About the Company
Ice Theatre of New York is an extraordinary organization, which has changed the face of figure skating, by integrating the sensibilities of the contemporary dance, music and art worlds into performance skating. Founded in 1984 by Moira North, Ice Theatre of New York is the nation's first not-for-profit ice dancing ensemble to be awarded grants as a dance company by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Vartan Gregorian, the President of The Carnegie Corporation of New York, says "institutions like [Ice Theatre] are responsible for giving New York City the unparalleled artistic and cultural spirit that has made it the envy of the world."
In addition to pioneering skating as a performance art, Ice Theatre has also created diverse performance programs to develop young ensemble skaters and to implement educational outreach programs. ITNY's programs are aimed at developing new audiences for dancing on ice. These programs include the Lunchtime Ice Concert Series at Rockefeller Plaza and the New Works and Young Artists Series at Riverbank State Park. Both are dedicated to presenting new works to local audiences and to providing skating clinics for public school students.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Ice Theatre performances have garnered attention from print and TVmedia including major newspapers (New York Times, Boston Globe), trade magzines in the realm of dance and figure skating (Dance Magazine, International Figure Skating Magazine, Patinage, I S Magazine, 6.0 and Blades), and major television networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, NY1 News, WB11). Additionally, Ice Theatre was featured in television specials, "Winter Solstice on Ice" on A&E and "Colors of Winter" on Voom TV.
"Ice Theatre is onto something and it deserves greater support!"
Anna Kisselgoff
The New York Times
"One looks forward to seeing more of the programs of Ice Theatre of New York. They are truly challenging audiences and choreographers to experience new vistas coupled to traditions of excellence!"
Bernardine Jennings
Editor-in-Chief Dancer's Magazine
"Ice Theatre takes all the tricks that make the sport so engaging and transforms them into art."
Patti Hartigan
The Boston Globe
MORE ABOUT THE COMPANY
The Company continues to forge ahead, creating a unique environment in which professional artists from various backgrounds collaborate with dance choreographers, musicians, writers and visual artists to create and perform innovative works on the ice. Renowned in the world of figure skating, Ice Theatre stages more than just an ice show. Margo Jefferson of the New YorkTimes ranked Ice Theatre of New York among the Top Ten Theatre picks in New York City.
The Company has created a repertory of over 60 pieces, including works by major modern dance choreographers such as Jacqulyn Buglisi, Ann Carlson, Laura Dean, Alberto Del Saz, Donlin Foreman, David Dorfman, Lar Lubovitch, Elisa Monte, David Parsons, JoAnna Mendl Shaw, and emerging choreographers like Heather Harrington and David Liu. The repertory ranges from 12-skater ensemble pieces, to solos, duets and trios, with music from classical to contemporary.
Among the illustrious guest artists who have performed with Ice Theatre are Olympic Champions John Curry, Oksana Baiul, Sarah Hughes and Tatiana Navka & Roman Kostomarov, medalists Toller Cranston, Paul Wylie, Yuka Sato, and innovative skaters/artists like Gary Beacom, David Liu, Gia Guddat, and Katherine Healy who was also a Prima Ballerina.
In addition to traditional rink settings, the Company performs both on proscenium stages and portable, plastic ice surfaces. Ice Theatre's dance hosts include Boston’s Dance Umbrella, Vermont’s Flynn Theatre, Dancing in the Streets, Creative Time, as well as various European producers. In October 2005 the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook on Long Island, New York presented Ice Theatre’s proscenium stage show, “Dance Visions” featuring works by Carlos Orta, Peter DiFalco, David Liu, and Douglas Webster, among other noted dance and ice choreographers. "Dance Visions" was repeated at the Zoellner Center at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania in March 2006.
The Annual Fall Benefit Gala on Monday, October 26, 2009 at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan will honor Olympic Silver Medalist and Ice Artist Paul Wylie. A special Choreorgapher Award will be given to Lar Lubovitch and this year's Ice Angel Award will go to Sky Rink.
As the Company begins its new season, we will continue its tradition of collaborating with choreographers from both the dance and skating worlds, as well as exploring relationships with artists from theatre, music and new media disciplines. For more information, please contact the office at (212) 929-5811.