Arnie Zane (September 26, 1948 – March 30, 1988) was an American photographer, choreographer, and dancer. He is best known as the co-founder and co-artistic director of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company.
Early years
The second son of an Italian-Jewish family, Zane was born in the Bronx, New York on September 26, 1948. Zane graduated from State University of New York at Binghamton (SUNY) with a degree in theater and art history. Not long afterward, Zane began pursuing an interest in photography. Though he is best known for being a dancer and choreographer, Zane began his career as a photographer. Zane was immensely interested in the human body, particularly its gestures, its movement, and its essence. Critic Jeffrey Green has characterized Zane’s portraits as “breaking down boundaries of race and age”. Zane's exploration of these themes is evidenced in his famous pictorials of a dancing Bill T. Jones. He met Jones, the man who would later become his lifelong partner, while visiting his Alma mater. The story goes that the 22-year-old Zane was immediately enamored of Bill T. Jones (a freshman studying dance and theater at SUNY) when he spied him across campus in 1971. During that spring semester, Zane convinced Jones to travel to Amsterdam with him and explore their burgeoning romantic relationship. After living and working together in Amsterdam, Zane and Jones eventually returned to New York.
A dance troupe or dance company is a group of dancers and associated personnel who work together to perform dances as a spectacle or entertainment. There are many different types of dance companies, often working in different styles of dance.
In small companies several of these functions will be carried out by the same person without explicit job titles, while a ballet company, for example, is often larger and has a more defined set up.
Creating more than 100 works for his own company, Jones has also choreographed for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, AXIS Dance Company, Boston Ballet, Lyon Opera Ballet, Berlin Opera Ballet and Diversions Dance Company, among others. In 1995, Jones directed and performed in a collaborative work with Toni Morrison and Max Roach, Degga, at Alice Tully Hall, commissioned by Lincoln Center’s "Serious Fun" Festival. His collaboration with Jessye Norman, How! Do! We! Do!, premiered at New York’s City Center in 1999.
The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company is an American dance company based out of Harlem in New York City. Founded in 1983 by Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane, the company made its debut performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music with the world premiere of Intuitive Momentum with lauded drummer Max Roach. The company has since drawn international acclaim, performing in more than 200 cities in 30 countries.
In 2011, the company merged with Dance Theater Workshop to become New York Live Arts. The move was prompted by a need for financial security, with the dance company coming in as the more financially secure organization of the two – DTW took on a considerable amount of debt in building its Doris Duke Performance Center on 19th Street, which opened in 2002. Jones, on the other hand, has been in search of a permanent venue for his company, and envisions the Duke Performance Center becoming an arts center similar to the 92nd Street Y.
There was a knight of noble worth, Who also lived up in the North The knight of courage stout and brave, A wife he did desire to have He knocked at the manor gate, One eve when it was very late The youngest daughter fair and bright, She went to bed with this young knight. In the morn when it was day, These words to him well she did say Now you've had your will said she, I pray sir knight will you marry me? The brave young knight to her replied, Your suit it shall not be denied If you answer questions three, This very day you will marry me. Oh what is longer than the way? Or what is deeper than the sea? What is louder than a horn? Or what is sharper than a thorn? What is rounder than a ring? Or what is sweeter than the spring? What is greener than the grass? Or what is worse than woman was? Love is longer than the way, hell is deeper than the sea Thunder's louder than a horn, And hunger's sharper than a thorn The world is rounder than a ring, Our babe will be more sweet than spring Poison's greener than the grass, And the devil is worse than woman was When she these questions answered had, The knight became exceeding glad And having wholly tried her wit, He much commended her for it After as it's verified, He made of her his lovely bride So now fair maidens all adieu, This song I dedicate to you.
Latest News for: bill t. jones arnie zane dance company
