Kyle Abraham’s work seems to exist in places of paradox. I often see Cunningham and hip-hop mentioned in the same sentence when referring to his work. It intrigues me and I wonder where is this place, this space, and this body where seemingly polar opposites both exist. Then I see his newest work, Live! The Realest MC and a whole other world of seemingly polar opposites open up for me. Except they don’t exist like static places to go between, but rather places with rich nuance that blend into the next creating a hybridity of movement and aesthetics.

I walk toward Kyle Abraham's Live! The Realest MC through pillars of the Seattle dance scene on opening night: Wade Madsen, Catherine Cabeen, Karn Junkinsmith, Donald Byrd, Cyrus Khambatta, and more folded in the crowd I imagine ... Lane Czaplinski sips a beer, face half obscured by the bare two-by-four railing as the show nears beginning.  Lights glow otherworldly.  We enter.

Congrats to the OtB alums who were given Doris Duke Performing Artist Awards today! The list includes:
Anne Bogart
Rinde Eckert (who will also be seen as part of The Gurs Zyklus)
Deborah Hay
Marc Bamuthi Joseph
Elizabeth LeCompte
Young Jean Lee
Ralph Lemon
Richard Maxwell
Sarah Michelson
Bebe Miller