RENNIE HARRISS "FACING MEKKA" TO RECEIVE NEW YORK PREMIERE AT THE JOYCE THEATER, MAY 13-18

Rennie Harriss "Facing Mekka," which reveals a spiritual dimension in hip-hop dance, will receive its New York premiere at The Joyce Theater, May 13-18.

"Facing Mekka" is Harriss first full-evening work since his riveting "Rome and Jewels," which transformed the classic story of Romeo and Juliet into an aggressively galvanizing, in-your-face hip-hop ballet. Although still using the urban street vocabulary of hip-hop, "Facing Mekka" introduces another Rennie Harris: one more subtle–and at times, delicate– in movement and compassionate in spirit. In "Facing Mekka," Harris explores and employs the ritualistic aspects of hip-hop, transforming its powerful energy into a spiritual journey that traces its African roots and celebrates its various contemporary manifestations.

Whereas "Rome and Jewels" focussed on the propulsive power of unbridled male energy, "Facing Mekka" incorporates a surprising lyricism, the result of Harriss new attention to the fluidity associated with female dancing. In the ballet, heavily dependent on polyrhythms and syncopation, men and women appropriate each others movement styles, exploring and presenting the qualities associated with the other. The dancers are cracker jack performers, one and all: an upside-down whirling dervish pirouettes on his head while others create parades of backward flips and perform pop-lock robotic wave–with stunning speed or in breath-taking slow motion.

Compelling video juxtaposes images of African ceremonial dance rites against National Guardsmen, soldiers creeping along a hill, famished children, hooded Ku Klux Klansmen and a life-worn nun, add further resonance. A band of extraordinary musicians, who perform on instruments including the tabla, berimbau and conga drums amplify the profundity of the message, which suggests that through empathy, love and the appreciation of beauty, survival is possible in our increasingly frightening and dangerous world.

The shows music was produced and composed by Darrin Ross in collaboration with Grisha Coleman, Philip Hamilton, Gabby Lang, Kenny Muhammad and Lenny Seidman. The collage artists are John Abner and Theodore Harris. The lighting design is by David Szlasa; the costumes are by Onome Ekeh and the videography and visual design is by Tobin Rothlein. The set was constructed by Jorge Cousineau.

Rennie Harris was born in North Philadelphias inner city where he started dancing at age eight in his living room while watching the television show "Soul Train." He developed his knowledge of African and African-American social dances in the streets and clubs of Philadelphia, and is now recognized as one of the most innovative choreographers for his ability to transfer these social dances to the proscenium stage.

Since the age of 15, Harris has taught workshops and classes at many schools and universities including UCLAs University of the Arts, Columbia College, and Bates College. As a performer, Harris has worked with many hip-hop stars, and participated in the "Fresh Festival," the first hip-hop tour in America. Rennie Harris is a 1996 recipient of the Pew Fellowship in the Arts for choreography, has received awards from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and was also voted one of the most influential people in the last hundred years of Philadelphia history. Harris is also a recipient of Chicagos Black Theater Alvin Ailey Award for best Choreography, and has received three "Bessie" Awards (New York Dance and Performance Awards) for "Rome and Jewels."

Following its Joyce Theater season, "Facing Mekka" will be performed at the Columbia Festival, Columbia, MD (June 14-15); California State University Summer Arts, Fresno, CA (July 10-11); and Jacobs Pillow, Lee, MA (July 14-20). The tour of "Facing Mekka" will resume in the fall with performances at UC Davis, Davis, CA (October 9-12); the Cutler Majestic Theater at Emerson College, Cambridge, MA (October 16-19); and at The Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN (October 21-November 1).

At the Joyce Theater, the evening curtains are at 8pm Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday at 7:30pm. There are also 2pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $38 and are available at the box office, by calling 212-242-0800 or online at www.joyce.org. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street.

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Leadership support for The Joyce Theater's 2002-2003 season has been received from the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust.

This Joyce presentation is made possible, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, and with private funds from the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund to encourage the performances of out-of-town companies at The Joyce Theater.

Funded in part by the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, with lead funding from National Endowment for the Arts and Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Additional funding provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Altria Group, Inc.

This project is partially supported by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, a program developed and funded by the Vira I. Heinz Endowment; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency; and The Pew Charitable Trusts; and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.

This tour of Rennie Harris Facing Mekka is made possible by a grant from Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program.

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