available for every Kimmel Center Presents performance at the Kimmel Center, through the Wachovia Gateway to the Arts Community Access Program supported by a generous grant from Wachovia Foundation. Tickets go on sale the day of the event and can be purchased at the Kimmel Center box office beginning 2.5 hours prior to curtain time and 11:30am for matinees. Limit one ticket per person.
Founded in 1992 by Philadelphia native Rennie Harris, Rennie Harris Puremovement was born out of Harris’ need to share an appreciation for diversity through his love of hip-hop dance theater. Puremovement is an inside look at the street aspects of hip-hop dance stemming from the inner-city and African-American culture through performances, workshops, classes and mentoring programs. Merging the diverse African American traditions of the past, while creating and presenting the voice of a new generation, Puremovement takes viewers on a sensational ride from hip-hop dance to high art.
Puremovement has performed to sold-out audiences across the United States and abroad. The various dimensions of hip-hop has allowed Harris to create original works while reconstructing and merging classics such as Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. “Rome & Jewels” premiered in 2000, and retells the tragic love story through the eyes of a hip-hop poet. Choreographed and directed by Rennie Harris in collaboration with dramaturg Ozzie Jones and sound designer Darrin Ross, "Rome and Jewels" won a Bessie® Award for Best Choreography in 2001. “Repertory,” 90 minutes of breathtaking dance and acrobatics, includes classic standards such as "P-Funk," "Continuum" and "Endangered Species," as well as a preview of a brand new work in progress entitled "100NakedLocks." For the first complete showing of "Facing Mekka," Harris fuses African-American culture and hip-hop dance like never before. With 17 dancers, live musicians, and three vocalists, including one beat boxer, “Facing Mekka” is Harris’ personal journey through triumph and tragedy while challenging traditional views on hip-hop.
Harris is also known for Illadelph Legends of Hip-Hop Festival. This 10 day event welcomes students of all background and dance levels to learn from hip-hop dance greats. Illadelph legends also includes panel discussions, lessons, lectures and the latest addition, The Business of Hip-Hop.
Kimmel Center Presents' 2006/2007 season is supported by: Mellon Financial Corporation, University of Pennsylvania Health System, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, ARC Wheeler, The William Penn Foundation, Wachovia Foundation, Philadelphia Music Project and Dance Advance, Initiatives of the Pew Charitable Trust administered by The University of the Arts. American Airlines is the Official Airline of Kimmel Center Presents. Toyota is the Official Vehicle of Kimmel Center Presents Jazz and World Pop Programming. NBC-10 is a Media Partner for Kimmel Center Presents. The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Daily News, and Philly.com are media sponsors for the Great Orchestras on Tour series.
The Kimmel Center's presentation of the Rennie Harris Puremovement Retrospective was made possible in part by a grant from Dance Advance, a program funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and administered by The University of the Arts. The Pew Charitable Trusts serves the public interest by providing information, advancing policy solutions and supporting civic life. Based in Philadelphia, with an office in Washington, D.C., the Trusts will invest $204 million in fiscal year 2006 to provide organizations and citizens with fact-based research and practical solutions for challenging issues. For more information, visit www.pewtrusts.org.
KIMMEL CENTER PRESENTS
Friday, February 2, 2007 | 7:30pm
Perelman Theater
Rennie Harris Puremovement
Repertory Program
"P-Funk"
"March of the Antmen"
"GQ"
"Endangered Species"
"Breath"
"100NakedLocks" (excerpted preview)
"Continuum"
Saturday, February 3, 2007 | 7:30pm
Perelman Theater
Rennie Harris Puremovement
"PrinceScareKrows Road To Da Emerald City" (excerpted preview)
"Rome & Jewels"
Sunday February 4, 2007 | 3 pm
Perelman Theater
Rennie Harris Puremovement
"Facing Mekka"
FREE AT THE KIMMEL EVENT:
Friday – Sunday, February 2-4, 2007 | post-show
Perelman Theater
Artist Chat
Join us for an Artist Chat with Artistic Director and Choreographer Rennie Harris and the Kimmel Center Director of Programming Tom Warner.
OTHER UPCOMING FREE AT THE KIMMEL EVENTS ARE:
Friday, February 2, 2007 | 6:30pm
Commonwealth Plaza
Khan Jamal Trio
Philadelphia vibraphonist Khan Jamal performs creative improvised music with his Trio, including renowned improvisational drummer, Sunny Murray.
Saturday, February 3, 2007 | 11am
Innovation Studio
Renaissance Artist Puppet Company
Custom designed puppets reenact scenes from Harriet Tubman and entertain family and children for Black History Month.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 | 6:30pm
Commonwealth Plaza
Pedrick-Smith Guitar Duo
In September 2002 Thomas Smith's composition "River Rising" was premiered by the Pedrick Hutson guitar duo at the Philly Fringe Festival. Since then, the duo has recorded the piece for their CD Environs, and have extensively performed throughout the United States for guitar societies, concert series, and music festivals. Their music encompasses a variety of styles, including classical, jazz and world sounds. Prior to the ticketed Joshua Bell performance in Verizon Hall.
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