CityDance Brings World Premiere to Montgomery County
CityDance Resident Artist and Choreographer-in-Residence, Robert J. Priore will present, Emergence, an evening of original works at Strathmore in Bethesda on Jan. 18 and 19. 
The world premiere features a mixed of repertory program performed by CityDance Conservatory’s highest-level students and returning alumni and guests from Dayton Contemporary Dance Company.
MyMCMedia’s Valerie Bonk caught up with Priore for an interview about his newest pieces premiering in Montgomery County.
What is “Emergence?”
“Emergence, an evening of original works celebrating my choreographic style, features Montgomery County’s own stars of tomorrow.
The cast consists of CityDance Conservatory’s highest-level students, returning alumni and guests from Dayton Contemporary Dance Company.
I’ve had the unique opportunity to set work on both a thriving conservatory, CityDance, and a renowned professional company, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. I’ve worked with some of these dancers since their early teens and feel very connected to them. CityDance alumni Kevin Pajarillaga and Colleen Hoerle attend my alma mater, Point Park University, and soon-to-be CityDance graduate Matthew McLaughlin will attend in 2015.
The oldest dancer in the cast is thirty and the youngest dancer is eleven. They’re all so powerful in different ways and they’re all rising stars in their own right.
This intergenerational evening will include: a new piece commissioned by Dayton Contemporary, an ensemble piece featuring CityDance Conservatory dancers and alumni, and Os Padroes– featuring both students and professionals.”
You say this is the world premiere, where does the show go from here?
“The show won’t travel in its entirety, but pieces from it will. Like Os Padroes, which has been presented in the China and the Us. Virgin Islands, I hope to set other pieces from Emergence on many companies and to enjoy watching it evolve with a variety of casts.”
What is the inspiration behind these pieces?
“All of my work is marked by the significance and meaning that arises from human touch, as I seek to explore the imprints that we leave on one another. I like to ask myself as well as the audience, what happens when we collide? Many of my pieces are power-packed and certainly require extreme athleticism and stamina, but I do like to juxtapose this with tender moments that focus in on the connection between the dancers.”
How is this show different than others?
“It’s my first chance to showcase all my favorite work and it’s intergenerational.”
What is your hope for this piece?
“That it will get people interested and invested in watching Contemporary dance, that the power and energy will draw them in. That they’ll be entertained and that they’ll find some of my work cathartic.”
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