UNDERSCORED, premieres on November 13, 7:30pm, at the Guggenheim Museum.
Commissioned by Works & Process, UNDERSCORED is a multi-faceted project that acts as a living archive of five generations of NYC club dancers. Rooted in the intergenerational stories and memories of NYC underground club heads, UNDERSCORED was created in collaboration with legendary elders from the underground dance community such as Archie Burnett, Michele Saunders, and Brahms “Bravo” LaFortune and Ephrat Asherie Dance company members Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie, Manon Bal, Ron “Stealth-1” Chunn Jr., Teena Marie Custer, Val “Ms. Vee” Ho, and Matthew “Megawatt” West. The performers, ranging in age from 27 to 79, share lived experiences, stories, and vibes from seminal underground parties, including David Mancuso’s the Loft, Larry Levan’s Paradise Garage and Timmy Regisford’s Shelter. Featuring costumes by David Dalrymple and building on the intergenerational transference of knowledge and culturally reflective movement that happens night after night on dance floors across the city, UNDERSCORED explores the ever-changing physical and musical landscape of New York City’s underground dance community.