Press Release Pilobolus- World-renowned Dance Company Celebrates 50 years - March 8

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County
presents

PILOBOLUS, Big Five-OH!
The World-Renowed Dance Company PILOBOLUS Celebrates 50 Years

Wednesday, March 8 at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $29, $39, $59, $75, $89*
Ziff Ballet Opera House

MIAMI – February 8, 2023 – The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami Dade
County (@arshtcenter) is pleased to present PILOBOLUS, Big Five-OH! (@pilobolus) for one night only at the Ziff Balet Opera House on March 8 at 8 p.m. as part of the Dance @ Arsht Series. The celebratory program is a milestone in 50 years of groundbreaking dance from the uniquely feisty arts organism. As fresh and vibrant as ever are signature works from vintage classics to trend-setting innovative work in shadow.

Tickets to PILOBOLUS Big Five-OH! are $29, $39, $59, $75, and $89, and may be purchased now at arshtcenter.org or at the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) 949-6722.

PILOBOLUS puts the “Oh!” in Big Five Oh!, deliberately questioning its own givens, and turning
its traditions sideways to bring its past into the future. PILOBOLUS continues to morph its way thrillingly into audiences’ hearts and minds. The celebration includes signature works from vintage classics to their trend setting innovative work in shadow.

PILOBOLUS is named after a barnyard fungus that propels its spores with extraordinary
speed, accuracy and strength. The dance company was founded by a group of Dartmouth College students in 1971 and they continually form diverse collaborations that break down barriers between disciplines and challenge the way we think about dance. Physically and intellectually, the company engages and inspires audiences around the world through performance, education and creative consultation.

Pieces in The Big Five-OH! are:

The high voltage Megawatt (2004), made in the last decade of founder and choreographer Jonathan Wolken’s life, exemplifies his later work. BIG FIVE-OH! dedicates this Megawatt to his memory and his everlasting contribution to Pilobolus and dance theater. For this tour, Megawatt has been updated to expand its unfettered exuberance and frenetic expression of life-affirming creative drives and resistance to stagnation by casting dancers in roles that gently subvert stereotypical gender-associated movement vocabulary.

Behind the Shadows: Since Pilobolus’s innovation of physical shadow theater at the 79th
Annual Academy Awards in 2007, many have copied the techniques and images. A new
medium of expression has been embraced by the international performing arts
community. For The Big Five-OH!, Pilobolus will offer a shadow performance unlike what
you have seen before and reveal the technique behind the innovation. Dancers spin,
swivel and turn a screen revealing both the amazing composite shadow figures as well as
the technique to create them.

On The Nature of Things (2014): Performed by three dancers balanced on a two-foot wide
column rising above the stage, On The Nature Of Things explores the power of iconic
bodies to tell a story about the birth of desire and its intertwined connection to shame and
revenge. Set to vocal music inspired by the classical baroque, On The Nature Of Things is
both graceful and riveting to watch.

The Ballad (2022): The Ballad is a new collaboration with Darlene Kascak, Schaghticoke Tribal Nation member and traditional storyteller and educator. The piece features Ms. Kascak’s narration of stories from her own childhood, and a monster, the Wendigo, that has roamed Turtle Island since time immemorial. Ms. Kascak’s storytelling and the lessons it offers us leaves the audience with a sense of hope, optimism, and awareness of our behavior towards each other and our planet. Dance critic Kristie Spadie says, “The Ballad shows that co-artistic directors Jaworski and Kent are profoundly committed to making dances that create a conversation about social justice, reckon with our country’s history, and shine a light on the consequences of how we treat Mother Earth.”

Branches (2017): Commissioned by the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and premiered on the Pillow's iconic Inside/Out stage set against the Berkshire hills, Branches is a new work scored using natural sounds and music that ranges from the soundtrack of Ren and Stimpy to the heartbreaking compositions of Messiaen. Branches invites the audience on a journey through nature perceiving the beauty, the aggression, and the absurdity in our natural world in a way that is inherently unique to Pilobolus.

