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Kyle Abraham/
Abraham.In.Motion
The Radio Show

About

One of the hottest young choreographers in the United States, Kyle Abraham often grounds his works in his life history. In The Radio Show audience members experience two seminal events—the abrupt closing of a favorite hometown radio station and the slow breakdown of communication as a family member descends into Alzheimers and aphasia. Created in collaboration with the dancers of his Abraham.In.Motion company, The Radio Show offers a stunning and personal memory of what once was and what is now lost.

Abraham, trained in music as well as dance, flavors the Bessie Award-winning show with an eclectic score that mixes classic soul, hip-hop, R&B, call-in radio excerpts, and experimental music by Ryoji Ikeda and Alva Noto. Delivering “as much pure pleasure as emotional complexity” (Dance Magazine), the ensemble of six dancers layers the performance within this sonic tapestry with emotional fluidity and elegant articulation.

Running time: 70 minutes

Kyle Abraham/ Abraham.In.Motion The Radio Show video still

Video

Images

Performance view, Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion, The Radio Show, MCA Chicago, February 20, 2014

Photo: Nathan Keay © MCA Chicago
On a dark stage, three women stand in a retreating row on the left and a fourth reclines on the right

Performance view, Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion, The Radio Show, MCA Chicago, February 20, 2014

Photo: Nathan Keay © MCA Chicago

Performance view, Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion, The Radio Show, MCA Chicago, February 20, 2014

Photo: Nathan Keay © MCA Chicago

About the Artist

Born into hip-hop culture in the late 1970s, Kyle Abraham had an artistic upbringing grounded in classical cello, piano, and visual arts. His choreography intertwines a sensual and provocative vocabulary with a strong emphasis on sound, human behavior, and all things visual to create an avenue for personal investigation. He frequently draws from his personal history to address themes of race relations, queerness, and Americana. Over the past few years, Abraham has received tremendous accolades and awards as a dancer and as a choreographer, including a 2012 Jacob's Pillow Dance Award and 2012 USA Ford Fellow. He is the newly appointed New York Live Arts Resident Commissioned Artist for 2012–14. His choreography has been presented throughout the United States and abroad, most recently at On The Boards, South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, REDCAT, Philly Live Arts, Portland's Time Based Arts Festival, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Danspace Project, Dance Theater Workshop, Bates Dance Festival, and Harlem Stage.

Funding

Generous support for The Radio Show is provided by David Herro and Jay Franke.

Vocalo 90.7 is proud to be a media sponsor of Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion: The Radio Show.