Guest Series Performances

Blurring the lines between circus show, contemporary dance and performance art, N.Ormes invites audiences to question preconceived ideas with a deep search for equality. In this physically impressive and touching creation, two protagonists - portrayed by duo Agathe Bisserier and Adrien Malette-Chénier - navigate a power struggle between complicity and dominance, and push the limits and expectations of their own bodies and gender norms. Agathe and Adrien create a rich, complex acrobatic language and redefine what it means to perform conventional roles - in the circus and in society.

David Dorfman Dance brings (A) Way Out of My Body back to Connecticut College, where it premiered in February 2020 and has since toured nationally and internationally! Using the “out of body” experience as a metaphor for our times and our body politic, dancers propel themselves through space and time, attempting to pass the barrier of reality and plight into the realm of resilience and joy. By embracing audiences with meaningful performances, David Dorfman’s work has enjoyed widespread acclaim by creating what The New York Times has described as “open-hearted explorations of self and society, channeling big ideas into raw hyper-athletic movement that calls for go-for-broke dancers.”

You’re invited to a lively and irreverent evening of song and stories!  Och and Oy! A Considered Cabaret unites the talents of film and theater star Alan Cumming (Cabaret, The Good Wife) and journalist and crooner Ari Shapiro (NPR’s All Things Considered and Pink Martini) in an unexpected twist on the classic lounge act that includes favorites like “Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)” and "You're the Top."  With a little charm, dry wit and joie de vivre, Alan and Ari take audiences on a ride to “somewhere unpredictable … it’s a precious opportunity to spend time in a room laughing with strangers.” (WBUR)

Are you willing to risk your life to defend your artistic freedom?  This is the story of one man who did just that.  Requiem For An Electric Chair is the remarkable true story of one man's imprisonment in the Democratic Republic of Congo for using his art to expose corruption and speak out against child exploitation, and his incredible narrow escape from execution.  Written and performed by award-winning artist Toto M. Kisaku, Requiem is an unforgettable solo performance piece and an incredible testimony to the power of theater to create change.

With a sound that The New York Times described as “a mechanical Minimalism” with “ghostly ensemble textures,” JACK Quartet brings together four inventive young string musicians in a highly acclaimed and engaging ensemble.  Taking the “250-year-old contraption” of the string quartet and “keeping it thrillingly vital” (The Washington Post), this award-winning foursome was selected as Musical America’s 2018 “Ensemble of the Year'' and nominated for 2 GRAMMY Awards® in 2018 & 2022.  Putting their unique and edgy spin on the work of established and emerging artists in a wide range of musical styles, JACK Quartet aspires to create transformative experiences that ask audiences to listen with their whole being.

The koto is described as Japan’s national instrument, and award-winning soloist Yumi Kurosawa crafts exquisite string compositions that “flow like the water of a stream in a zen garden.” (All About Jazz). Born and raised in Japan and based in New York, Kurosawa has performed internationally at venues including NYC’s Carnegie Hall, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall and the National Gallery of Art in DC.  Joined by violinist Naho Parrini and tabla player and percussionist Eric Phinney, this trio of world-class musicians deliver dynamic performances that encompass a vast scope of dimension and expression, highlighting the shared affinity between these seemingly disparate instruments.