PILOBOLUS is led by RENÉE JAWORSKI, Executive Director/Co-Artistic Director and MATT KENT, Artistic Director. RENÉE had an extensive creative career working with Pilobolus since 2000 and in 2011 was honored to have been chosen by the founding Artistic Directors to lead Pilobolus into and beyond its post-succession evolution. She served as choreographer and creator for exciting projects and collaborations for stage, film and video such as the 79th Annual Academy Awards, the Grammy® nominated video for OKGo’s All is Not Lost, Radiolab Live: In the Dark, World Science Festival; Time and the Creative Cosmos and works with myriad outside artists through the International Collaborators Project, as well as overseeing the daily functioning and long-term planning for the company’s creative endeavors. As a teacher she facilitates workshops and group projects in diverse communities with dancers and non-dancers alike. In 2010, her alma mater honored her with the University of the Arts Silver Star Alumni Award for her work as an artist in the field of dance. She has performed and toured the world with Momix and Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company.

MATT KENT began his career with Pilobolus as a dancer in 1996, creating classics like Gnomen and Selection, a collaboration with Maurice Sendak. He transitioned to directing and choreographing for the Oscars, Radiolab Live: In the Dark, World Science Festival; Time and the Creative Cosmos with Co-Artistic Director Renée Jaworski.In 2011, they were chosen by the founding Artistic Directors to lead Pilobolus in its post-succession evolution. He has directed for the stage and done screen choreography for horses, Chinese acrobats, giant Michael Curry puppets, zombies on The Walking Dead, jugglers, break dancers, actors, LED umbrellas, and dancers. He was nominated for Best Choreography by the L.A. Drama Critics Circle for The Tempest directed by Aaron Posner and Teller. Matt loves exploring and executing the ever-evolving work of Pilobolus as it reaches out to an expanding group of artists, audiences, and populations in ever unexpected ways.

@ArshtCenter                                                            #ArshtCenter

*All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Visit arshtcenter.org for up-to-date information.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the
public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, as well as the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.

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About Us
Set in the heart of downtown Miami, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is committed to welcoming and connecting ALL people to the arts, to the Arsht Center and to each other. Our stages are alive year-round with artists from around the world, innovative programming from our resident companies and local arts partners, free community events that reflect Miami’s unique identity and arts education experiences for thousands of Miami children each year.

Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has been recognized as a
catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area, a leader in programming
that mirrors South Florida’s diversity, a host venue for historic events and Miami’s hub for arts
education.

Each year, we serve more than 60,000 young learners and offer more than 100 culturally diverse and inclusive education programs — many enhanced by the Arsht Center’s relationship with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, local teaching artists and Miami-based arts organizations.

The Arsht Center is also a home stage for three resident companies — Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony — and a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage. Our 300+ events each year include the Center’s Signature Series of classical, jazz, Broadway, local theater and much more. We present a robust series of touring Broadway musicals direct from New York, the largest jazz series in South Florida, a major annual Flamenco Festival and an award-winning Miami-based theater program. In addition, our Family Fest, Free Gospel Sundays, CommuniTEA LGBTQ+ celebration and Heritage Fest are among dozens of free events that bring together people from all corners of our community. For more information, visit arshtcenter.org.

About Pilobolus
Pilobolus is a rebellious dance company. Since 1971, Pilobolus has tested the limits of human physicality to explore the beauty and the power of connected bodies. The dance company continues to bring this tradition to global audiences through post-disciplinary collaborations with
some of the greatest influencers, thinkers, and creators in the world. Now, in a digitally driven and
increasingly mediated landscape, Pilobolus also reaches beyond performance to teach people how
to connect through designed live experiences. The dance company brings decades of expertise
telling stories with the human form to show diverse communities, brands, and organizations how to
maximize group creativity, solve problems, create surprise, and generate joy through the power of
nonverbal communication.

Pilobolus has created and toured over 120 pieces of repertory to more than 65 countries. Over the
years, Pilobolus has performed for millions of people across the U.S. and around the world. Pilobolus has been featured on CBS This Morning, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NBC’s TODAY Show, MTV’s Video Music Awards, The Harry Connick Show, ABC’s The Chew, and the CW Network’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us. Pilobolus has been recognized with many prestigious honors, including a TED Fellowship, a 2012 Grammy® Award Nomination, a Primetime Emmy® Award for OutstandingAchievement in Cultural Programming, and several Cannes Lion Awards at the International Festival of Creativity. In 2015, Pilobolus was named one of Dance Heritage Coalition’s “Irreplaceable Dance Treasures”. Pilobolus has collaborated with more than 75 brands and organizations in finance, retail, media, fashion, sports, and more to create bespoke performances for television, film, and live events.