Aszure Barton and Ambrose Akinmusire’s A a | a B : B E N D, a Northrop Centennial Commission, makes its thrilling U.S. debut at Northrop on Sep 18–19. Get an intimate glimpse at this multidisciplinary performance, based on Northrop Marketing Manager Elyse Chambers' firsthand experience of its world premiere in Hamburg, Germany.
For even more background information on the creators of B E N D, their creative processes, and the work itself, view “Aszure Barton & Ambrose Akinmusire Bend the Rules” on our Blog.
Top image: The artists on stage for the world-premiere of A a | a B : B E N D at Kampnagel International Summer Festival. Photo by Elyse Chambers.
“The energy is visceral, the dancers are magnetic, and the live trumpet weaves through it all like another body onstage.”
Kampnagel International Summer Festival 2023. Photo by Elyse Chambers.
How did it feel to experience the premiere of a Northrop-commissioned piece on an international stage?
Seeing B E N D premiere at Kampnagel International Summer Festival 2023 felt incredibly special. Kampnagel is known as Germany's biggest independent production venue for the performing arts, and the country’s appreciation for dance is tangible. While the festival celebrated a myriad of genres and companies, B E N D clearly stood out as a must-see amongst attendees, as all four performances sold out.
What responses did B E N D elicit from audiences?
B E N D evoked collective awe. Audience members, with their eyes glued to the dancers from start to finish, physically bopped and swayed to the music in their seats. Every performance ended with a lively standing ovation that lasted roughly 10 minutes, and afterwards, I heard multiple people reference the German dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch to describe the choreography—high praise! The show's U.S. debut at Northrop promises the same magic.
As someone who has seen the show, how would you describe B E N D?
The piece is an ongoing conversation between dance and music, between artists and audience. B E N D includes the audience in a beautifully equal relationship onstage, where musicality drives movement, and movement drives musicality like a creative symbiosis. Barton and Akinmusire created the piece through an intense dialogue from the start; she and the dancers would develop both movement and rhythmic patterns, Akinmusire would respond musically, and vice versa.
To me, B E N D is about how music and dance both bend and reshape each other. The energy is visceral, the dancers are magnetic, and Akinmusire’s live trumpet weaves through it all like another body onstage.
Where were you seated during the performance, and how did that impact your experience of it?
B E N D offers three sides of seating, either onstage or in the front rows of the theater. During the show’s run at the festival, I attended every performance and viewed it from all three perspectives. Uniquely, there isn’t a bad seat for this show; it feels immersive from every seat. While onstage seating offers a closer experience, allowing audience members to make eye contact with the performers and engage with their playful facial expressions more intimately, the artistic energy is palpable no matter where you are.
Is the live music presence significant enough to encourage music fans to attend?
Yes, although there is no hierarchy among the performers—including Akinmusire, who crafts live music in response to the dancers’ movements. He performs onstage, on a slightly elevated circular platform, alongside the dancers rather than from the pit, creating a unique sense of equal presence and collaboration. The result is something that feels neither solely like a music concert, nor solely like a dance performance. Akinmusire improvisationally plays trumpet while the audio engineer mixes from the soundboard in real time, making every performance unique and distinct.
What are some aspects of the show that Northrop audiences can look forward to?
In addition to the immersive seating, engaging dance, and improvisational music, the set is striking. Lighting effects create a cool, hypnotic atmosphere of shifting silhouettes in high-contrast black and white, with short bursts of vivid color. A patterned video projection transforms the entire floor into a glowing marbled pattern, and a suspended globe reflects the lighting design like a disco ball.
How accessible is B E N D for those unfamiliar with the artists (or dance and music in general)?
No familiarity with the artists or art forms is required to enjoy B E N D. While I had some level of familiarity with both Akinmusire and Barton prior to the premiere, I had never experienced work by either in-person before. The technicality of Barton’s choreography and the dancers is awe inspiring for anyone, whether your appreciation for dance draws from a background of classical ballet, breakdancing, vogue, Latin social dance, or if you are new to dance entirely. There’s an effortless blend of movement vocabulary that makes everyone feel at home. Akinmusire’s music, pulsating with deep house and jazz vibes, is phenomenal across all music tastes. I left the theater buzzing, the music still looping in my head days later.
Why is B E N D important to the Northrop Centennial Commissions project?
B E N D is a shining example of why Northrop commissions new works and supports artists from multiple disciplines. This is a piece that takes your breath away yet breathes life into your imagination. Northrop audiences are in for an extraordinary treat—one you’ll be talking about long after you leave the theater.
Kampnagel International Summer Festival 2023. Photo by Elyse Chambers.
About Elyse Chambers
Elyse Chambers is a dancer and arts marketing professional who connects audiences with world-class performances through strategic, creative storytelling. As marketing manager at Northrop, she collaborates with national and international dance companies, musicians, filmmakers, and authors to amplify diverse voices and bring transformative arts experiences to Minnesota. Previously, she led programs and partnerships at The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts, supporting more than 1,000 Twin Cities artists, and worked in New York City with Armitage Gone! Dance and Patricia Noworol Dance Theater, managing operations and creative projects for internationally acclaimed choreographers. Passionate about making the arts accessible, Chambers thrives where collaboration, innovation, and artistic excellence intersect to inspire audiences and strengthen communities.
