(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater (AXCBT), Monmouth County's only professional ballet company, will present a two-part series entitled Dance(in)Haus, showcasing the power of human imagination, creativity, and the intersection of architecture and dance. The performance series, created by AXCBT Artistic Director Gabriel Chajnik, is inspired by the Bauhaus movement, connecting the intricate architecture of Bell Works, the stunning paintings of Wassily Kandinsky, the influential music of Bauhaus composers, and the exuberance and athleticism of AXCBT artists. Appealing to traditional theatergoers, and design and architecture aficionados, Dance(in)Haus is one of AXCBT's most engaging works to date.
The Dance(in)Haus program will be performed at the AXCBT rehearsal studio at Bell Works, providing attendees an opportunity to see the company in an intimate and unique setting from November 11-13. The program will feature a series of vignettes that explore lines of movement inspired by the shapes in Bauhaus paintings, where geometric and spiritual themes emerge and coexist naturally.
Dance(in)Haus I - Performances at Bell Works from November 11-13, 2022. General Admission: Friday, November 11 at 7:00pm; Saturday, November 12 – at 2:00pm & 5:00pm; and Sunday, November 13 at 5:00pm. VIP on Friday, November 11 at 6:00pm; Saturday, November 12 at 1:00pm & 4:00pm; and Sunday, November 13 at 4:00pm.
"I am excited to share AXCBT's studio/performance space at Bell Works with Dance(in)Haus. I have been deeply moved by Bell Works' Bauhaus-inspired architecture, and these performances will allow audiences to experience a story up close that's been created and curated just for them," explained Chajnik.
General admission tickets are $35 and are available online axelrodartscenter.org, by calling 732.531.9106, extension 14, or can be purchased at the door. There is a $3.50 convenience fee for credit card purchases. Student tickets are available at $15 for standing room only.
VIP tickets are available at $75 and include prime seating; an exclusive Bell Works tour by Bell Works creative director Paola Zamudio, AXCBT President Elise Feldman, and AXCBT director Gabriel Chajnik; a pre-show reception; a meet and greet with artists; and a Bell Works gift bag. Proceeds from VIP tickets help to fund AXCBT dancer contracts.
The Dance(in)Haus series draws inspiration from Bauhaus, a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933. The school became famous for its approach to design with the Bauhaus style often featuring simple geometric shapes like rectangles and spheres, without elaborate decorations. Performed on the grounds of the Holmdel landmark, Dance(in)Haus is an intimate, immersive performance inspired by Bell Works' Bauhaus architecture.
The experience will be presented as 20-minute pop-up performances featuring 10 AXBCT company members dancing a mixed repertory program choreographed by Chajnik. The series will showcase AXCBT's collaboration with Bell Works, the historic former Bell Labs building in Holmdel, New Jersey. Bell Works, named one of the "most iconic buildings in America" by Architectural Digest, has evolved into a hub for arts and culture under the direction of Paola Zamudio, Lead Designer and Creative Director of Bell Works.
Zamudio added, "Dance(in)Haus is a celebration of the Bauhaus art movement and is the perfect extension of my direction with Bell Works. Dance(in)Haus is going to be a combination of color, movement, and art and we can't wait to share it with the community. The energy of dance in a beautiful space is magical, and I feel as though my Bell Works vision is coming to fruition through this performance series."
Dance(in)Haus pop-up performances are FREE and will run over five weeks, ending on Friday, November 18. Pop-up performances will be presented throughout Bell Works – a unique showcase for this production. Dance(in)Haus FREE Pop-Up Performances at Bell Works - Friday, November 4 at 12:30pm; Wednesday, November 9 at 12:30pm; Friday, November 11 at 12:30pm; Wednesday, November 16 at 12:30pm; and Friday, November 18 at 12:30pm.
"My work utilizes projection mapping technology, enabling audiences to experience Kandinsky's shapes on a live canvas—the dancers' bodies. The dancers bring these paintings and shapes to life, and I can't wait to hear what kind of meaning the audience derives from these interactive works," shared Chajnik. "The new commission connects the visual arts with the performing arts, which the Bauhaus school called 'total artwork.'"
Additional choreography is provided by Lindsay Jorgensen, an emerging choreographer and AXCBT dancer. Chajnik remarked, "This is Lindsay's third year with the company, and she has a distinctive and innovative choreographic voice that has been developed over the time she has been with the company."
The evening's performances will also feature international guest artists, and special guests, vocalist David Smolokoff and pianist Joe Moffit. Smolokoff is a Basie Award-winning New Jersey native and Juilliard School graduate. The second installment of Dance(in)Haus will be presented in April 2023.
Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater (AXCBT) strives to cultivate an environment rooted in diversity, inspiration, encouragement, and equality where all are welcome and heard. Listening and learning is at the heart of our commitments to change policies, attitudes, and habits that do not align with our core values.
Gabriel Chajnik has assembled a community of skilled artists, each unique and necessary to the growth of AXCBT and its audience. AXCBT prides itself on its perseverance through the challenges of 2020 and the company's continuation of dance education. Mr. Chajnik and his dancers aim to expand creativity and appreciation for the arts throughout New Jersey, inviting patrons, students, and artists to join them on this gratifying endeavor.
AXCBT Artistic Director Gabriel Chajnik received undergraduate dance training at The Julliard School studying under legendary instructor, mentor, and Juilliard faculty emeritus Maestro Héctor Zaraspe. Mr. Chajnik's work has been featured at the Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C., Alice Tully Hall, the Clark Theatre at Lincoln Center, Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, and the Lambs Theatre. As an educator, he has taught various dance technique classes to notable dance schools such as Brooklyn Music School (NY), Princeton Ballet School (NJ), the Academy of Dance Arts (NJ), and Gotta Dance (NJ). Mr. Chajnik merged his two passions of choreography and education by establishing the Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theatre (AXCBT), the first professional dance company in the Monmouth County area, and the Axelrod Performing Arts Academy (APPA), both with the help of Axelrod Performing Arts Center's President Elise Feldman. Mr. Chajnik has been honored by the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon, & Warren Counties. In September 2021, Monmouth Arts honored Gabriel for his work in the community during the pandemic.
Bell Works is the reimagination of the historic former Bell Labs building in Holmdel, New Jersey. Today, the building is a one-of-a kind destination for business and culture, complete with a blossoming ecosystem of technology, traditional offices, retail, dining, hospitality, and much more. Bell Works has evolved into a hub for Arts and Culture, featuring various art exhibitions, live performances, film shoots, installations, and more! This is all part of the direction of Paola Zamudio, Lead Designer + Creative Director of Bell Works.
