All About The Company

K D N Y was established in 1997 in New York City by choreographer Kathleen Dyer to explore her vision of a dance company dedicated to the passions and intricacies of the female spirit. Dyer’s inspiration draws from personal as well as universal experiences that may be based on historical figures, female archetypes, or everyday stories of women encountered or imagined. At times athletic or vulnerable, often graceful and powerful, her five-member all-female company has the technical prowess to physicalize the multiple facets of the female experience. K D N Y provides rich theatrical encounters that celebrate, through craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor and beauty, the deep and powerful imagery of women.

K D N Y’ s annual productions incorporate lush costumes, dramatic sets, and feature original music that is often performed live, a distinguishing characteristic of their dynamic repertory. Among the many renowned composers and musicians K D N Y has worked with are Richard Einhorn, Kevin Keller and Phil Kline; percussionists PJ Merola and Grammy-award winner Glen Velez; and sopranos, Michelle Jennings and Laura Pfortmiller. Production designers who have contributed to K D N Y’s performances include Richard Koch, Dans Maree Sheehan and Bessie Award winner, Aaron Copp.

K D N Y many accomplishments include performances at top New York City dance venues, such as Lincoln Center’s Clark Studio Theater, Danspace Project at St. Mark’s Church, the Ailey Citigroup Theater, and featured appearances in the New York International Fringe Festival and Joyce SoHo Presents. Touring highlights include Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Toronto’s Fringe Festival of Independent Dance Artists and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. Another key locale for the company is Washington D.C. In 2004 and 2006, K D N Y co-presented seasons at Dance Place, a main area venue and, in January 2008, K D N Y’s Charges from Domremy was presented by Dance Place during the company’s two- week residency there.

In conjunction with show tours, K D N Y offers residency packages with master classes, repertory workshops and often opportunities for local dancers to perform as guest artists in a company work. K D N Y also provides educational outreach programs which include free lecture-demonstrations and tickets to the company’s shows to underserved children with funding support from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. Additionally, K D N Y is on the Artist Roster of Young Audiences of Connecticut and gives performances and workshops at K-12 schools throughout the state.

While their main focus is creation and production, K D N Y also seeks to fulfill its mission through the WIM Project, which includes the Women in Management fiscal umbrella program, and the Out-on-a-WIM (Women in Motion) touring program. Out-on-a-WIM is an artistic exchange developed to support the fellowship of female dance companies through shared performances. Past exchanges include: Chicago’s Zephyr Dance Company, Florida’s Physical Theater Project, and Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company of Austin, Texas. K D N Y’s current Out-on-a-WIM project Navigating the Hallway, is an unusual collaboration in which guest choreographers will create a “room,” of either live or projected dance that will be stitched together via Dyer’s choreography into a single evolving work which will be performed in different venues across the country.

K D N Y was clean and sharp, geometric and postmodern, sleek and stoic. It was a thrill to watch. Kevin Giordano, Dance Magazine