Internationally-renowned MHS Grad Returns With New Works

Chris Elam & Misnomer Dance Theater at PACE: December 16, 17

by Julie A. Ruggiero

(December 8, 2005) More than three years after first sharing with the community their unique approach to dance, MHS ’94 graduate Chris Elam and his Misnomer Dance Theater are returning to PACE on December 16 and 17 more experienced and poised to present an exciting new repertoire. (See: "A night of choreographic fun")

Misnomer Dance has selected Mamaroneck High School to preview their latest work, the result of an exclusive residency commissioned by the distinguished Performance Space 122 in Manhattan. The series of dances, both humorous and heartfelt, seeks to explain the ways in which people interact – with themselves and others. Using elaborate physical illusions and contortions, Mr. Elam translates people’s conflicts and their resulting emotions into surprising works of art. He explains that his work is a new type of art that “really speaks to people.”

A New York Times reviewer described Mr. Elam as “one of the most individualistic of modern dance voices today.” Years of training in both modern and Balinese dance are the basis for his unusual choreography. He’s traveled the world, not only to perform, but to study and find inspiration from the roots of traditional dance.

Since 2002 when Mr. Elam presented “A Night of Choreographic Fun” at MHS, Misnomer has added numerous credentials to its resume. The company has appeared in Turkey, Brazil, Indonesia, and Ireland, to name a few of its international venues. Their American performances include a fourteen show run this past August at the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s SiteLines Festival. “It doesn’t get easier, it just gets more interesting,” he said, commenting on his busy schedule.

Within the past year alone, Mr. Elam and Misnomer have been featured in The New York Times three times and have received critical acclaim from Dance Magazine, Backstage, and other New York publications. The company conducts frequent lectures, workshops, and residencies for dance programs both in the U.S. and abroad. They have collaborated with various guest artists and composers and have received a number of awards for their contributions to the world of dance. With each year, Mr. Elam noted, he gains more awareness and continues to evolve both as a dancer and choreographer. “The further I delve into the art-making process, the more facets become available to me,” he said.

Mr. Elam, who feels a strong connection to Larchmont and Mamaroneck where he grew up and where he first studied dance, hopes to make his combination of dance and theater accessible to his home community. He views his return to MHS as “a way to give back and share my work with the students and their families.”

The Misnomer Dance Theater will be performing a series of selected works at 8:00 pm, December 16 and 17 at the Mamaroneck High School PACE Theater on Palmer Avenue. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at (914) 833-1401 or tickets@misnomer.org. For further information, check out www.misnomer.org.

Julie Ruggiero is a freelance writer.

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