Nashville, Tenn. – September 28, 2022 – Contemporary arts center OZ Arts Nashville will open its tenth season of adventurous performances with the internationally acclaimed dance-theater production An Untitled Love, by Macarthur “Genius” Award-winning choreographer Kyle Abraham and his company, A.I.M., October 20-22. The groundbreaking performance was described by Vanity Fair magazine as a “transcendent and joyous evening-length celebration of Black love and Black culture, set to the music of R&B legend D’Angelo.”
Returning to OZ Arts for the first time since his impactful 2015 Nashville debut, Abraham has become one of today’s most acclaimed and sought-after choreographers, adding to his list of illustrious awards the Princess Grace, Doris Duke, and Jacob’s Pillow awards. He is known for his stunning theatrical and poetic work immersed in Hip-hop culture showcased perfectly in An Untitled Love, his newest evening-length work. Sensual, sophisticated, and breathtakingly visual, this new production is propelled by the seductive R&B and soul music of GRAMMY-winner D’Angelo and serves as a thumping mixtape to celebrate culture, family and community.
Powered by the 10 members of Abraham’s celebrated company A.I.M. (Abraham In Motion), the multifaceted piece starts as an electrically-charged house party on stage that then evolves into a joyous celebration of love. Abraham dedicates this feel-good work to family, culture, and community strengthened over generations and lifetimes.
Described as “elastic and electric, luxuriantly rippling, poetically arranged with moments of perfect stillness that arrive amid splashes of expression” by Dance Magazine, Kyle Abraham’s An Untitled Love is one of the company’s most widely anticipated and celebrated productions. Since its premiere in 2021, the work has played some of the most prestigious venues in the world, including The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., New York’s famed Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Edinburgh International Festival.
“An Untitled Love brings forth the complex beauty of family ties and community through the powerful medium of dance,” said Mark Murphy, OZ Arts Executive and Artistic Director. “Abraham has created a piece that is universally relevant while underscoring and celebrating Black culture and self love. We are thrilled to provide a home for this work to be seen in Nashville as part of its international tour.”
Tickets for An Untitled Love from A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham begin at $25 and are on sale now at the following link.
This performance is made possible with generous support from donors and grants, including media sponsor the Nashville Scene and funding from the Metro Nashville Arts Commission and the Tennessee Arts Commission. To learn more about upcoming performances at OZ, please visit www.ozartsnashville.org.
TICKETS & MORE INFORMATION
Performances:
Thursday, October 20 at 8:00pm
Friday, October 21 at 8:00pm
Saturday, October 22 at 8:00pm
Tickets: $25-$40
Watch the trailer on YouTube
Seating is general admission and tickets are available for purchase at ozartsnashville.org.
About OZ Arts Nashville
Founded in 2013 by the Ozgener family, OZ Arts Nashville has quickly established itself as one of the Southeast's most influential and respected producers and presenters focused on the creation and presentation of significant performing and visual artworks by diverse cultural visionaries who are making vital contributions to the evolution of contemporary culture. Through performances, exhibitions, and community events, OZ Arts focuses on producing and presenting the work of local and visiting artists who reflect our diverse society, utilize new artistic forms and technology in creative ways, and provide opportunities for meaningful engagement with audiences, students and cultural and civic leaders. OZ Arts' unique creative warehouse has developed a reputation as a major national and regional laboratory for experimentation and a home for contemporary dance and performance. More than 50,000 audience members have been introduced to adventurous artists from around the world since the organization opened, and hundreds of local and regional artists have used OZ’s 10,000 square-foot warehouse theater to develop new works. For more information, please visit ozartsnashville.org.
About Kyle Abraham
Choreographer Kyle Abraham, founder and artistic director of A.I.M, has been a MacArthur “genius” Fellow, a Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award winner, and a recipient of the Princess Grace Award. Presenting work for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, at Lincoln Center, BAM, Harlem Stage, and abroad, the Pittsburgh native is among today’s most in-demand dancemakers. He was the first Black choreographer commissioned by New York City Ballet in over a decade. Following his “Best of Dance for 2018” recognition by The New York Times, he choreographed Ash, a solo work for American Ballet Theater Principal Dancer Misty Copeland in 2019. Abraham, greatly influenced by the late 1970s hip-hop culture he was born into, also incorporates an artistic upbringing of classical cello, piano, and visual arts into his work.
About A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
The mission of A.I.M by Kyle Abraham is to create a body of dance-based work that is galvanized by Black culture and history. The work, informed by and made in conjunction with artists across a range of disciplines, entwines a sensual and provocative vocabulary with a strong emphasis on music, text, video, and visual art. While grounded in choreographer Kyle Abraham’s artistic vision, A.I.M draws inspiration from a multitude of sources and movement styles. For more information, please visit www.aimbykyleabraham.org.