Thomas Ortiz Dance
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Thomas Ortiz Dance

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"DANCE: Thomas/Ortiz Dance"

DANCE: Thomas/Ortiz Dance (2/13)
By Ledwing Hernandez on February 10, 2010

Some may consider dance an art form where emotion takes precedence over concrete ideas. Thomas/Ortiz Dance's upcoming performance at the Nazareth College Arts Center on Saturday, February 13, is poised to use challenge that notion by employing thoughts and feelings simultaneously, in an effort to heighten the power of both.
Maybe it's related to the merging of husband-and-wife team Ted Thomas' and Frances Ortiz' American and Puerto-Rican backgrounds. The duo has dubbed itself a mix of "urban athleticism and Latin sensuality." The pair brings in everything from violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi to Ariel Ramirez' "Misa Criolla" prayer, which ends with the Spanish words for "give us peace." Thomas' and Ortiz' work touches on ideas such as the heart-wrenching memories of loves past in "In the Arms of Three," to the battle against disease in "Convibir." For more insight than what is presented on the surface, Frances Ortiz will give a pre-performance lecture in Arts Center room A-14 at 7 p.m.
Nazareth College Arts Center is located at 4245 East Avenue. The performance starts at 8 p.m., and tickets cost $30-$60. For more information call 389-2170 or visit naz.edu/artscenter.
- Rochester City Newspaper


"An Impressive Introduction / Debora McDell-Hernandez, Coordinator Community Programs - Memorial Art Gallery"

February 14, 2010
An Impressive Introduction / Debora McDell-Hernandez, Coordinator Community Programs - Memorial Art Gallery

Saturday evening’s performance was my introduction to Thomas/Ortiz Dance and I was impressed! The dance movements, music and costumes were fabulously coordinated and represented a seamless union. Neither element distracted the viewer from enjoying any aspect of a particular piece. The contemporary dance company’s repertoire explored many socially relevant themes from religion and sexuality to overcoming cancer and the audience was confronted with a range of emotions. Dance movements were graceful and heartening and forceful and agonizing.

For Love or Grace was one of the most memorable pieces. The poignant performance featured two male performers dressed as priests with neckbands slightly undone. The song Misa Criolla (Creole Mass) accompanied the piece and seemed fitting for a piece which represented a struggle with religion and acknowledgment of ones homosexuality. Through provocative movements at times resembling tender embraces and at other times battles, the dancers appeared as one, resembling a moving sculpture. At the close of the piece, the two dancers adjusted their neckbands to their proper states and movements became modest.

A woman’s past failed relationships and the quest for new love was the theme of In the Arms of Three. At the start, the dancer glides from one corner of the stage to another, appearing like a ballerina in a long, slender, airy red dress. Her movements range from pirouettes to contemporary dance movements during push and pull struggles with her fellow male dance partners. In this turbulent piece, she often appeared weightless as she was effortlessly lifted and thrown in the air and passed from one dancer to another.

The second act featured Convibir, starring one female dancer wearing only a flowing black skirt. The piece opens with the performer seated, staring into a mirror as her back faces the audience. Although she is topless, she carefully covers her breasts from the audience’s view throughout the performance and is a model of grace. A passage by Beverly J. Friedberg appears in the program and the first few sentences read:

The tattoo marks and scars remain, a testament to a battle well-fought.
Tucked in the back of my closet s the seven hundred dollar wig I bought.
The fog of chemobrain has lifted.
The title Convivir is Spanish for coexist and I interpreted it as the survivor coexisting with physical and emotional scars that remain and she must live with even after she has won her battle with breast cancer.
- Nazareth College Arts Center Critic's Blog


"Intense, Colorful, Romantic, Sensual...Loved it! / Shiera Coleman, Communications Producer for City of Rochester"

Intense, Colorful, Romantic, Sensual...Loved it! / Shiera Coleman, Communications Producer for City of Rochester

