Rules Of The Game

Enforced Arch founder, James Koroni has been invited by Jonah Bokaer, media artist and choreographer to participate in Rules Of The Game. This past month Koroni traveled to Dallas, TX and had the pleasure of dancing with some of the most talented dancers from around the world: Sara Procopio, James McGinn, Elisabetta Rollo, Szabi Pataki, Laura Gutierrez, Callie Lyons & Albert Drake. Here's is the formal announcement from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra:

RULES OF THE GAME

JONAH BOKAER X DANIEL ARSHAM

A NEW CHOREOGRAPHY BY JONAH BOKAER WITH SCENOGRAPHY BY DANIEL ARSHAM AND ORIGINAL MUSIC BY PHARRELL WILLIAMS

WORLD PREMIERE AT THE NANCY A. NASHER AND DAVID HAEMISSEGER FAMILY

SOLUNA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL ON MAY 17, 2016 IN DALLAS, TX

At Chez Bushwick’s annual gala honoring Daniel Arsham, Rules Of The Game, a new collaborative, performance project was announced. The piece is a partnership between choreographer Jonah Bokaer and his dancers, visual artist Daniel Arsham, and an original score by Pharrell Williamsperformed by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Rules Of The Game will have its world premiere in Dallas on May 17, 2016, at the Winspear Opera House as part of SOLUNA International Music & Arts Festival. Rules Of The Game will be the first collaboration between Arsham, Bokaer and Williams, collectively.

Rules Of The Game, a multidisciplinary work for eight dancers, is currently being developed. The music by Williams represents his first composition for live dance and theater. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will provide the live accompaniment at the premiere.

“This collaboration is something that we have worked on for a long time,” said Anna-Sophia van Zweden, Director of Festival Advancement for SOLUNA. “We wanted to bring Daniel and Jonah to SOLUNA, and in our conversations, this project emerged. We are thrilled to present the world premiere performance of this work and to have the Dallas Symphony Orchestra perform original orchestral music by Pharrell.”

“I am excited to be working again with Jonah and Pharrell,” said Arsham. “We are currently in production, developing the concepts for the score and scenography, so it will be interesting to see how the piece changes shape over the coming months and to see its premiere at SOLUNA.”

Arsham has been designing and building sets since 2007, when he was commissioned by legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham to create the stage design for his work eyeSpace. His collaborations with Bokaer, who he met through Cunningham’s company, began in 2007, and over the past eight years, the duo have created a unique scenic language exploring themes of spatial reorientation and the perceived passage of time. Arsham and Williams have collaborated, beginning in 2013, when he cast Williams’ Casio MT500 keyboard, a formative part of his musical development, in volcanic ash, crystal and steel. The following year, Arsham cast Williams’ entire body for GIRL, Williams’ curatorial debut at Galerie Perrotin. The gallery represents Arsham, and has collaborated in the past with both Williams and Bokaer.

More information to follow. Tickets for the performance will be available later this year.

Neither

© William Nadylam took this picture during the Open Rehearsal at the Second Ward Foundation in Hudson this summer. (Photographed, James Koroni)

James Koroni has been invited by media artist and choreographer Jonah Bokaer, to participate in a staging of Morton Feldman & Samuel Beckett's NEITHER.

In Jonah Bokaer's words:

NEITHER is the encounter between modern composer Morton Feldman, and the avant-garde writer, playwright, and poet Samuel Beckett. It is their only opera, a 1-hour Monodrama work in 1 Act. It is a very unique musical score, with only 86 words of libretto.

I have been researching the production for 8 years, and I will direct and choreograph it in my own way, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, and with a Guggenheim Fellowship.

© William Nadylam took this picture during the Open Rehearsal at the Second Ward Foundation in Hudson this summer. (Photographed, James Koroni & Faris Al-Shathir)

At the moment Neither is still in residency. A performance schedule will be posted soon.

