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In 1965, choreographer and filmmaker Yvonne Rainer premiered Parts of Some Sextets at the Wadsworth Atheneum with a cast of ten performers and twelve mattresses. The work marked a pivotal aesthetic shift in the artist’s approach to movement and helped usher in a radical shift in contemporary dance. Nearly six decades after its presentation here and a subsequent presentation at Judson Dance Theater, the work’s impact continues to be felt through a recent revival and continued scholarship. To celebrate the publication of Remembering a Dance: Parts of Some Sextets, 1965/2019 (Performa / Lenz Press / Wadsworth Atheneum, 2023), Rainer returns to the Wadsworth in conversation with dancer, choreographer, and longtime collaborator Emily Coates. The artists reflect on Rainer’s pioneering career, discuss the process of reconstructing Parts of Some Sextets for the Performa 19 Biennial in New York, and consider the landscape of contemporary dance.
Free with required reservation. A book signing follows the conversation.
Presented in partnership with Performa and sponsored by the Auerbach Library Associates at the Wadsworth Atheneum. Additional support is provided by the Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation Fund at the Wadsworth Atheneum.
Image: Yvonne Rainer, Parts of Some Sextets, 1965/2019. Performa 19 Biennial. Photo by Paula Court, 2019. Courtesy Performa