American Contemporary Ballet Streams The Drum Dances

For its first program on its ACBTV media channel which is to air on April 14, American Contemporary Ballet streams The Drum Dances, a piece originally presented in February 2020 to open the Astaire Dances series.

Choreographed by Artistic Director Lincoln Jones and set to the music of jazz drummer Ana Barreiro, The Drum Dances was inspired in part by Fred Astaire’s dancing and his skill as a jazz drummer. In fact, Jones himself studied the drums because he felt that “Astaire’s facility as a jazz drummer informed his facility as a choreographer”.

“Ana would play a beat based on one I’d suggest, and I’d put steps on the dancer immediately. Or sometimes I’d work out choreography in my head with a general idea of the musical rhythm I wanted, and we’d work out the drums afterward. It was such a fun way to work – often we’d only remember to stop when the dancers told us they were getting really tired.”

Lincoln Jones

Artistic Director of American Contemporary Ballet

American Contemporary Ballet Streams The Drum Dances

The ballet is composed of three solo variations danced by Michelle DeAngelis, Madeline Houk, and Rochelle Chang with Barreiro playing live upstage right throughout the piece.

The first variation reflects that drill team style and old-school New Orleans drumming, the second a more subdued style featuring the brushes, and the third a showy, big band-style piece that pays tribute to Astaire’s famous ‘dancing’ with the drum kit itself.

In creating The Drum Dances, Jones sought a 19th century collaborative relationship, trading musical ideas with the composer as the ballet was shaped – in this case, in real time.

“Creating and performing The Drum Dances was one of the hardest and most rewarding experiences of my career,” said Chang. “But for as strenuous as it was, I didn’t want it to end. There’s nothing like live music — especially during the choreography process — and the energy from Ana and the audience was unreal.”

The company plans to continue broadcasting on ACBTV even after the company’s return to the stage. The programing will include new ballets, a video version of ACB’s Outsiders podcast, documentary footage of ballets being made, and educational content reflecting the company’s Dance and Design and Dancing School series.