What is L’Allegro Project?

In this residency, students use choreographer Mark Morris’ most acclaimed evening length work - L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, inspired by George Frideric Handel’s eponymous oratorio, John Milton’s libretto, and William Blake’s watercolors, to deeply explore the relationship between music, poetry, visual art, and movement, and the work’s central themes of joy, melancholy, and moderation. Students learn excerpts from sections of the dance, watch the DVD of the performance, and join in discussions led by a teaching artist who has performed the work. With Mr. Morris’ use of gestural language as a point of reference, students will research other works of poetry, music, and visual art and develop original dances. The residency will include a visit to the Mark Morris Dance Center for a private performance and conversation with members of the Dance Group. Classes are available on a per-session basis, with a ten-session minimum and fifteen-session maximum, and can be scheduled for one to three times per week throughout the year.