The Snake,
An Outdoor Dance

We walk Manhattan’s pathways of individual intention, each of us obstacle or aide to others’ pursuits. All is well. But beneath the optimism roils unease: financial crises, personal mishaps, urban dangers. The Snake sleeps in the substrate, emerging when necessary, slithering here & there to embody our fears & strengths. The power of The Snake activates the sidewalk—softens the city’s sharp edges—shows us ourselves in others—deepens daily mind— throwing us back into the mix of humanity with renewed vigor & sensitivity.

Vain Combat,
A Street Dance

The unrealized ideal of harmony in human relations lives on, side by side with centuries of highly successful formal beauties in the arts. Everywhere else aggression holds sway. Vain Combat is a paean to cross-purposes: to my shoulders being bumped on Manhattan streets by spatially challenged shoppers/walkers/tourists; to war-machine-driven killing by governments; and to the many insufficiently considered antagonistic acts that fall between these two extremes. Enough delight and beauty, what about assault and battery? The constantly morphing piece investigates the results of allowing the contentious tendencies of the human animal to infiltrate the world of aesthetic transport.

For a video preview of Vain Combat, click here.

Sky Eye

Originally made in 1989, the work is for 6 dancers. Douglas Dunn & Dancers toured it throughout the U.S. and Europe in the 1990s. Most recently, it was revived at Danspace St. Mark's Church, October 2009.
Costumes: Mimi Gross, Lighting: Carol Mullins, Music: Compilation from The Rain Forest Pygmies, Ritual Music of Ghana, and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.

then boss in man?

Premiered in February 2009 at The Ailey Citigroup Theater in New York City.
Costumes: Charles Atlas, Lighting: Carol Mullins, Music: Tali Roth, classical guitar (live). Dancers: Douglas Dunn, Kira Blazek, Liz Filbrun, Jean Freebury, Paul Singh, Christopher Williams.

Zorn's Lemma

Performed in 2007 at Dance Theater Workshop. Costumes: Mimi Gross, Lighting: Carol Mullins, Music: Marina Rosenfeld.
Click here to view a clip of Zorn's Lemma on YouTube!

Pulcinella

Originally made in 1980 on The Paris Opera Ballet, this work was set on a New York cast for a premiere at The Joyce in 1984 but then went back to The Paris Opera Ballet in 2002. In February 2009, Douglas Dunn's work for 15 returned to be at The Ailey Citigroup Theater.
Costumes: Mimi Gross, Lighting: Carol Mullins, Music: Igor Stravinsky.

The Higgs Field

Hour-long outdoor dance for six dancers. No score. First performance at The Pinetum in Central Park, New York City, May 2004.
Dancers: Douglas Dunn, Francis Stansky, Jessica Weiss, Christopher Williams, Kindra Windish, Ryuji Yamaguchi.

Muscle Shoals

One hour dance also for six dancers. First performance at Theatre de la Bastille in Paris, February 2003 with Douglas Dunn, Miriam Hess, Sean Mueller, Beth Simons, Kindra Windish, Christopher Williams.
Costumes & Live Video: Charles Atlas, Lighting: Carol Mullins, Music: Steve Lacy, soprano saxophone and harpsichord (live).

Tithonus

30 minute solo for Mr. Dunn. First performance on June 12, 2004 at The 10^th Anseong Juksan International Arts Festival in the hills one hour from Seoul, South Korea.
Music: Various recordings.