Hoody

Gallery

2007 |

Choreographed by Lawrence Goldhuber
Performed by Arthur Aviles, Keely Garfield, Robert LaFosse, and Wallie  Wolfgruber
Film by Janet Wong
Music by Jorge Reyes, Ladji Camara, DJ Reality, Dudu Tucci, Patato
Costumes provided by DIESEL

Hoody

was commissioned by the Creative Residency Program of Dance Theater Workshop

with support from the Ford Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. This presentation is made possible, in part, by the generous support of

Judy and Steven Gluckstern through the David R. White Producers Circle.

Major support for this evening was provided by The Jerome Foundation, MN.

BIGMANARTS has received generous continued funding grants from both
The Bossak/Heilbron Charitable Foundation and The Harkness Foundation for Dance.

BIGMANARTS at DTW is made possible in part with public funds from the Manhattan Community Arts Fund supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

This evening was made possible by the generous donations of the following people:
Bjorn Amelan & Bill T. Jones, Dr. & Mrs. Paul Cohen, John & Sage Cowles, Sean Curran, Eleanor Danziger, Edward & Susan Gitkind, Jerry Goldhuber & Diane Storin, Stephanie Goldhuber, Sara Gordon, Jeff Goria, Bruce Imber & Jobert Abueva, C Jadusingh & M. Hyde, Paul King & Walter Jaffe, Doris Klapper, Norton Klotz, Julie Landman, Claire Leffel, Janet Lilly & Mark Steele, Lolita Leshiem & Matthew Panschar, Ray & Fran Osinoff, Susan & Shelly Osinoff, Nicolas Ramirez, Jeanette Resnick, Nathan & Bunny Ritzer, Kevin Scherer & Sharel Vice, Bea Scherer, Benedicta Schwager, Sidney Schwager, Jack Sparrow, Anita Tierney, Laurie Uprichard, Valeria Vasilevski & Phillip Trimble, Karen & David Waltuck, Micki Wesson, and Tony Wicks.  Many thanks to you all.

Costumes for HOODY generously provided by

Special Thanks to:

To the crew and administration at DTW, Marion Dienstag and Cathy Edwards, Ellen Jacobs, Bruce Imber/Monkey Hill, Guia Golden at Diesel, Heidi Latsky and Stephen Jones, Claire Leffel, Janet Wong, Robert Wierzel, Nicolas Ramirez, Josh Gosfield, Tony Wicks, and of course, the wonderful cast.

 

BIGMANARTS Hits the Broad Side of the Barn
Lawrence Goldhuber’s latest company tells tales with physical humor

By QUINN BATSON

Lawrence Goldhuber/BIGMANARTS consistently entertained in his coyly obvious big-guns style at the company’s DTW premiere. Goldhuber and the members of this current company are all well-seasoned performers whose professional dance careers extend back as far as 30 years, and his mockumentary calls on more longtime NYC dance figures as interviewees. All these stellar pedigrees give the performance a very even keel, even as the events onstage become calculatedly ridiculous, and these people still move better than quite a few dancers 20 years younger.

“Dances with Wolves” is a ballroom dance in formal dress that explores the pitfalls of doomed relationships in moments of elegance and abject rejection. Keely Garfield, Goldhuber’s slender feminine counterpart, does most of the rejecting, keeping it cool when she isn’t struggling violently. It’s a well-crafted piece that fits the performers well, full of trademark bits like Goldhuber doing very roughly the same leaps as his much lither partner or carting her around over his shoulder like a lively sack of flour. The humor relies on his oblivious but endearing character, the oaf with a heart of gold, much like a Laurel and Hardy comedy and with similar laughs…

The very witty take on Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden “A Match Made in Heaven” then pairs the lovely Wallie Wolfgruber with Goldhuber, both wearing hilarious nude bodysuits (see picture). There is nothing remotely subtle in this piece, which makes it all the better. The obviously fake 12-foot snake and enormous candy-red apple lead the hapless couple to the sin of the big city and ultimately a fatal struggle over a rifle. Wolfgruber is such a pleasure to watch move, another excellent foil to Goldhuber’s limited physicality.

“Hoody” showcases the exuberant dancing of Arthur Aviles, cast as a male Red Riding Hood from the ‘hood who meets the suave wolf Robert LaFosse on the way to his aunt’s house, sent on a mission by his mom, Keely Garfield in high heels and hair with a cellphone implant and a New York accent big enough to hear without sound. A narrated video backdrop by Janet Wong works really well to move the story along with simple props and visuals.

