Alvin Alley Dancers in Halfway to Dawn by Ian Douglas

“’Halfway to Dawn’—a favorite phrase of Strayhorn’s—is an important work of art, quite moving at times, wonderfully danced and a must-see for anyone interested in black history, American jazz, homophobia and two important cultural icons of the twentieth century–one of them world-renowned, the other almost a mystery to the public.”

The core of “Halfway” is Strayhorn’s music as interpreted through a dynamic dance vocabulary melding jazz, modern/postmodern, and social dance that is new to Roussève’s choreography. A score including recordings from the ‘40s-‘50s of Strayhorn songs allows the famously private artist to emerge and “speak for himself” through his music. The songs are immersed within a larger sound design that – like the video element – references historical material, but ultimately creates a contemporary, abstract, and wholly original digital tapestry.