The 92nd Street Y, New York's 2023/24 Harkness Dance Center season continues with the world premiere of W(h)ine Pairings, an evening-length, interactive dance-theater production that pairs audience complaints with wine and short, topical dances inspired by contemporary issues, all set to music from Nico Muhly's album Confessions. W(h)ine Pairings is choreographed by MeenMoves' artistic director Sameena Mitta – a 2022/23 92NY Harkness Dance Center Artist in Residence and current Harkness Dance Center Artistic Advisor – with MeenMoves company dancers Réka Echerer, Sasha Gologorskaya, Chelsea Enjer Hecht, Paulina Meneses, Chelen Middlebrook, and Jie-Hung Connie Shiau, hosted by comedian Sabeen Sadiq and presented in the newly-renovated Buttenwieser Hall at the Arnhold Center on Friday, November 3 and November, October 5. Tickets are available at https://www.92ny.org/event/whine-pairings.

 

An immersive dance-theater premiere 

from Sameena Mitta and MeenMoves

Sameena Mitta – Choreographer

Réka Echerer, Sasha Gologorskaya, Chelsea Enjer Hecht, Paulina Meneses, Chelen Middlebrook, Jie-Hung Connie Shiau - Performers

Hosted by Comedian Sabeen Sadiq

 

In Person

Friday, November 3, 7 pm, ET

Sunday, November 5, 7 pm, ET

 

Tickets from $30 / $10 students

https://www.92ny.org/event/whine-pairings

 

Driven by audience engagement, W(h)ine Pairings is a celebration of those present and speaks to the most pressing topics of our time. So much more than a dance concert, W(h)ine Pairings promises to spark compassionate conversation – and help you take the edge off!

 

"92NY is my second home, a place that has inspired me and helped me grow in so many ways," comments Sameena Mitta. "As Artist in Residence I was able to pursue my most ambitious projects yet. This evening of W(h)ine Pairings has been in the making for the past six years and I cannot think of a better place for its premiere than at the Harkness Dance Center as we celebrate 150 years of 92NY!"

 

About W(h)ine Pairings 

A selected audience member kicks off the night by sharing a complaint encouraged by the host. Drawing thematic connections with this grievance, the company of dancers pair the complaint with one of 14 short, topical dances and one wine. The host introduces the wine and the dance, triggering the concurrent dancing and drinking, after which the cycle begins anew. Each dance is inspired by a contemporary problem or question – from gun violence to the #MeToo movement - and each is set to a song on Nico Muhly and Teitur Lassen's album Confessions. The order of the dances changes every performance based on the topics the audience raises with their complaints, but the evening always progresses until all 14 rounds of w(h)ining, dancing, and drinking are complete. To keep everyone lucid and engaged, some of the 14 pairings are water, and breath, and food for thought, and there is an alcohol-free option available. The performance takes place in a non-traditional set-up, including both tables and chairs for the audience and an open stage. 

 

About Sameena Mitta and MeenMoves

Sameena Mitta is artistic director of dance-theater company MeenMoves and its outreach program MadHops. Mitta was a 2022/23 Artist in Residence at 92NY Harkness Dance Center, an NJPAC Choreography Fellow 2019-2022, and received a 2023 Choreographic Fellowship award from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. She has presented works at Little Island, 92NY, NJPAC, BAM Fisher, Americas Society, Ailey Studio Theatre, Martha Graham Theatre, Judson Church and many other venues around NYC and around the world. Mitta has produced live events including International Women's Day of Dance and co-produced international digital events with 1014 Space for Ideas. Mitta recently completed an intergenerational dance film Bilateral Quadrennium and continues work on a 10-year site-specific dance film project Struwwelpeter. Mitta earned with distinction the Cecchetti Society's Diploma and a MA in Dance Creation from Université du Québec à Montréal focusing on Movement Intervention for South Asian survivors of domestic violence. Under Mitta's artistic direction, MeenMoves explores questions of identity, focusing on the unique perspectives of those who check "none-of-the-above", to create socially relevant, quirky, highly technical dance-theater works for stage and film. Mitta advocates for diversity in dance and has sat on multiple dance juries for granting agencies in Canada and the USA. Mitta is mentor to the Recanati-Kaplan scholars in dance, the Harkness Dance Center Artistic Advisor, and she is on faculty at the Limón Institute and 92NY. Website: meenmoves.com 

 

Choreography and Concept: Sameena Mitta

Guest Host: Sabeen Sadiq

Performers: Réka Echerer, Sasha Gologorskaya, Chelsea Enjer Hecht, Paulina Meneses, Chelen Middlebrook, Jie-Hung Connie Shiau

Composer/Score: Nico Muhly and Teitur, Confessions

Costumes: Timberlake Studios Inc.

Rehearsal Director: Stephanie Terasaki

Approximate Runtime: 65 minutes