April 2016 will mark an innovative milestone for the cultural institutions at Johnson County Community College. For the first time, the Performing Arts Series and the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, both located on the JCCC campus, will collaborate. Jonah Bokaer, dancer, choreographer and founder of his own company, will stage works in the lobby of the Nerman, as well as on the stage of the Polsky Theatre, located in the Carlsen Center.
Each of these cultural institutions at JCCC contributes greatly to the arts scene in the Greater Kansas City area. Combining forces, the results promise to prove once again that the college hosts a cultural hub for Johnson County and Kansas City.
“We’re breaking new ground, partnering with the Nerman Museum,” said Emily Behrmann, general manager of the JCCC Performing Arts Series. “We’re grateful to be presenting Jonah Bokaer’s work, which combines the visual arts sensibility with a love for dance. It’s a remarkable blend of genres.”
Originally from Ithaca, New York, Bokaer (pronounced bow-CARE) trained in dance at Cornell University, and subsequently graduated from University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Recruited for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company at the age of 18, Bokaer pursued a parallel degree in Visual & Media Studies at The New School, where he received the Joan Kirnsner Memorial Award. Additional studies in media and performance occurred at Parsons The New School for Design, NYU Performance Studies, and through self-taught explorations into digital media and 3D animation. Such studies led to the development of a rare, multi-disciplinary approach to choreography, addressing the human body in relation to contemporary technologies. His aim is to transform how the public views and understands dance.
“I have a motto: ‘If you have two eyes you can understand dance,’ ” Bokaer said. “In many cultures and for many years, the art of dance has been considered as primary and popular art. Nowadays, contemporary, and most precisely modern dance, became less accessible. For the past 10 years, I aimed through my work to bring choreography to a broader audience.”
Asked about what audiences should expect from a museum performance, Bokaer said, “The openness of a museum space, exhibition rooms or halls, offers so much freedom and so much more potential. For instance, my dancers will have to interact a lot with the art but also with the architecture. The volumes, the lines, the patterns and the rhythm of both will nurture them.”
Joining a long list of venues where Bokaer has staged dance in visual arts venues, such as the Guggenheim Museum, PS1 MoMA, The New Museum and MASS MoCA, among others, the Nerman Museum expands its offerings once again with this partnership.
“We’re excited to partner with the college’s Performing Arts Series to bring contemporary dance to Nerman MoCA,” said Bruce Hartman, Nerman Museum executive director. “Increasingly, art museums across the country are featuring performance, dance and music within their galleries and public spaces. It’s thrilling to include Jonah Bokaer among our offerings this spring!”
In May, a new choreography by Bokaer will premiere in Dallas with scenography by Daniel Arsham, visual artist, and original music by Pharrell Williams, most recently known for his appearance as a judge on “The Voice,” and Summer 2014’s ubiquitous hit, “Happy.”
Jonah Bokaer’s performance at JCCC is sponsored in part by G. Mark Sappington and David McGee.
In addition to the performance in the Nerman Museum, a traditional proscenium performance and stand-alone lecture are great options to add to your enjoyment of Bokaer’s work while he’s at JCCC:
Jonah Bokaer
Contemporary Dance
Nerman Museum Lobby
7 p.m., Wednesday, April 6
$15
Reception in the Nerman Atrium starts at 6 p.m.
Polsky Theatre
Performance of “Why Patterns” and “Recess”
8 p.m., Friday, April 8
$25
Free lecture by Jonah Bokaer
3:30 p.m., Thursday, April 7
Hudson Auditorium, Nerman Museum
For tickets or for more information, call 913.469.4445 or visit www.jccc.edu/TheSeries
–Emily Jones Behrman