For more information about Jonah Bokaer, visit: http://jonahbokaer.net/

connie & jimmy - episode 4

The stars align in episode 4 of “connie & jimmy”! Inspired by the 1953 film I Love Melvin. This episode will keep you “A-boodle-oo beep beep baum baum baum”-ing for hours. In episode 4, our charismatic duo has returned home from a frustrating dinner party. What’s on the menu must also match what’s in the heart. Our conscientious couple can’t help but shake it off in this delightful twist on “Where Did You Learn To Dance?” originally performed by Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor.

“connie & jimmy” enthusiastically shares TrueLoveHealth.com (http://truelovehealth.com/) as a resource for all your plant-based nutrition inquiries. It is sure to put a spring in your step!

Don’t bite the bum of an animal carcass. Plant-based protein is everywhere!

CREDITS

connie – Connie Castanzo jimmy – James Koroni

writer, director & co-producer – james koroni co-produced by Civil Sea Films co-choreographers – james koroni & Tracey Katof director of photography – Ben Effinger editor – Laura Mazzeo grip – justin van wie

Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary

A few years ago James Koroni, founder of Enforced Arch, had the pleasure of dancing in the Catskill mountains at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. A place where "food" animals have now found refuge and can live out their lives in peace. Watch it here:

Koroni will be hosting Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary's Cocktail Benefit at the chic Alexander Gray Associates art gallery in Chelsea, Manhattan. Please join him to support this pivotal animal advocacy organization!

> Tickets are $150 a person – Click HERE to Purchase <

Somewhere Between Tehran & New York

Enforced Arch founder, James Koroni danced for the internationally respected choreographer Jonah Bokaer at Shared Studios. Witnessed by those in New York City and Tehran, Iran at one moment in time.

Veil Of Fears

Creative Director & Choreographer, James Koroni Assistant Choreographer, Tracey Katof Costume Designer, Lui Konno 

DATE: August 2nd

TICKETS: $20 advance purchase OR $25 at the door

TIME: 5:30 PM & 8:00 PM

LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space 2537 Broadway at 95th Street New York, NY 10025-6990

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PETA Takes On New York Fashion Week

"...artistic expression is a vehicle for social change." said professional dancer, Kyle V Martin.

For New York Fashion Week, Enforced Arch founder and choreographer James Koroni teamed up with PETA. Their performance piece evoked compassion for animals who are killed to make fur garments.

"This is another way to get people to think about the cruelty of the fur industry by making them think, 'how would I feel if I was killed for my coat?' " said PETA campaign specialist Ashley Byrne. "I think when someone pictures the terrifying experience of being attacked and beaten, all because someone wants the coat off your back, they begin to understand what the animals who are killed for fur are going through."

FUR IS UNNECESSARY

Unless one is homeless, a traditional indigenous person living in cold climates, or in a truly life-threatening situation – there really is no good excuse for wearing fur. Fur performs no better than most synthetics when it comes to retaining warmth. Arctic explorers, alpine climbers, and cold-climate sports and adventurer’s gear typically lacks one thing: Fur. Considering the leaps and bounds textile producers have made in sustainable textile production, including imitation furs, there is no reason to put animals through such incredible amounts of pain and suffering. (SOURCE)

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

So many investigations, documentaries and exposés from Asia, to Europe, to North America contradict the outright lies being told on the pages of fashions magazines across the globe and under the pop-culture limelight. Here are some resources to see for yourself exactly how fur is made. Keep in mind, that while animal advocates stand to gain nothing but peace-of-mind, the fur industry stands to lose billions of consumer dollars:

Visit the International Anti-fur Coalition for a list of  70 international anti-fur organizations, or visit the list of the Fur Free Alliance for 35 more international anti-fur organizations. (SOURCE)

NO ONE IS PERFECT.

Most people who purchase fur garments do not know how they are made – and that’s not surprising, considering the monumental effort to keep the process hidden. Let’s say you have some fur, so now what? If you currently own a fur garment, or inherited one from family, why not donate it to coats for cubs or the homeless and turn a product that represents indifference to suffering into a life-saving object? (SOURCE)

Other professional artists that contributed to this performance:

Assistant Choreographer - Tracey Katof

Dancers - Dee Keaveney, James Koroni,  Kyle V Martin, Marie Paldrup, Rachel Hettinger, Tammi Greenberg, Paulette Lewis, Tracey Katof, Tyrone Bevans

Camera - Ben Effinger

Music - Watch Dogs by Notic Nastic

More info on the inherent cruelty of the fur industry at Reinvent The Icon: http://www.reinventtheicon.com/about-pinnacle/fur/

It Was Never Your Fault!

Rich Ryan Productions, LLC through the We Are Many Foundation are pleased to present LEMON MERINGUE, a new play written by Rich Ryan, directed and adapted for the stage by Terri Muuss and choreographed by Enforced Arch 'Mover' Tracey Katof, with original music by Athena Reich will premiere at The TBG Theatre November 8th - November 24th in New York City.

LEMON MERINGUE is a moving roller-coaster ride through the therapeutic process of Rich, a typical guy from Long Island. As Rich struggles to overcome the devastating effects of childhood sexual abuse, we witness his anger and pain slowly giving way to happiness and forgiveness. This true story, told through music, dance and dialogue, illustrates one man's inspirational journey towards survival and finding, then healing, his inner child. LEMON MERINGUE is a compelling success story that should not be missed. It will leave your heart soaring.

The show runs at The Barrow Group Theatre, 312 West 36th Street 3rd Floor (bet 8th and 9th Avenue), New York, NY 10018. Tickets $18. For tickets visit: www.smarttix.com. LEMON MERINGUE is an Equity Approved Showcase.

Rich Ryan (Writer) is a devoted father of three who lives on Long Island and works in New York City. Rich is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. Since breaking his silence in 2003, Rich has been dedicated to raising awareness about childhood sexual abuse and helping others heal from the effects. He has attended many male survivor conferences and his artwork has been displayed at several survivor art shows. In 2010, Rich made an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show to share his story with a group of 200 male sexual abuse survivors and a national television audience of 15-20 million people.

Rich is a fervent believer in the notion that victims of abuse have the power to live full, rewarding lives. Recognizing the profound impact that sharing one's story can have on the healing process of others, Rich felt inspired to write Lemon Meringue - a one-act play that chronicles the story of a man struggling with and overcoming the effects of childhood sexual abuse. This is his story. For Rich, the process of writing a play for the first time - particularly a play addressing this subject - has been both challenging and rewarding.

Rich has dedicated Lemon Meringue to all of the men and women who have perished from the effects of childhood sexual abuse as well as those who continue to struggle.

All proceeds from the new play LEMON MERINGUE (www.LemonMeringue.org) benefit The We Are Many Foundation (www.wearemanyfoundation.org).

The We Are Many Foundation helps, heals and educates society concerning children who have been sexually victimized, as well as adults who struggle in their current life from the horrific ordeal they experienced when it was done to them in their youth.

For more about the show, visit www.LemonMeringue.org.

Chicago’s Beethoven Festival

I had the honor of working with Danielle Lurie, one of Filmmaker Magazine’s ’25 New Faces of Independent Film,’ and a fellow of IFP’s 2011 Emerging Visions symposium. Lurie is a New York City based filmmaker and photographer. She has been shooting films and photos since graduating from Stanford University in 2000 with a BA in Philosophy.

As a filmmaker, regardless of the space she inhabits, Lurie creates endless possibility. Her positivity, enthusiasm and curiosity breaks down any inhibitions I may have felt when collaborating. This particular piece was set on an open rooftop, in the rain where I could have let the elements, a random passerby or onlooker from the adjacent apartment windows distract from our process. This was of no concern with Lurie present. Lurie brings her warmth to the process making the results something to marvel at because what may have seemed rigid at first has somehow been captured organically.

Created for the 2013 Beethoven Festival, this is a segment of the Video Art Piece created by Danielle Lurie, Featuring Dance by James Koroni. Set to J.S. Bach’s Concerto in F Minor. (below)

Created for the 2013 Beethoven Festival, this is a segment of the Video Art Piece created by Danielle Lurie, Featuring Dance by James Koroni. Set to Astor Piazzolla's Five Tango Sensations. (below)

Directed and filmed by Danielle Lurie Choreography and dance performance by James Koroni Beethoven Festival Curated by Catinca Tabacaru

ALLIANCE - International Tour

Enforced Arch Presents an International Tour London, Paris, Berlin October, 2013

VegFest - London, England Paris Vegan Day Festival - Paris, France Site-Specific Installation - Paris, France Site-Specific Installation - Berlin, Germany

ALLIANCE Art & Activism By Creative Directors, James Koroni & Tracey Katof

Enforced Arch Dance Company is thrilled to present ‘ALLIANCE’ Art & Activism, a presentation that harnesses the relationship between performance art and the pursuit of social justice. In our fall 2013 tour we will be presenting a collection of past and new works honoring the 'ALLIANCE' of art and activism. The performance features video installation by exceptional video artists including, Joshua Katcher and Yessi Yes-Yes Ruiz.

In the past two years Enforced Arch has been invited to share their work in cities such as, Washington D.C., New York City and Paris, and has addressed issues such as human rights, environmental awareness, animal rights and ethics & fashion. Each piece celebrates our ability to speak up for those who are less fortunate.

By making a donation to our fundraiser you also contribute to our collective voice and make it heard that much louder. Thank you for making our important work possible. Here's how we will be using the money raised by this campaign:

Costumes = $500

Rehearsal space abroad = $270

Rehearsal space in NYC = $270

Travel (London, Paris, Berlin) = $2,414

Per Diem = $560

Housing = $700

TOTAL COSTS = $4,714

ADDITIONAL funds raised will go toward our annual company performance of ALLIANCE: Art & Activism in New York City tentatively scheduled for Spring of 2014.

MAKE A DONATION BY CLICKING HERE!

Please join us this Fall for an informal studio showing before we head abroad:

New York City Studio Showing (LOCATION TBA) Thursday, September 19th

For more information regarding this performance please contact us at EnforcedArch@gmail.com.

THANK YOU!

Instrumental music in video by Clara Lofaro www.ClaraLofaro.com.

James Koroni for honest by. Bruno Pieters

"JAMES KORONI IS A NEW YORK BASED UP AND COMING DANCER, CHOREOGRAPHER, SINGER AND A DEDICATED VEGAN. WE MET UP WITH JAMES TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS INSPIRING MAN, HIS LOVE FOR VEGAN FOOD AND HIS OPINIONS ON FASHION TODAY." -Bruno Pieters

Photography by Joshua Katcher Text by Bruno Pieters

BP: I LOVE THE IMAGES OF YOU DANCING IN THE STREETS OF NEW YORK. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE DANCE AND PHOTOGRAPHS? JK: thank you! my inspiration for this piece is the city itself. I rarely find myself alone in New York City and it can be overwhelming at times but most often it is a source of inspiration. In the video, you'll notice, while I am dancing in the street, a rush of traffic, a man waiting in stillness and while dancing I could hear three teenagers cheering me on across the street. By being present and paying attention to my surroundings I am fuelled creatively and in return can offer something unique because it is reflective of my surroundings. I suppose then what I am trying to express is the creative symbiotic relationship that I have with my environment, which is why I am so sensitive to and concerned with its well being.

Read the rest of the interview HERE!

Riley Thomas: Looking Forward

Enforced Arch Founder, James Koroni, is portraying the role of Jack, a young and gifted autistic man, in Riley Thomas' work in progress 'Deuces Wild'. Deuces Wild is one of four new works-in-progress which makes up this exciting evening of Musical Theater! In addition to acting in this production he assisted the sweet and talented choreographer, Jennifer Knox as dance captain of Deuces Wild.

About Looking Forward:

After a sold out award-winning run of his musical Stuck at NYMF '12, writer/composer Riley Thomas looks to the future with snapshots of four new works-in-progress, ranging from gritty black box pieces to full-scale Broadway style shows.  Come be a part of the development by voting for your favorite!

Deuces Wild: Atlantic City better watch out when a New Jersey gambler realizes his autistic cousin has a head for numbers.

Living Larkin: Delve into a lurid but eloquent mind in this gritty one-man exposé.  (R-rated.  Book & Additional Lyrics by Jon Larkin)

Wearing Black: Evan must navigate the drugs, debts and relationships he inherits when his twin brother is killed.