Dessert comes in the lush food dream of a fat-suited Goldhuber that is “Seven Deadly Sins: Gluttony,” another exercise in vaudevillian humor that completely hits its barn-sized target. Robert La Fosse’s hot dog character is the most fun, but everyone has a good time in this finale of dancing food, which also includes a pair of lumpy chicken nuggets and a glittering trio of Hershey’s Kisses doing rhythmic gymnast routines with their ribbons.

Gluttony is probably the best word to describe the entire evening, with physical humor standing in for food.

EYE ON DANCE REVIEW

LAWRENCE GOLDHUBER/BIGMANARTS

By Celia Ipiotis

No doubt about it, the grande sized dancer, Lawrence Goldhuber knows how to construct a succinct piece all juiced up with humor and clever nuances.

With a background in theater as well as dance, Goldhuber’s cast is a sly combination of dancers with distinct personalities and shared sense of theatricality.

At Dance Theater Workshop May 16 – 19, Goldhuber and his all-star company BIGMANARTS presented the world premiere of “Hoody” (think Little Red—) and the New York premieres of “7 Deadly Sins: Gluttony” and “A Match Made In Heaven” plus “Dances With Wolves”, the “Fred and Ginger” gone askew duet with Keely Garfield. Clueless looks and kooky smiles make the sinewy Garfield a terrific foil to the seemingly debonair, “light on his feet” Goldhuber.

The world premiere “Hoody” gave the “The Little Red Riding Hood” fairytale an urban twist and ethnic charge, featuring the always show-stopping Arthur Aviles along with a deliriously funny Jamie Bishton plus Robert la Fosse, David Parker, Wallie Wolfgruber and Garfield.

But by far, the show that took the hotdog, was “Gluttony.” Dancing food vies with colorful appetites generating a carnival of fun.

 

