Following the Subtle Current Upstream
Choreography
Alonzo KingMusic
Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi, & Miriam MakebaDescribed by choreographer Alonzo King as “a piece about how to return to joy,” Following the Subtle Current Upstream mirrors life’s boisterous waves and reminds us that everything in nature seeks to return to its source.
The music for the piece is a collection of compelling beats and sounds with origins in India and Africa, making this new work a not-to-be-missed sensation for the senses.
Program Note
Program Note
In Alonzo King’s own words, “everything that exists in nature is seeking to return to its source. The child runs to its parents, and the river seeks the ocean. Salmon return from the sea to reach their original spawning grounds.” Human beings have one thing in common – we want to avoid pain and suffering and we want a happiness that is ever fulfilling and never goes stale. Joy is the goal.
Following the Subtle Current Upstream is about the inward journey back to ourselves that brings permanent happiness. This journey is far from easy; often, it is a hard swim upstream. King says, “there is the subtle inner instinct that pulls the salmon back home. For humans, that call is intuition”.
Ballet Credits
Ballet Credits
Choreography by Alonzo King
Music by Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi, and Miriam Makeba
Costume Design by Robert Rosenwasser
Original Lighting by Axel Morgenthaler
Lighting Design by Al Crawford
Staged by Meredith Webster
Pointe of Interest
King’s instinct to return home influenced his music selections for the piece. Following features music by Indian tabla master (and King’s frequent collaborator) Zakir Hussain. A tabla is an Indian drum used for classical, devotional, and religious music. The name tabla originates from tabl, the Arabic word for drum.
Interview with choreographer Alonzo King