Blood Fountain: An ancient and evil wizard seeks to restore his lost power in this sweeping fantasy epic.

DATE: July 11th, 2013 - 5PM & 9PM

LOCATION: The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre

480 West 42nd Street, New York, NY  10036

GET YOUR TIX HERE: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/924002

RUNNING TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes with no intermission.

Heineken EUFA Champions League Game

I had a spectacular time choreographing the halftime show for Heineken's private event for the EUFA Champions League Game last month. The entire experience was something I will never forget. I owe a great deal of thanks to my amazing team of collaborators.

First of all my assistant choreographer, Tracey Katof taught me a great deal about sorting through your thoughts. You may think you are prepared before starting a big job like this, and you may very well be, but it's always good to have someone to process your thoughts with before you step into a room with 50 people who are looking to you for direction. I need to thank her for being a tremendous support in this way.

I also want to thank Remezcla, Momentum Drums & Broadway Dance Center. These companies put in a lot of resources to make this all possible and I encourage you, if you haven't already, to check out these great companies!

Lastly I want to thank all the dancers who made this one big weekend of fun. You were all so positive and never gave less than 100%! Thank you and I look forward to working with you all again in the future!

Here's a slide show from that day:

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Born To Love You

NEW YORK - “What were you born to do?” asks Clara Lofaro, New York-based independent pop singer-songwriter. The answer to this is explored in her new video single, “Born to Love You,” an equal parts raw and sizzling single, exploring the fine line between pleasure and pain created by love.

See end of video for credits.

Enforced Arch creative director, James Koroni, inspired choreography for Clara's "live" performance sequence in Born To Love You. Not only did he contribute behind the scenes but he also portrayed the role of the love interest with whom Clara shares this experience.

Produced and mixed by Christian Lohr (Sting, Joss Stone, Andrea Bocelli), a multi-platinum producer and writer and co-mixed, engineered and mastered by Robert L. Smith (Lady Gaga, U2, David Bowie) in a Bavarian castle, “Born to Love You” is a testament to the enduring power of music as a universal connector to each other and, for Lofaro, to herself.

"'Born to Love You’ was inspired by music and a romantic love that I held at equal value. After the love had gone, music survived. It always will."

The “Born To Love You” video was filmed in Bushwick, Brooklyn at The Hive, a barter supported free artist space. Clara would like to extend a special thank you to Pete Carma of StreetcredMusic for bringing the people and elements together to help her vision come to life.

Don’t miss Clara’s special music video screening at her single release show at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 at 10:30 TONIGHT, Monday, May 13th!

Son Of Kick

Enforced Arch Creative Director, James Koroni, is featured in Son Of Kick "EOW" feat: Virus Syndicate & Foreign Beggars (Official Video).

Director: Charles Whitcher Executive Producer: Persis Koch & Eric Berkowitz Producer: Dana Discordia Director of Photography: Aaron Platt Art Director: June Everett Wardrobe: Marianna Guerrero Hair & Makeup: Akiko Owada Editor/FX: Charles Whitcher Production: Humble Featured dancers: Tyrone Bevans, James Koroni & Breck Oxford

twitter.com/sonofkick facebook.com/sonofkick

connie & jimmy - episode 2

In the second installment of “connie & jimmy”, an episodic 1940’s black & white mini-series, a couple deals with a hairy situation that’s not so black & white. Jimmy has all the best intentions but he can’t seem to avoid slipping up. Good thing Connie can keep him in check with her talent for turning classic songs on their heads in an effort to teach Jimmy an important fashion faux pas. “connie & jimmy” keeps your heart all aflutter but your feet on the ground.

Even though “connie & jimmy” are living in the 1940’s they’d be astounded at what visionary designers such as Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart of Vaute Couture and Joshua Katcher of Brave GentleMan are doing.

For more information on these and other fashion rebels visit: http://www.TheDiscerningBrute.com http://girliegirlarmy.com/ http://www.ecouterre.com/ http://laikamagazine.com/

"connie & jimmy"

"connie & jimmy" is romantic nostalgia. We romanticize the thought of taking a horse-carriage ride, as if it makes us feel connected to our ancestors. It's quite the opposite actually. To honor them we ought to observe the past and allow it to assist us in building a brighter future. We now know that the horse-drawn carriage industry is inhumane, dangerous to horses and people, and unnecessary. Alternatives are available. It's time to make history!

