Jonah Bokaer Choreography debuts its NYC annual season on April 6th as the collective’s international multi-ethnic dancers stepped into the spotlight at French Institute Alliance Française: Florence Gould Hall. JBC unveiled a series of never-before-seen dances created during the pandemic. Among these is the titular piece “Passing,” where seasoned dancers challenge each other to push their abilities to the limit.

The debut dance in the evening’s repertoire is a collaboration with fashion icon threeASFOUR called “Vesica Piscis.” The number depicts the cycle of birth and destruction through a combination of graceful choreography by JBC and full-body masked garments shaped by the iconoclast designer.  

The following five dances in the repertoire seamlessly flow from one another throughout the evening. In classic JBC fashion, innovative visual installations will accompany the world class dancers, including Maximilian Cappeli-King, Isaiah João, Nadia Khayrallah, Ramond Pinto, Hala Shah, Rourou Ye, and more. 

The second half of the show is carried by JBC founder Jonah Bokaer, a low-key leviathan of the dance and visual art worlds, as he premieres his highly-anticipated piece “Fallen Angel” (2022). Commissioned by The Clark Art Institute, the title of the work is inspired by a Rodin sculpture of the same name that was exhibited at The Clark.

“Just as the sculpture Fallen Angel is a composite work, so is this choreography, and so is my entire body of work,” says Bokaer. “I have quietly spent America’s version of the pandemic, to hone my craft, to keep my body reaching towards health in newfound ways, to heal my performing arts organization as well, with a larger and more engaged Board: which this season at Florence Gould Hall also showcases. We have always done well, and danced well, with a hulking challenge or two.”

The sixty-minute performance showcases one-of-a-kind dances created during the uncertainty and social upheaval that beset the international community, putting a hiatus on live performances throughout the pandemic. 

Founded in 2002 by Tunisian-American choreographer Jonah Bokaer, JBC quickly garnered international recognition through its annual 35-week tours before the pandemic began. The performance at Florence Gould Hall marks a new beginning for the collective as it kicks off its NYC annual season.