Fairfield County, Connecticut has a wealth of performance venues, and the Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University is one of the jewels in its theatrical crown. We had the pleasure of experiencing dancer, writer, performance maker, and filmmaker Emily Coates’ new work-in-progress project, entitled, The Scattering, performed at the Quick Center for the Arts during her residency there. Her muse for the project was George Balanchine’s short but momentous time in New England and his impact on the dance world.
Charles Burnham, Emily Coates, Derek Lucci – The Scattering
Emily Coates is a dynamic dancer, choreographer, writer, and filmmaker who uses her past dance history as a former member of the New York City Ballet, as well as her experience doing three duets with Mikhail Baryshnikov (White Oak Dance Project), having principal roles in ballets by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, and performing with Twala Tharp, and Yvonne Rainer, to create new works for the future. For her project, The Scattering, Emily looks at “how the body and spirit of dance artists scatter.”
On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, we had the opportunity to experience Emily Coates’ work-in-progress project, entitled The Scattering, performed as a duet with Derek Lucci (actor, director, visual artist, and Founder of Open Sky), with core collaborators Ain Gordon (director and dramaturg, Pick Up Performance Co.), and Charles Burnham (musician-composer).
With the audience sitting onstage to share an intimate and engaging moment in time, Emily and Derek developed the dance using archival photographs from George Balanchine’s ballets. After the performance, there was an interesting exchange of dialogue between Emily, Derek, and Ain with the audience.
Interesting to note about George Balanchine is that he was born in St. Petersburg, Russia on January 22, 1904. In 1933, Lincoln Kirstern invited him to travel to the United States. From there George Balanchine traveled to Hartford, Connecticut. His next stop was New York City, where together with Lincoln, created the School of American Ballet in 1934 and the New York City Ballet in 1948. Balanchine was actively involved in dance from 1929 until 1983, when he died in New York City on April 30, 1983.
Ain Gordon, Emily Coates, Derek Lucci – The Scattering
Emily explained after the performance that unlike modern productions, where performances are recorded, for archival performances, there are no recordings available, there are only photographs, and there are no annotations from which to reference and re-create past dance works. While this can be viewed as either limiting in that past ballets cannot be accurately reproduced, it can also be freeing, in that it allows current choreographers to create new works inspired by the photographs of the past.
As the performance on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, was a work in progress, we look forward to experiencing The Scattering in its entirety once it is completed. Bravo to Emily, Derek, Ain, and Charles for their compelling collaboration and for introducing the innate style of the legendary George Balanchine to new audiences.
The Quick Center for the Arts are finalizing the dates The Scattering (working title), the finished project, on October 8th and 9th, so be sure to check their website for more details as they become available: https://quickcenter.fairfield.edu/
To learn more about the Quick Center for the Arts upcoming programs, please visit their website: https://quickcenter.fairfield.edu/upcoming-events/ or call the Box Office: +1-203-254-4000 X 2973
A Sampling of Upcoming Programs at the Quick Center for the Arts
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Lila Downs (Music)
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March 23, 2025
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Open VISIONS Forum: Stuart Weitzman
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March 25, 2025
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Orin Grossman (Music)
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March 30, 2025
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Open VISIONS Forum: Sally Jenkins
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April 1, 2025
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2nd Annual Spring Soiree: Michael Feinstein
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April 6, 2025
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Fairfield University Glee Spring Concert (Music)
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April 15, 2025
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The Met Live in HD: Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera)
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April 20, 2025
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The Bennett Lecture in Judaic Studies: Anne Applebaum
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April 22, 2025
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Fairfield University Glee Pops Concert (Music)
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April 28, 2025
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Pilobus – Connecting with Balance, 6 weeks on Tuesdays
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April 22-May 27, 2025
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National Theatre Live: Dr. Strangelove
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April 30, 2025
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The Met Live in HD: Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia
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June 10, 2025
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Until next time, keep enjoying and supporting the arts!
Quick Center for the Arts
Fairfield University
1073 North Benson Road
Fairfield, Connecticut 06824
Box Office: +1-203-254-4000 X 2973
Website: https://quickcenter.fairfield.edu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FairfieldQuick
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