Cedar Lake—Sexy, smart & cool

Rain Dogs. Photo: Ally Duffey

By Susan Reiter

It’s been a busy year between BAM engagements for Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, which returns to the Howard Gilman Opera House with two programs June 3—6. Following its inaugural BAM season, which marked this energetic, distinctively edgy troupe’s 10th anniversary, Cedar Lake introduced a new choreographic initiative, Cedar Lab, which culminated in performances of five new works created by company members.

The company toured to Germany last fall, and then debuted in Australia and New Zealand. In February, they presented a full-company installation, with live music, conceived/directed by Artistic Director Alexandra Damiani. This month they perform in Boston and then return to BAM, where the repertory includes world and New York premieres.

Particularly intriguing is My Generation, by Richard Siegal—an American based in Europe whose work has had few chances to be seen in New York in recent years. Cedar Lake’s mission has been to introduce New York audiences to dances by cutting-edge choreographers who often have busy careers in other parts of the world, but whose work is less known in these parts.

Cedar Lake Videopalooza

by Susan Yung

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet is celebrating 10 years! See previews of the works comprising three programs at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (June 11 to 14) in these clips, which show the range of choreography by some of the world's hottest dancemakers and the dancers' virtuosity and full throttle approach.


Orbo Novo by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
This evening-length work, inspired by Jill Bolte Taylor's memoir on having a stroke, is a search for the perfect balance between the left and right sides of the brain, an attempt at untangling the future and the past. Cedar Lake has made some fun travel vlogs; this one focuses on performances of Orbo Novo in Germany, with insights on the work by performers.