Accessibility Program
Welcome to the performance! We’re excited that you joined us.
This is an enhanced event program that includes images and info for each work.
Kat, your ASL interpreter, will be with you at all the locations throughout the performance. There are orange cones at the best locations to see Kat and the musicians. The route is fully wheelchair accessible. Enjoy the show!
Stroll
Performers - Maiko Harada, Saki Masuda, Kierstyn Sharrow,
Samantha Siegel, Emily Smyth Vartanian, and Juniper Viernes
Music - “The Stroll” by TAIKOPROJECT, composed by Bryan Yamami & Masato Baba
Choreography - Emily Smyth Vartanian
This song features contemporary Taiko percussion including multiple drums, flutes, and shouts from the ensemble while they play:
Hodi
Live percussion by Pablo Eluchans
Choreography - Improvisation influenced by our friends at Hodi Maputo Afro Swing
The only music in this piece is played live by the percussionist. Kat will show you where to stand so you can see his hands as he plays:
[GIF of Taikoproject]
Photo of Pablo Eluchans sitting at a drum kit
Hailstork Flute Suite
Fourth Movement
Music by Adolphus Hailstork
This piece is a lively flute solo performed by Zara Lawler. The choreography is designed with the same feeling as the music - lively, playful, and brisk!
Photo of Zara Lawler playing the flute - Photo by Ismael Fernandez
After this piece, Pablo will play a nice loud drumroll as the dancers run into place for….
Hudson Adventure
An adapted excerpt from Back/Story
Performers - Maiko Harada, Saki Masuda, Kierstyn Sharrow,
Samantha Siegel, Emily Smyth Vartanian, Juniper Viernes
Music - “Zoey’s Adventure” by 41street Ensemble, composed by Donna Viscuso
Choreography - Emily Smyth Vartanian
The jazz fusion music in this piece is played by this quintet:
Photo of 41street Ensemble playing - Photo by Carolina Abolio
Composer Donna Viscuso wrote the piece after watching Zoey, an ensemble member’s puppy, running and sneaking around the house….
GIF of golden retriever puppy running around
Hailstork Flute Suite
Second Movement
Music by Adolphus Hailstork
Zara Lawler returns with another flute solo, this one with rapid-fire notes and a big finish! She’ll tell you all about that before the piece begins.
Gif of Zara Lawler with her flute, ready to move! Photos by Ismael Fernandez
Cafecito
Performers - Maiko Harada and Saki Masuda (Saturday)/Alexandra Williamson (Sunday)
Music – “Cafecito” by Donna Viscuso, performed by 41street Ensemble
Choreography - Emily Smyth Vartanian
This elegant but slightly caffeinated music is again played by the 41street Ensemble:
Photo of 41street Ensemble in a theater - Photo by Nina Galicheva
Jam Time
Pablo Eluchans and Juniper Viernes
Juniper and Pablo will do an improvised jam, trading rhythms back and forth as well as making music together.
Photo of Juniper tapping with musicians - Photo by Nina Galicheva
Flowers
Choreographed by Karen Gayle
Sakura performed by Maiko Harada
Music composed by Viola Pellegrini and performed by Eleonora and Viola Pellegrini
Chrysanthemum performed by Saki Masuda
Music composed and performed by Eleonora Pellegrini
These two elegant solos are again played by members of the 41street Ensemble. The first is a lyrical duet for violin and harp, and the second piece is a waltz played on harp alone.
Hailstork Flute Suite
First Movement
Music by Adolphus Hailstork
Zara Lawler’s next flute solo is slightly less fast, but still playful and lively. It will involve participation for just a few audience volunteers - she’ll tell you all about it.
Photo of Zara Lawler flying off a wall - Photo by Ismael Fernandez
Yarkhushta
Performers - Maiko Harada, Saki Masuda, Samantha Siegel,
Emily Smyth Vartanian, Juniper Viernes, and Alexandra Williamson (Sunday)
Music - “Yarkhushta” by the Sevak Amroyan
Choreography - Traditional and new steps staged by Emily Smyth Vartanian
Yarkhushta is traditionally a battle dance, and is still done as a folk dance today in some social settings. In addition to our percussionist, Pablo, there is high-energy recorded music for this piece played by a modern Armenian band, led by vocalist Sevak Amroyan:
Still image of Sevak Amroyan singing, from his “Yarkhushta” music video
It features an instrument called a Zurna, with a tone similar to a bagpipe:
Still image of a Zurna player, from Amroyan’s “Yarkhushta” music video
Hailstork Flute Suite
Third Movement
Music by Adolphus Hailstork
For her final solo performance, Zara Lawler brings a much more somber piece. The music is slower, more lilting and serene, but with a feeling of yearning underneath.
Photo of Zara Lawler playing the flute - Photo by Ismael Fernandez
If You Know You Know
Performers - Maiko Harada, Saki Masuda, Emily Smyth Vartanian, and Juniper Viernes
Music - “Cygnes” from Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky,
performed by The Fourth Wall Hybrid Arts Ensemble
Choreography - Emily Smyth Vartanian
The music in this piece is a lively classical composition, played by this musical trio:
Photo of The Fourth Wall Hybrid Arts Ensemble - Photo by Andy Batt
This music was originally used for a famous quartet in the ballet “Swan Lake”:
Feel free to check out the YouTube video of classic version:
Kaya
Full Company
Music - “Kaya” by Banda Hodi
Choreography - Emily Smyth Vartanian, inspired by our friends at Hodi Maputo Afro Swing
The music in this piece is composed and performed by Banda Hodi from Maputo, Mozambique. The lyrics are in two native Mozambican languages, and will not be translated, but we’ll tell you about the story of the piece before it starts.
The song is played on contemporary and traditional Mozambican instruments, and has a festive energy, even though it’s about a serious subject.
Photo of Banda Hodi playing music - Photo by Alex Manguele via MASX.org
After this piece, a short piece of the music from “Hudson Adventure” is played again, ending exactly when the dancers hide away.
Following the final dance, Pablo Eluchans will play live percussion for about 10 minutes - we would love to chat or dance with you!
That’s our show!
Thank you again for joining us.
If you have any feedback about how we can provide a better experience for future performances, please get in touch:
Instagram @general_mischief_dance
Summer on the Hudson Staff:
Director of Public Programming: Whitney Dearden
Programming Associates: Jenna Baker Morrissey and Grace Willoughby
Programming and Facilities Coordinator: Prayatmi Shakya
General Mischief staff:
Head Troublemaker: Emily Smyth Vartanian
Mischief Administrator: Mia DiChiaro
Technical Director: Mark Baker
ASL Interpreter: Kat Katona
Our incredible collaborators:
41street Ensemble
@41street_ensemble on Facebook and Instagram
Hodi Maputo Afro Swing
@MaputoAfroSwing on Facebook and @HodiMaputoAfroSwing on Instagram
Pablo Eluchans
@pablo.eluchans on Instagram
TAIKOPROJECT
Taikoproject.org - @TAIKOPROJECT on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
The Fourth Wall Hybrid Arts Ensemble
TheFourthWallEnsemble.com - @thefourthwallensemble on Instagram
Very special thanks to all of Mischief’s individual donors and supporters on Patreon!
Huge thanks to the organizations who made today possible:
