Gibney Company returns to Joyce for fifth season with Zollar premiere
Our take
The Gibney Company's return to The Joyce Theater for its fifth season is not just an artistic event; it’s a celebration of the resilience and creativity inherent in the world of contemporary dance. Known for its commitment to rigorous physicality and humanistic storytelling, the Gibney Company has carved a unique niche in New York City's vibrant arts scene. Their upcoming program, which features the world premiere of Jawole Willa Jo Zollar's *On Contemplation of Wailing*, promises to showcase the depth of emotion and innovative choreography that the company is celebrated for. This is a significant moment not only for the dancers involved but also for audiences who seek to connect with the power of dance as a medium for storytelling and expression.
As we reflect on the importance of such performances, it’s essential to consider how dance, much like other forms of art, serves as a mirror to society. The Gibney Company’s focus on responsive storytelling resonates deeply with contemporary issues, offering a platform for dialogue and reflection. This is akin to the narratives explored in Gavin Larsen and Gene Schiavone’s book, Infinite Steps: Thirty-three Dancers and Their Lives in Ballet, which highlights the personal journeys of dancers and their relationship with the art form. Both the book and Gibney Company’s performances remind us that dance is not merely an aesthetic pursuit; it is a vital expression of human experience, capable of inspiring change and fostering understanding among diverse audiences.
Moreover, the inclusion of international choreographers in Gibney’s repertoire reflects a broader trend in the dance community towards inclusivity and diversity. This aligns with initiatives like Lincoln Center’s upcoming Summer for the City program, which aims to bring various artistic expressions to the forefront and engage with a wider audience. The collaborative nature of Gibney's programming not only enriches the viewing experience but also sets a precedent for future productions. It challenges the status quo and encourages emerging talents to experiment with form and content, ultimately broadening the horizons of contemporary dance.
The upcoming gala on April 7 serves as a pivotal moment for both the company and its supporters, providing an opportunity to celebrate the arts while supporting the continued innovation within the dance community. Events like this are crucial for sustaining the arts, particularly in times when funding and support can be precarious. They not only bolster the financial underpinnings of such organizations but also reinforce the community’s commitment to preserving and promoting artistic endeavors.
As we look forward to the performances at The Joyce Theater, one can’t help but wonder: How will the narratives presented by Gibney resonate with a post-pandemic audience? In an era marked by profound change and uncertainty, the power of dance to connect us—to evoke empathy, joy, and reflection—becomes increasingly vital. With the stage set for a season of transformative art, one must ask how the themes explored through this dance will inspire us to embrace our own stories and the stories of others. As we eagerly await the premiere, we are reminded that art continues to be a potent source of inspiration and healing in our shared human experience.
Gibney Company, New York City’s dynamic creation-based repertory company known for its rigorous physicality and responsive, humanistic storytelling, returns to The Joyce Theater, April 8-12, for its fifth season with a program of contemporary dance that brings together four works by leading international choreographers. With a gala on April 7, the season is anchored by the world premiere of On Contemplation of Wailing by renowned choreographer and educator Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, founder of Urban Bush Women, the program also includes repertory by Lucinda Childs, Mthuthuzeli November, and Medhi Walerski.
Through four choreographic voices, the program traces human connection, ritual, repetition, intimacy, and awakening, carried by the luminous physicality and technical precision of Gibney Company’s dancers, and shaped by the company’s unrelenting focus on artistic excellence and social integrity.
On Contemplation of Wailing is a new work by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, a meditation on loss and collective resilience. Developed in close collaboration with the ensemble, the piece explores how individuals and communities hold grief, tradition, and renewal through the body. The score, composed in real time during the creative process by composer and former dancer Jordan Davis, blends classical and jazz influences, bringing a physical and emotional sensibility that mirrors the dancers’ own experience of connection, rupture, and repair.
“Gibney Company exists to create work where rigor and humanity meet,” said Gina Gibney, Founder, Artistic Director, and CEO. “Bringing Jawole into the room with our dancers has been a powerful reminder that creation is not just about steps on a stage, it’s about listening, witnessing, and building something together that reflects the world we are living in and the world we are trying to imagine.”
Following the organization’s recent announcement of a five-year partnership with Resident Choreographer Lucinda Childs, Canto Ostinato (2015) returns as a hypnotic and intricately structured work set to the minimalist score by Simeon ten Holt. Marked by walking patterns, low jumps, and tightly woven formations, the choreography reveals shifting rhythms and spatial architectures that demand both precision and deep musicality from the dancers, unfolding in a luminous interplay of movement and light.
Silent Tides (2020) by choreographer Medhi Walerski offers an intimate duet reflecting on presence, vulnerability, and the subtle currents that pass between people. Created during the pandemic, the work invites audiences into a quiet space of reflection shaped by touch, pause, and emotional resonance, with partial female nudity underscoring the piece’s raw physical and emotional exposure. Originally commissioned by Netherlands Dans Theater and performed internationally with Ballet BC, the piece features an original composition by Adrien Cronet alongside Bach’s Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041.
The program concludes with Vukani (2024) by South African choreographer Mthuthuzeli November, commissioned by Gibney Company and premiered in Québec in 2024. Rooted in traditional Xhosa dance, often characterized by percussive gestures such as hand clapping, foot stamping, and upper-body vibration, the work blends street, ballet, and contemporary movement to reflect a grounded, rhythmic physicality. Meaning “to awaken,” Vukani explores communion with elders, spiritual guidance, and the body as a vessel for collective memory and transformation.
“The diversity of this program speaks to the collective voice that defines Gibney Company,” said Gilbert T. Small II, Company Director. “Bringing together works by these four celebrated choreographers in a single evening affirms the company’s extraordinary range and its sustained commitment to engaging in multiple artistic perspectives.”
The Gibney Company’s Joyce season will take place April 8–12. The season opens with a gala performance on Tuesday, April 7 at 6:00 PM, featuring an abbreviated performance followed by a seated dinner at the Altman Building.
Tickets start at $50 and are available for purchase at joyce.org.
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