RoxanneLola MovementMachine presents the premiere of Anne Zuerner’s first evening length work, NEAR THE FAR, a site-specific contemporary dance work for CPR’s brand new performance space. This emotionally intense, cinematic work, features remarkable dancing by Emma Desjardins (Merce Cunningham Dance Company), Ellie Kusner (Pam Tanowitz Dance), Adele Nickel (Sara Michelson’s Dover Beach, Liz Gerring Dance, CorbinDan…ces), and Anne Zuerner, as well as a haunting, original score for keyboard and synthesizer composed and performed live by Porcelain Skyline. Painter David Pappaceno contributes his visionary designs to CPR’s large white walls.

Performances will take place:

Wednesday and Thursday at 8:00pm,
Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and 9:00pm.

Tickets are $17 and available online at smarttix.com, (212) 868-4444, and at the door.

Only 30 audience members may attend each performance, so reservations are recommended!

More infos: Center for Performance Research

His back will arch, his knees will bend, his fingers will find your neck and your hair. You probably never payed attention before. Though the rules of engagement are not clearly delineated, your role is a passive one. There will be no kissing, of course, and the more sensitive spots are off limits to your hands. Nevertheless, Summer was bold enough, while sitting on your lap and facing away, to take his hands in yours and place them on your bare hips.

- May I go now?

- Yes, you may go.

(silence)
(sudden change of heart)

- No, stay a little longer.

- May I come tomorrow?

- Yes, you may come.

- What shall I wear?

- Nothing.

(silence)
(sudden change of heart)

- No, only roller blades.

- At what time shall I come?

- Come at 4pm. When the clown will be trussed up.

- May I meet the clown first?

- No, you may not.

(silence)
(sudden change of heart)

- Yes, but you need special permission.

- Where can I get permission?

- You may obtain it from the roller-coaster office.

- Ok.

As possibly the first, and certainly the most obvious, canvas upon which human differences can be written and read, skin has been a topic of continuous interest in anthropology and related disciplines from the earliest descriptions of exotic people to postmodern theorizing about the body in contemporary society.
Skin, as a visible way of defining individual identity and cultural difference, is not only a highly elaborated preoccupation in many cultures; it is also the subject of wide ranging and evolving scholarly discourse in the humanities and social sciences.
Although my focus is mainly on the anthropological literature, it is impossible to ignore work in other fields. Today, archaeologists and historians are rewriting the history of the body using evidence from newly discovered ancient bodies, artworks, and texts.
Discussions of contemporary “body work” merge the perspectives of anthropology, sociology, psychology, cultural studies, philosophy, and gender studies… each discipline mapping onto the body its shifting theoretical preoccupations.

Check out this silent film from 1926 that takes us “through the basic physiology of the human skin, combining anatomical education and basic healthcare advice. We see the epidermis and its replacement, the structure of the underlying dermis, nails, sweat glands and hair follicles.”

The ‘Skin’ exhibition was discovered by our editor Adeena Mey.

Watching MESRINE a few months ago in Switzerland, I intuitively thought: This film is indisputably driving from the French cinema, however its core is definitely built with American tools. Pretty bad movie, but entertaining and featuring a great cast of actors. For those who are tired of the French “Nouvelle Vague” legacy, go for the French “Nouvelle Hollywood”! Opening on Friday in New York and Los Angeles.

Directed by Jean-François Richet; written by Abdel Raouf Dafri, based on the novel “L’Instinct de Mort” by Jacques Mesrine; director of photography, Robert Gantz; edited by Bill Pankow; music by Marco Beltrami; production designer, Émile Ghigo; costumes by Virginie Montel; produced by Thomas Langmann; released by Music Box Films.

Scraped together a flight to Bermuda to see my oldest friend, now we’re sitting here on the South Shore, waiting for hurricane Danielle to hit. Could be a bumpy night…

Yesterday was held at the New York Swiss Institute, with the blessing of the auspicious Gianni Jetzer, the official presentation of our—nearly—new born baby “Novembre“. It was a very nice night full of friends, performances & bloody mary. I personally want to thank Jeanne-Salomé & Clément for putting it all up, the performers & attendees, and Ting Ting for helpful assistance. An more exhaustive report will be posted in the next few days!