James Ray Residency Project Comes to Seattle International Dance Festival

Now in its 13th year, the Seattle International Dance Festival continues to bring innovative dance performances from around the world to Seattle. The inaugural James Ray Residency Project showcases brand new pieces by 5 Seattle-based dance artists and the SIDF partnership with Pacific Northwest Ballet allows Next Step choreographers and dancers to take part in the Spotlight on Contemporary Ballet. The first international dance performances and the wildly popular FREE, Art on the Fly outdoor event are both planned for June 9th.

Tickets to paid performances are $25 in advance, $30 at the door (Students are $18 in advance, $23 at the door). A 2-Show pass is $40, the All Festival Pass is $85 and the Premium Pass is $135 (includes priority seating, complimentary beverages and entrance to the opening night party.) All details, including performance times, locations and ticketing information are available at www.Seattleidf.org.

OPENING NIGHT - June 7; 8 pm-12 amSIDF partners with City Arts for a kick-off party full of drinks, music, and dance. Through the new SHUFFLE event party guests will see work made in a week by randomly paired dancers and bands.

ART ON THE FLY - June 9; 12 noon - 3pmFREE outdoor performances, dance classes, kids activities, food trucks and the South Lake Union Saturday market. Art on the Fly takes over Denny Park at 9th Avenue and Denny Way. Contemporary dance events intertwine with the urban canvas.

INTER|NATIONAL ARTISTS SERIES WEEKEND 1 - June 9-10 (Sat @ 8pm. Sun @ 7:30 pm)Idan Cohen (Tel Aviv, Israel) - one of Israel's leading new generation choreographer's, presents the world premiere of "Orfeo as a clown" with his international group of dancer/musicians NE Sans.Khambatta Dance Company (Seattle) - presents two pieces: Endangered Species explores the transformation of human identity in a world of change, and a premiere, Stop. Drop Repeat. (the sixth in a series of ten) about the frustration and pain of so many people lost (to gun violence) while society carries out its ritual of paralyzed politics.KT Niehoff (Seattle) - With her signature magical realism style, virtuoso multi-disciplinary artist KT Niehoff premieres a non-linear narrative about having faith that one small life matters in the overwhelming sea of humanity. Mystical, hovering dancers, a minimalist composition for three pianos played live and an extraordinary hand balancer named Jill tell the tale.Three Yells (Seattle) - Her Name Is Isaac is a modern-day warrior dance that draws attention to the treatment of women through a distinctly Asian lens and confronts the journey of being a woman in a man's world.

INTER|NATIONAL ARTISTS SERIES WEEKEND 2 - June 15-16 (Fri & Sat @ 8pm)OURO Collective (Vancouver, BC) - Pace is a collaborative piece fusing contemporary and street dance styles. It examines the sensations and architecture of urban living, from its speed to the loneliness and anxiety that can come with the environment.Karin Stevens Dance (Seattle) - For this presentation, the group collaborates with Kin of the Moon to capture the breadth of human experience and investigate the complexities of our cultural spaces, time and relationships with nature. Atmokinesis examines the psychic ability to control weather by invoking the elements.T42 (Switzerland/ Japan) - This dynamic dance duo combines fierce technique, brilliant theatrics and riveting partnering for a return visit to SIDF.Jennifer Salk (Seattle) - collaborates with video artist Martin Jarmick, composer Paul Moore, lighting designer Amiya Brown, and six dancers. Begin Again starts at the end and explores building and destroying. How does an artist avoid preciousness in the art making process? What happens when art and architecture are repeatedly destroyed?

INTER|NATIONAL ARTISTS SERIES WEEKEND 3 - June 22-23 (Fri & Sat @ 8pm)Joshua Beamish (New York City) - performs two riveting solos Fighting Chance, choreographed by Noam Gagnon about boxing and toxic masculinity, and the second created for himself, Concerto, about the narcissism of performing a solo.Alex Crozier (Seattle) - Millennials looks at cultural appropriation, gay culture, and feminism within the millennial generation. This excerpt gives a glimpse at what the upcoming feature film 'The Millennial Experience' will look like.III2 (Los Angeles) - Focusing his work on perpetual self-exploration, experience, and existence; Moises Josue Michel presents a new work taking a voyeuristic lens into the fantasy/reality of growing up a "____ boy".Catapult Dance (Seattle) - Eight dancers, led by Seattle icon Michele Miller, push the physical boundaries of movement and technique through an intense rehearsal process. The work is a collaboration of choreography from Michele Miller, music from Nico Tower, and improvisation of the dancers.

James Ray RESIDENCY PROJECT

In the culmination of a year-long residency sponsored by SIDF and supported by the Raynier Foundation, Seattle based artists present new work to new audiences.June 12-13 @ 7:30pmTectonic Marrow Society - PYLON III creates and abstract narrative of human resilience and a journey towards embodied utopiaCoriolis Dance - A contemporary retelling of Swan Lake expresses a revised story of belonging identity and female empowerment.

June 14 @ 7:30pmDaniel Costa Dance - Interposition: Movement II calls audiences to examine their own embrace of self. Alicia Pugh sings live original songs to combat past traumas.Julie Tobiason - former PNB principal dancer explores relational experiences an responsive elation resiliency and emotional evolutionVersion Excursion Dance - collaborates with local indie / folk musical duo March to May to tell a story about the perception and relationship with time

SPOTLIGHT ON CONTEMPORARY BALLET - June 19 & 20 (Tues & Wed @ 7:30pm)An audience favorite for three years running, this year's program is presented in partnership with Pacific Northwest Ballet Next Step and nurturing Seattle's promising contemporary ballet talents.Curators: Donald Byrd, Kiyon Gaines, Cyrus Khambatta, and Eva StoneArtists: Andre Alabastro/Maka, Guillaume Basso, Nick Neagle/NSquared Dance and Alana O. Rogers Dance Company. PNB Dancers Angelica Generosa, Christian Poppe, Kyle Davis, and Sarah Gabrielle Ryan

SPOTLIGHT ON SEATTLE NOW- June 21 (Thurs @ 7:30pm)Curated by Betsey Brock, Cyrus Khambatta, Constanze Villines, and Vicki Watts, this series is Seattle in a nutshell, including new and upcoming as well as the tried and true.Artists: Jeremy Cline and Alex Crozier with Crozier/Cline, Jerboa Dance, Kate O'Day with Kate's Agony, Noelle Price with PRICEArts N.E.W. and Petra Zanki.

The festival is produced by Khambatta Dance Company and provided to Seattle residents to enrich the local community through the availability and diversity of high caliber contemporary dance.