MotorRover | to be seen

MotorRover (2023) is a duet, both abstract and tender, created by Kyle Abraham in conversation with Merce Cunningham’s 1972 ensemble work Landrover. Cunningham said his original idea for Landrover was to capture “the sense that we move in our country—across varied spaces—with varied backgrounds.” He initially considered performing the work in front of a continuously changing landscape, although in the performance there was no decor. Abraham’s work also appears unadorned with no music or set. But in the silence, one can almost hear the earth rearranging itself, as America continues to shift, beneath the dancers’ steady feet.

to be seen is a solo created for American Ballet Theatre’s Principal Dancer, Calvin Royal III. The piece was virtually presented by New York City Center during the 2020 Fall for Dance Festival. Writing about to be seen, Gia Kourlas of the New York Times stated, “How do we move through the world, and how is our movement read? As a ballet dancer, Mr. Royal is much-admired on the stage; what happens when he steps outside? In the end, there was a reason ‘to be seen’ was set to ‘Bolero.’ It builds and grows, just like the social movements of today: Black people are demanding to be seen.”

These performances will serve as a New York premiere for the live adaptation, performed by both Calvin Royal III and Taylor Stanley on alternate dates.