For David Parsons, Continuity Breeds Excellence

Fall, recover, contract, release, center, pivot, swing, tilt; are all movements that are a part of the modern dance lexicon. And any seasoned dance aficionado can identify these types of movement in the choreography of modern dance icons, Martha Graham, Pina Bausch, Erik Hawkins, Doris Humphrey, and a slew of other modern dance greats.

Though David Parsons includes all the standard step sequences from modern dance’s ever-expanding lexicon, Parsons’ approach and movement style over the decades has evolved to a more natural response to music, going beyond and expanding modern dance’s movement vocabulary. Parsons’ 2013 season at the Joyce Theater is a testament to his company’s, Parsons Dance, growing repertoire of works that not only celebrate the human experience but continue to evolve and test the limits of movement invention.

With works that range from audience favorites “Caught” and “In the End” with music by the Dave Matthews Band to world premieres, “Dawn to Dusk” and “Black Flowers,” David Parsons continues to delight and expand his audience with ballets that go beyond pyrotechnical feats. “Parsons Dance’s style is based on changing the movement category for each piece within our basic movement style, which is hard to do. We try to start with a new movement vocabulary so audiences are not seeing the same thing all the time. Now, I don’t do that in every new work, but it is a general goal of mine. The difference between a piece like “Mozart” set to the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the Dave Matthews piece is that you can sense that there is a lot of movement invention,” explains Parsons.

Not surprisingly, David Parsons’ profundity extends beyond concert dance. For many years Parsons Dance has had a relationship with the Missoni family. Luca Missoni was on the board of Parsons Dance for years and Missoni designed the costumes for “Step into my Dream” with music by Dr. Billy Taylor. Parsons has also collaborated with Donna Karan, Roberto Cavalli, and Zegna.

Never resting on his laurels, Parsons assiduously searches for movement styles and innovative choreography that speaks to the human condition and the environment. “There are not a lot of huge leg extensions in my work. My work is more about a connection to the earth and the suppleness of the spine which gives my work a more pedestrian feel, making my movement style seem a natural response to music. Although a lot of my ballets are very aerobic, there is a connection to the audience because there is a natural look to my choreography, causing nuanced pieces to seem deceptively streamlined and simple,” details Parsons.

This quest to marry artistic integrity with environmental concerns serves as the reference point for Parsons’ multimedia work, “Dawn to Dusk.” “We were commissioned to create [“Dawn to Dusk”] by the Wolf Trap Foundation.  We went down to Florida and shot video of the dancers dancing in the swamps of Key Biscayne and the Everglades and then we used clips from the video as a part of a multimedia approach to this ballet … We wanted to show the beauty of the national parks and also show that some of the national parks are well kept, while others are in disrepair,” explains Parsons.

And unlike some other modern dance companies’ whose roster of dancers is like a revolving door of talented, strong technicians, Parsons Dance maintains a committed group of performers who continue to work with the company for several seasons. “There is a certain stability that you have to give dancers. While I was with Paul Taylor I really observed and learned the business side of dance, and from him I learned that providing financial stability for your company improves performance on stage … Parsons Dance also has a reputation for building dancers. You come in as one dancer and leave a more enriched artist,” continues Parsons.

Though the size of Parsons Dance fluctuates between 12 to the now ten-member company, a couple of things are a constant in the company, Parsons’ love of movement and his ability to stay current. “It has been a part of my vision to have young and more mature audiences in the theater at the same time and both enjoy my work,” says Parsons.  “This season has works using the music of Andrew Berg, Dave Matthews, and Mozart. With this diverse array of music and movement styles, there is something in our program for everyone.”

And David Parsons is right!! Every season audiences keep coming back for another meal of diverse, thought-provoking ballets.  “I believe we are in an upswing because we have been able to successfully navigate this downturn in the economy. We have a worldwide audience that stretches from South America to Europe to the Far East … And I am continually looking for interesting collaborations and more sophistication through movement.”

Parsons Dance New York season at the Joyce Theater runs from January 15 through January 27.

—William S. Gooch