JLS —2010

JLS was commissioned by New Music USA’s Live Music for Dance program as a collaborative project with Lambertville, NJ choreographer Mark Roxey. It was premiered at West Chester University.

Program Notes

JLS is short for Jonathan Livingston Seagull, the title character in Richard Bach’s 1970 novella, who provided the inspiration for Mark Roxey’s ballet about a young man frustrated with the materialism and limitations of his stock broker life. Following his passion for dance, JLS leaves his job, finds a mentor and perfects his technique through diligence and love. He then returns to his old workplace to share with others what he has learned about freedom, forgiveness and the importance of living every day with personal meaning. JLS was commissioned by the American Music Center’s Live Music for Dance program, which provides grants to New York City and New Jersey-based professional dance companies for collaborative projects involving a composer and/or musicians.

Movements

PART ONE

• Work – Part One
• Terminal Velocity – Part One
• Work – Part Two (the next morning)
• Terminal Velocity – Part Two/Work – Part Three
• Fired/Exile

PART TWO

• Imitation
• Keep Working on Love

PART THREE

• Imitation (reprise)
• Work (reprise) – Return
• The Curious Join the Outcasts
• Keep Working on Love (reprise)