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Monday, August 22, 2011

Monday Night in Williamsburg: Moviehouse's Cinema Parque presents "Sternberg Dances" at Sternberg Park


We've just walked up Lorimer Street from Sternberg Park, where we went to Moviehouse's final Cinema Parque presentation of this summer, Sternberg Dances, featuring the site-specific work of choreographer Ann Robideaux and her friends.

Here's the description of this fascinating project:
Local park-goers of all ages, encouraged by choreographer Ann Robideaux, participate in a community dance collaboration resulting in a montage of movement and other talents for the camera. Open to everyone, this site-specific dance film celebrates Sternberg Park’s unique personalities and social community in one of Williamsburg’s most historic parks.

The final project, to be edited by Chris Carlone features a fortuitous and spontaneous collaboration between Ann and Samantha Jakus who also dances for powerhouse dance company: Streb.

Also look for Megan Sipe, Rosa Maria Torres (pictured above), Musicworks, and a few other amazing dance improvisers on the camera.

Ann Robideaux has choreographed in numerous venues, and for film/television for many years and has recently been the co-artistic director of ann and alexx make dances, where she choreographed aboard two World War II lightships, on the steps of the Eldridge Street Synagogue and amongst the audience seating at Dance New Amsterdam. Working with various communities, Ann is loving the chance to meet new people while behind the camera in NYC through the Sternberg Dances.


It was really fun to watch, especially with some of the park's kids in the film sitting in the audience. There was popcorn, too.

Here is some raw footage of an awesome playground dance:

There was also a film of an expressive dance done at Dead Horse Bay, back in the neighborhood where we grew up back in the late '50s and '60s.

Jesse Neuman has this, mostly stills, from the footage:

After the films were shown, Chris Henderson led a Q & A with the filmmaker, choreographer and dancer.

It was a valuable project, and we're grateful we got to see it on such a beautiful night in Sternberg Park. Thanks so much to everyone involved.

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