Conceived in the midst of the pandemic that has swept the globe, choreographer William Forsythe, New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Tiler Peck, and CLI Studios present The Barre Project (Blake Works II). Choreographed for film, with the feel of a live performance, The Barre Project was created via Zoom, with all rehearsal, filming and assembly taking place bi-coastally and entirely remotely.
Set to the music of popular singer-songwriter James Blake, The Barre Project is the second in a series of Forsythe’s works to music by Blake. While theaters were dark and stages vacant, Forsythe set to work looking for a common theme running through our challenging times. Inspired by dancers worldwide who were unable to access formal classes but committed to sustaining themselves and their art, The Barre Project consists of five musical episodes that focus on the most primary feature of ballet training: barre.
Forsythe wished for the work to be an homage to all the dancers worldwide who have recently been unable to access formal classes but have nonetheless sustained themselves by diligently doing ballet barre by any means possible.
His classical, yet unpredictable choreography delights in revealing a surprising range of dynamic potential contained within a barre, and artists Tiler Peck, Lex Ishimoto, Brooklyn Mack, and Roman Mejia, revel in the opportunity to put the workman-like demands of daily ballet class in a refreshingly different light.
In addition to the performance, get a behind-the-scenes look at the bi-coastal creative process that brought this unique piece of art to life. Experience the creative process up close as Forsythe choreographs the entire show via Zoom from his east-coast studio while the dancers bring his vision to life on stage in California. From anywhere in the world, enjoy a front-row seat to breathtaking talent and genuinely stunning dance.