Let me start by saying that when I was asked to write a blog on the Thomas / Ortiz Dance, I was a bit apprehensive.
I am not an expert on dance, but I am a big fan of the arts and of the belief that it never hurts to try something at least once.... So, here goes!
Since I am new at this and a bit nervous, I decided it would be best to take notes between each dance.
Using my program as my notebook, I scribbled furiously my thoughts and emotions as the lights went up in between dances.
I even took a stab at scribbling notes in the dark.
The first dance, "Undamely", opened with female members of the dance company performing in white corsets and full skirts. The set had a blue background with soft lighting. The dancers flowed to classical music that was pretty low tempo.
One by one, the dancers exited the stage leaving one on stage by herself.
She slowly removed her skirt, revealing white pantaloons. She left the stage, slowly dragging her skirt behind. Everyone thought that was the end of the first dance, but it wasn't and I was quite happy with the second part of it.
The tempo picked up and the dancers twirled and leapt all over the stage.
I sit here now searching to find the words to describe what I was feeling at that moment, but the words are not coming to me.
I scribbled in my program, "Exciting, intoxicating, high energy, love the music." I also made a point to circle the composer because I enjoyed the music so much that I would love to hear it again.
There were six other dances and the other one that stands out for me was in the second act, "Convibir".
There was not a description of the dance in the program, but a poem written by Beverly Friedberg about surviving Cancer.
The dance was choreographed by Frances Ortiz and performed by Elyssa Dole.
The dancer was topless and was very skillfull at keeping herself covered each time she faced the audience.
I wiped away tears in the darkness as she moved gracefully across the stage.
To me, this dance was about a woman, recovering from cancer and realizing she was still beautiful.
This dance touched me because my sister is a Breast Cancer Survivor.
The notes scrawled in my program read, "Intense, emotional."
There was nothing more to say.
I enjoyed the other dances, but "Undamely" and "Convibir" were my favorites.
"In the Arms of Three" got a pained chuckle from myself and my "date" for the evening as she and I read the description of how past relationships weigh on a woman's mind as she searches for the possibility of love again.
This was something my friend and I could relate to.
It was a beautiful, sensual and painful dance.
I had not heard of Ted Thomas and Frances Ortiz before Saturday, but I am now a fan.
I didn't know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised.
I meant to ask an usher for another program before leaving because mine was filled with, "Intense, colorful, romantic, sensual, emotional, fantastic, graceful... and Loved it!"
- Nazareth College Arts Center Critic's Blog


Discography

Melding his urban athleticism with her Latin sensuality, and their combined choreographic and musical sensibilities, Ted Thomas and Frances Ortiz founded Thomas/Ortiz Dance in 2001, introducing a fresh and emotionally engaging new vision to contemporary dance. The company of twelve dancers from culturally diverse backgrounds performs a repertoire which explores a multitude of thought-provoking and socially-relevant themes. For Love or Grace delves into issues surrounding sexuality and religion. Winter Sky exposes the effect of alcoholism on a relationship. Reflections depicts a young woman’s search for self-identity and self-approval. Reviewing a Thomas/Ortiz Dance showcase at the Merce Cunningham Studios in 2004, Christina Giraldi of Show Business weekly wrote: “Ethereal and rejoicing, intriguing, lighthearted, sexually charged, political, thoughtful – these are adjective that only attempt to describe the eclectic collection of pieces performed… Thomas/Ortiz is a young company which displays much talent and promise.”

Thomas/Ortiz Dance made its debut at The Bronx Academy of Art and Dance in 2001. The company has since performed at Joyce SoHo, the Puffin Room, Clune Center for the Arts (CT), DeBaun Center for the Performing Arts (NJ), as well as performances at Bridge for Dance, Dance Space Raw Materials, DanceNow Festival, “The Remember Project” for Dancers Responding to AIDS at St. Marks Church, and Dance for Life in Bryant Park – all in New York. Their last presentation at the Merce Cunningham Studios was singled out as a “critic’s pick” in Show Business Weekly.

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Bio

TED THOMAS, Artistic Director
A native New Yorker, Ted Thomas attended the High School for Performing Arts before receiving his B.F.A. from the State University of New York at Purchase. He went on to earn a Masters degree in dance and higher education from New York University. He danced with Ballet Hispanico, Elisa Monte, and the Murray Louis and Nikolais Company prior to joining the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 1996. While choreographing and continuing to perform with Thomas/Ortiz Dance, Mr. Thomas was for two years Artist-in-Residence at Barnard College. He currently teaches dance at the New England Academy of Dance and at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, CT.

FRANCES ORTIZ, Artistic Director
Moving to New York from her native Puerto Rico, Frances Ortiz studied at The New World School of the Arts in Miami FL, prior to earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance at the State University of New York at Purchase. While studying for her Masters degree at New York University, she performed with Kevin Wynn, Tim Martin, and Carl Paris. Ms. Ortiz has taught dance and has been a guest choreographer at Yale University. Frances and her twin sister Ginna Ortiz are co-owners of the New England Academy of Dance in New Canaan, CT. In addition, Frances is Artistic Director of the New England Dance Theater and currently teaches dance at Greenwich High School in Greenwich, CT.

Currently Thomas/Ortiz Dance is working on a choreography commission for Connecticut Ballet.