Kanopy Works On Stage in NYC!
Robert Cleary’s iconic  “This is Not America”
to be performed in
New York City by the Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble
at The Mark O’Donnell Theater in The Actors Fund Arts Center,
March 21-24, 2019
 
Kanopy’s co-artistic director, Robert Cleary, says he is “honored to have Sokolow perform ‘This is Not America’ in its spring production of I’m not here to be polite… because Sokolow’s excellence in honest theatricality and dance aligns with my aesthetics and choreography.” Cleary’s “This Is Not America”, choreographed some 18 years ago and uncannily timely—brings to the surface issues and questions we continue to face in our society. It is meant to have the observer take pause, reflect and bring some light into the shadows.

Samantha Geracht, artistic director of Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble, first saw “This is Not America” as part of Kanopy’s Beautiful Isolation concert in November of 2017 at the Overture Center. (Ms. Geracht was the guest artist for that concert) Since that time, she has wanted Sokolow to stage “This is Not America” in New York City because the work is so in sync with Sokolow’s artistic mission — intense, evocative, dramatic– as well as political at times— and Ms. Geracht knew that the Sokolow dancers would perform the choreography beautifully.
 
In addition to Cleary’s “This is Not America”, Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble’s I’m not here to be polite… will feature a reconstruction of Sokolow’s 1973 work, “Three Poems,” “Steps of Silence”, “The Desperate Heart” by Valerie Bettis, and “Sleeping Bouquet” by Jim May.
 
For an in- depth interview with Robert Cleary about his collaboration with Sokolow, his career trajectory in dance and what informs and inspires his choreography, please visit Sokolow dance at https://sokolowtheatredance.org/fly-close-to-the-sun/. If you would like more information about I’m not here to be polite…and tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4091306