Lenora Lee Dance: Convergent Waves

Join South Street Seaport Museum and Lenora Lee Dance for Convergent Waves: NYC, an immersive multimedia free dance event abroad the 1885 tall ship Wavertree! The World Premiere will take place on Saturday, May 25 at 1pm, with additional performances on Saturday, May 25 at 3:30pm; Sunday, May 26, at 1pm and 3:30pm; and Monday, May 27 at 1pm and 3:30pm.

Lenora Lee Dance, celebrates its 15th Anniversary with a collaboration with South Street Seaport Museum, presenting the World Premiere of Convergent Waves: NYC. Come aboard Wavertree, where dance performances will unfold against the backdrop of this historic vessel. Audiences will be brought back in time as they journey throughout the rooms and decks of the three-story vessel experiencing intimate and engaging moments with performers in immersive environments transformed by video projection, recorded original music, and text.

Choreographed by award-winning dancer-choreographer Lenora Lee and the talented performers, this slate of dance vignettes has been created to artfully showcase different areas of the ship, while delving into the rich history of this international cargo vessel—the last of its kind—as well as the people who worked on it. Convergent Waves provides insight into the unseen lives of the laborers who helped to build New York City into the global hub it is today and the unexpected role of the sea as a site for freedom for its time from the racial and gender barriers of the era.

Dance will take place in the massive cargo hold, the forecastle where the crew ate and slept, the captain’s saloon, and more. Sign up today to ensure your spot for a unique experience that weaves together movement, history, and maritime spirit.

The audience will not be seated during the one-hour event and will actively move throughout the ship to witness each site-specific performance. Access to Wavertree involves climbing a few stairs, walking up an angled gangway, and descending a few stairs onto the deck. The lower decks are accessible via stairs, while the upper deck requires navigating steep ladder-like stairs.

In the interest of safety for our dancers, performances will not take place in the rain. Advanced registration is encouraged for this free event but walkups will be accommodated as possible. seaportmuseum.org/convergent-waves.

Partner Organizations: South Street Seaport Museum, Lenora Lee Dance, Asian Improv Arts, API Cultural Center, Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU, and Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.

Convergent Waves: NYC is part of a multi-city project made possible in part by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Companion pieces by Lenora Lee Dance include Convergent Waves: Boston, April 2022, Convergent Waves: SF, June 2022.

Performers/Dance Collaborators:

Naoko Brown

IJ Chan

Peter Cheng

Flora Hyoin Kim Han

Lynn Huang

Nelson Enrique Mejia Jr.

Miguel Miranda

Mikaela Morisato

Johnny Huy Nguyen

Caleb Patterson

Brandon Woods

Program:

Vijay Iyer

"Ascent”, “Proximity”, “Prayer” composed and performed by Vijay Iyer

“Ghost Time” composed by Vijay Iyer, performed by Fieldwork

The following are used by arrangement with ECM Records:

"Chorale" and "Geese" Composed by Vijay Iyer. Performed by the Vijay lyer Trio.

"Passage" Composed by Vijay Iyer. Performed by Vijay lyer and Wadada Leo Smith.

"Mutation X: Time" Composed by Vijay Iyer. Performed by Vijay Iyer, Miranda Cuckson, Michi Wianko, Kyle Armbrust, and Kivie Cahn-Lipman

"The Empty Mind Receives" Composed and performed by Vijay lyer and Wadada Leo Smith, published by Kobalt Music Publishing America Inc. and Kiom Music. (ASCAP).

Tatsu Aoki

"Let it not fall" composed and performed by Tatsu Aoki, with Kioto Aoki, Jamie Kempkers, Edward Wilkerson Jr. Courtesy of Asian Improv Records.

Francis Wong

“Revolutionary Process 1.0” (2013) BMI, from the “Trio SF” album (to be released in 2022). Composer and leader: Francis Wong. Performed by Francis Wong, Deszon X. Claiborne, Tatsu Aoki. Courtesy of Asian Improv Records.

Extend Your Visit:

General Admission to the South Street Seaport Museum includes access to all current exhibitions on view in the introduction gallery space at 12 Fulton Street and access to the 1885 tall ship Wavertree. Free timed tickets for a tour of the 1908 lightship Ambrose are available separately at no additional cost. seaportmuseum.org/general-admission.