Choreography: Alison Cook-Beatty Music: Un poco Allegretto; No.2 in G Major, Op.111, by Johannes Brahms: String Quintet Costume Design: Christine Darch Set Design: Daniel G. Cook Performance Info: Seven dancers; 25 minutes
Premiered at The Riverside Theatre in New York City
(May also be performed as a three minute excerpt with a cast of three dancers and a longer 16-minute excerpt with seven dancers)
While listening to Brahms’s Un poco Allegretto, Alison was reminded of spring time and love and all things good, as well as cherry blossoms, or sakura. She started researching sakura and was fascinated by the idea that in Japanese culture, they serve as metaphors for the ephemeral nature of life.
Alison then worked on this new piece at a residency in Vermont, where the artistic director and his wife were about to have a baby girl. A week after Alison left, however, she found out that the baby, named Grace, had unfortunately passed away.
This piece is thus dedicated to Grace, who lives on through this dance. Just like the cherry blossoms, life comes and goes, beautiful but ephemeral. It is a reminder to be thankful and grateful for all the beautiful but fleeting moments encountered, and to celebrate life and the moments that did happen.
Un poco Allegretto; No.2 in G Major, Op.111, Johannes Brahms: String Quintet