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Articles & Reviews

Collaborators

Arthur Aviles
Dancer
Arthur Avilés is a Gay New York-Rican. He received a B/A, an Arts and Letters award and an honorary doctorate from Bard College under Jean Churchill, Lenore Latimere, Susan Osberg, Aileen Passloff and Albert Reid. He was a member of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance company from '87 to 95 from which he was honored with a New York Dance and performance (Bessie) award. In '98, he along with Charles Rice-González founded the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (BAAD!) now 22 years strong. He has appeared in a number of dance films by Marta Renzi. Mr. Avilés is a NYFA Fellow, the recipient of the Mayor's award for Art and Culture and has received a Bronx recognizes its own award. Also he has received a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Master’s Grant from Pregones Theatre. he has also danced for Toby Armour, Tina Croll & Jamie Cunningham, Larry Clark, Doug Elkins, Lawrence Goldhuber, Beth Lipton, Nora Laudoni, Antonio Ramos, Amy Pivar & Freda Rosen, Sarah Pogostin, Mary Ellen Strom & Cindy Lee, Merián Soto and Dawn Watson. Most recently he along with Mr. González received a Bessie award for lifetime achievement.
Keely Garfield
Dancer, Choreographer
Keely, originally from London, England, has lived in New York City since 1986. She has received numerous commissions for her work, and has been presented at many theaters and festivals both nationally and internationally. Among other endeavors, Garfield has created work for ballet dancers (Dance Theatre of Harlem), antique puppets (Golem, Chechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre), musical theater (Gypsy, Sundance Theatre, Utah, Carnival, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival), children (Reel to Real, Lincoln Center), students (Barnard, Hunter), and MTV. Garfield is a curator (with Peggy Peloquin) of Dance Theater Workshop's Family Matters series, and serves as the chair of DTW's Artist Committee. Highlights include: Deep (The Joyce Theater), Disturbing The Peace (Zenon Dance Company, MN), Iron Lung (Groundworks Dancetheater, OH), and Disturbulance (Dance Theater Workshop), Scent of Mental Love (Film for Radio Bremen/Canal Arte), and most recently Line & Sink Her (Danspace Project). Keely is very happy to be working again with Larry, her dearest pal! For more information visit www.keelygarfield.org
Wallie Wolfgruber
Dancer
Wallie was born in a Bavaria and passed her stage exam in dance with distinction at the Vienna State Theater at age fifteen. Having explored the ballet idiom at the Landestheater Salzburg and the National Theater in Munich, she became captivated by modern dance, moved to NYC and became a principal member of the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1988. Other companies she danced with include the Rod Rogers Dance Company, Keith Young Dance, Donald Byrd/The Group, the Ohad Naharin Dance Company and Sung Soo Ahn. She has performed in Europe, Asia, Central-and South America, Canada and in over 30 states in the US, and started choreographing in 1996. Her choreography has been presented in Germany, Canada, France and in NYC at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, LaMama E.T.C., Joyce Soho, Joe's Pub, the Duke Theater on 42nd Street and DTW. Her video dance A Hands- On Affair (created with Alvin Booth) was screened at the Dance on Camera West International Festival in Los Angeles and at the Lincoln Center Dance on Camera Festival. Certified in the Trager Approach/ Psychophysical Integration, she holds an MFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and has extensive domestic and international teaching experience including: Co-founder and director of SEAD (Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance) in Austria, choreographic assistant for Lar Lubovitch and director of the undergraduate dance program and tenured Associate Professor at SUNY Brockport. Recent activities include two commissions from Florida State University, joining their dance faculty for Spring 07, presenting an evening of works at the University of Rochester and at LaMama E.T.C.
Robert La Fosse
Performer
Robert La Fosse was born in Beaumont, Texas, received his ballet training at the Marsha Woody Academy of Dance and joined American Ballet Theatre in 1977, where he danced as a principal dancer for nine years. In 1986 he joined New York City Ballet as a principal, dancing lead roles in many full-length classical ballets, including the U.S. premiere of Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet. He has danced a wide variety of original roles in ballets by numerous choreographers, including Twyla Tharp, Lynne Taylor Corbett, Jerome Robbins, and Peter Martins. Mr. La Fosse has also starred in the Broadway productions of Bob Fosse's Dancin' and in Jerome Robbins' Broadway, for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor. In addition to performing, Mr. La Fosse is also a choreographer. Highlights include his first ballet, Rappacini's Daughter created for 'Mikhail Baryshnikov and Company, and over 10 works for the New York City Ballet. He collaborated with John Kelly and Company in Light Shall Lift Them for Brooklyn Academy of Music's Next Wave Festival, and choreographed Stars and Stripes Forever for Les Ballets Trocadero de Monte Carlo. Numerous television appearances include: 'American Ballet Theatre in San Francisco', Twyla Tharp's Push Comes to Shove, and the 'Live From Lincoln Center' telecast of 'Ray Charles in concert with the New York City Ballet'. Mr. La Fosse appeared as Dr. Stahlbaum in the film version of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. In 1987 he wrote his autobiography entitled Nothing to Hide.
Janet Wong
Filmmaker/Video Design
Janet Wong is a seasoned performing arts leader with expertise in contemporary dance and performance across the U.S. and internationally. From 1995 to 2025, she was the Associate Artistic Director of New York Live Arts and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, where her work encompassed curation, choreography, design, production, education, and mentorship. She currently serves on the boards of the Jerome Foundation and Big Dance Theater.
Robert Wierzel
Lighting Design
Robert is pleased to continue his collaboration with Mr. Goldhuber. Robert has worked in theatre, dance, new music and opera, with artists and directors from diverse disciplines and backgrounds, on stages throughout the country and abroad. Mr. Wierzel has a long history (22 years) with choreographer Bill T. Jones and his company, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company (several Bessie Awards, along with productions at the Lyon Opera Ballet and Berlin Opera Ballet). Other dance collaborations include choreographers Goldhuber & Latsky (Worst Case Scenario-Bessie Award), Margo Sappington, Alonzo King, Sean Curran, Molissa Fenely, Susan Marshall, Charlie Moulton, Arthur Aviles, Trisha Brown, (How long), and Doug Varone, (Orpheus and Euridice - Obie Award-Special Citation). Other credits- Broadway: David Copperfield's Dreams and Nightmares, The Deep Blue Sea. Regional: A.C.T. San Francisco; Arena Stage; Shakespeare Theatre DC; Hartford Stage; Long Wharf Theatre; Goodman Theatre; The Guthrie; Mark Taper Forum; Chicago Shakespeare; Westport Country Playhouse, among many others. Opera companies of Paris (Garnier); Berlin; Tokyo; Toronto; Montreal; Boston; Glimmerglass Opera; New York City Opera; San Diego; San Francisco; Houston; Washington; Seattle; Virginia; Portland; Vancouver; and Chicago, among others. Recent New York project: Fela! A new musical, directed and choreographed by Bill T. Jones.
Gregory L. Bain
Production Design/PSM
Gregory has been active in media technologies, arts administration, theatre production, commercial and theatrical lighting design, sound design and stage management, as well as audio and video recording technologies, since 1971. During 30+ years of extensive world touring with numerous theatre, music, and dance companies, Mr. Bain has also co-directed a New York City based production company, GLB Presents. In 2003, Gregory directed his media technologies career, and stage management and theatre crafts skills toward becoming more active in early childhood education, human development, and social service activities that promote education, empowerment, and advancement opportunities within underprivileged and underserved families and communities. In 2007 Mr. Bain received a Masters Degree in social work (MSW). 2008 celebrates his 22nd year of collaborating with Lawrence Goldhuber.
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