"connie & jimmy" supports New York State Senate and Assembly Bill S5013/A7748, sponsored by State Senator Tony Avella and Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal. This bill calls for a ban of horse-drawn carriages in New York City and finding good homes for all the carriage horses.

Gosh, don't get pulled in. Boycott horse-drawn carriages.

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SUBJECT, 2012

SUBJECT, 2012 from James Koroni on Vimeo.

The questions that SUBJECT asks are, "Who is a subject? To what do we subject others? Is this a subject worth considering?" In philosophy, a subject is a being that has subjective experiences, a subjective consciousness or a relationship with another entity.

In SUBJECT we reveal the intimacy of human and non-human relationships, validating them as subjects, which departs from their popular assignment as objects to be subjected to human will, whim and desire.

In SUBJECT, I perform for, with and around these rescued farm animals at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, and they acknowledge my presence. They are viewers. As a performer I evoke emotional responses, some jovial and affectionate and others curious and reserved. They are complex sentient being and all respond as individuals.

To meet the animals visit, http://woodstocksanctuary.org/.

Edmonton Fringe Festival Part 5

While in Edmonton, Canada for The International Fringe Festival the cast of The Man Who Wasn't There took time to Busk on The Fringe Grounds. This not only gave us more opportunities to perform but was a fulfilling way to connect with people and invite them to our show!

I've cut together a few great moments. Check it out:

Edmonton FRINGE – Part 1 Edmonton FRINGE – Part 2 Edmonton FRINGE – Part 3 Edmonton FRINGE – Part 4 Edmonton FRINGE – Part 5 Edmonton FRINGE - Part 6

Edmonton FRINGE Festival Part 4

Our tech rehearsal is finally here which means we get see the performance space for the first time. The Fringe festival only allows 3 hours in the space to take care of all technical issues such as; lighting, sound, spacing, etc. We managed to cover all our bases and more. By more I mean we managed to sneak in a little photo shoot.

Our venue is on the King Edward School campus, only two blocks from the FRINGE sight. The school is absolutely breathtaking!

The King Edward School first opened its doors to students March 9th, 1914, the Edmonton Bulletin newspaper was moved to note that its new shower baths "will be a novelty to many of the children, who never before saw hot water come down like rain." The new school also featured 17 classrooms, an automatic heat regulator (also notable for its day), separate playrooms for boys and girls and dedicated manual training and domestic science rooms.

Named for the eldest son of Queen Victoria, King Edward was the first school in Edmonton constructed with reinforced concrete. The Bulletin reported it took a million pounds of cement and one long train load of gravel, millions of brick (sic), miles of pipe, carloads of glass and in all about five train loads of material. But there is very little lumber or wood in the building, for it is built to be fireproof. (source)

We are honored to be performing in such a historic building in their community.After tech rehearsal Lauren Cox and I, James Koroni, invited everyone over to our hosts home to eat dinner, prepared by us. Our hosts have an organic garden that provides half of their produce and the other half comes in every Tuesday from a farming co-op, which is evenly split amongst local families. You basically receive whatever can be grown with current weather conditions in consideration. With our host family out of town there were so many veggies to eat. The trick is, you must use what is available which was mostly onions, potatoes, cucumbers, parsley and peas. We got creative with some tempeh and here's the result:

Marinated Tempeh with green pearl onions and string beans Green onion, red quinoa Garlicky baked potato wedges with parsley Oven roasted sweet onions Cucumber salad with cherry tomatoes

We're excited to see how local produce can inspire every meal for the rest of our stay here in Edmonton.

A gallery from today for your viewing pleasure: [flagallery gid=8 name="Gallery"]

Edmonton FRINGE – Part 1 Edmonton FRINGE – Part 2 Edmonton FRINGE – Part 3 Edmonton FRINGE – Part 4 Edmonton FRINGE – Part 5 Edmonton FRINGE - Part 6