Celebrating Gus Solomons jr

In celebration of his career as dancer, choreographer, actor, writer and educator, From the Horse’s Mouth dedicated a theater/dance performance event to Gus Solomons Jr, a pioneer and dance legend whose life-long accomplishments exemplify a storied career spanning more than 60 years.

The weekend celebration included three performances with more than twenty dancers, choreographers, critics and friends of the legendary dancer participating. The production also included a special “Talk Back” with Mr. Solomons, hosted by Wendy Perron, former editor-in-chief of Dance Magazine.

Rare film footage, videos and multimedia enhanced this edition of FTHM’s unique blend of movement and storytelling. The production followed FTHM’s simple structure: a cast member told a personal story, and then performed movement of their own choosing, sometimes interacting with another dancer.  Through the sharing of personal experiences by cast members, an insightful portrait of the charismatic and much-loved Gus Solomons Jr emerged. The intimate format provided the ideal vehicle in which to celebrate Gus’ extraordinary life and legacy.

Cast: Santa Aloi, Michael Blake, Wally Cardona, Yoshiko Chuma, Ze-eva Cohen, Carmen deLavallade, Mary Kate Hartung, John Heginbotham, Margaret Jenkins, Deborah Jowitt, Phyllis Lamhut, Jonathan Matthews, Dianne McIntyre, Meredith Monk, Douglas Nielsen, Norton Owen, Wendy Perron, Pam Pietro, Christina Noel Reaves, Pascal Rekoert, Judith Ren-Lay, James Sutton, Alice Teirstein, Martine van Hamel, David Vaughan

 GUS SOLOMONS jr dances, makes dances, writes about dance for Dance Magazine, Gay City News, and www.solomons-says.com. He has a degree in architecture from M.I.T. and danced with Pearl Lang, Donald McKayle, Martha Graham, and Merce Cunningham, among others.  He created the leading role in Donald Byrd’s nationally acclaimed The Harlem Nutcracker; in 2000, received a N. Y. Dance and Performance Award (a.k.a. “Bessie”) for Sustained Achievement in Choreography; in 2001, the first Robert A. Muh Award for a distinguished M.I.T. artist/alumnus; in 2004, the American Dance Festival’s Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching; in 2006-7, he was a national Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar.  And in 2010, he received another Bessie Award for PARADIGM, his troupe of dancers over 50.