Performing Arts Houston presents Complexions Contemporary Ballet
Featuring the Houston Premiere of For Crying Out Loud, celebrating the music of U2
(January 8, 2025) – Performing Arts Houston presents the return of New York-based Complexions Contemporary Ballet for one night only on February 1, 2025, at Jones Hall. The internationally acclaimed company, celebrating its 30th anniversary, will present a captivating evening of dance, featuring For Crying Out Loud—a Houston premiere paying tribute to the legendary Irish rock band U2. Tickets, starting from $19, are on sale now at performingartshouston.org.
As part of Performing Arts Houston’s Education and Community Engagement initiatives, Complexions company members will participate in a variety of residency activities including a public class for dancers ages 16+ at the Institute of Contemporary Dance on January 30 at 5:45 pm, a masterclass for dance students at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) and an interview with hosts of the internationally recognized podcast, Conversations on Dance, about their Houston program. Registration for the public class is open now at icdhouston.com. Additionally, audience members are invited to a post-show Westwood Trust Creative Chat with company members, moderated by Group Acorde co-founder and 2024 New/Now artist Roberta Paixão Cortes.
Following the highly successful David Bowie tribute, Complexions is once again blending the world of rock and ballet, this time with the electrifying sounds of U2. The second act of the evening will be entirely dedicated to For Crying Out Loud, which features the full company of 17 dancers performing to some of U2’s most iconic hits, including Where the Streets Have No Name, Every Breaking Wave, With or Without You, I Will Follow, and Pride (In the Name of Love).
The first half of the performance showcases a diverse mixed repertory program from Complexions’ rich 30-year history, featuring ballets such as This Time, With Feeling (2024), Deeply (2024), Ave Maria (1995), Gone (2000), and Mercy (2009). This eclectic mix of works highlights the versatility and innovation of Complexions’ artistic vision.
Founded in 1994 by Alvin Ailey alumni Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden, Complexions has been at the forefront of contemporary dance, renowned for its boundary-defying fusion of ballet, modern dance, and a wide array of cultural influences. Desmond Richardson, a trailblazer in transforming ballet into a more inclusive art form, was the first African American principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre and a Tony Award nominee for his role in the original Broadway cast of Fosse. Dwight Rhoden, an award-winning choreographer and master of contemporary ballet, has created over 80 works for Complexions and choreographed for major dance companies around the world.
This year’s performance includes six pieces choreographed by Rhoden, each showcasing the company’s unique blend of technical precision, emotional depth, and diverse cultural influences.
ABOUT COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET
Complexions was founded in 1994 by Master Choreographer Dwight Rhoden and the legendary Desmond Richardson with a singular approach to reinventing dance through a groundbreaking mix of methods, styles, and cultures. Today, Complexions represents one of the most recognized, diverse, inclusive, and respected performing arts brands in the world. Having presented an entirely new and exciting vision of human movement on five continents in over 20 countries to over 20 million television viewers and to well over 300,000 people in live audiences, Complexions is poised to continue its mission to bring unity to the world, one dance at a time.
Complexions has received numerous awards including The New York Times Critics’ Choice Award. It has appeared throughout the US, and the world. The company’s foremost innovation is that dance should be about removing boundaries, not reinforcing them. Whether it be the limiting traditions of a single style, period, venue, or culture, Complexions transcends them all, creating an open, continually evolving form of dance that reflects the movement of our world—and all its constituent cultures—as an interrelated whole. More information about the company can be found at complexionsdance.org.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets start at $19, at performingartshouston.org or by calling the Performing Arts Houston Box Office at (713) 227-4772. To support the arts and enjoy benefits like early access to new performances, exclusive pricing, and more, become a Performing Arts Houston member at performingartshouston.org/memberships.
ABOUT PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON
Performing Arts Houston is a leading non-profit performing arts presenter dedicated to connecting audiences with exceptional artists from around the globe. Founded in 1966, the organization remains committed to advancing artistic innovation, community engagement, and cultural enrichment. With a legacy spanning over five decades, Performing Arts Houston has presented many of the most influential artists of our time.
Each year, Performing Arts Houston presents a multi-disciplinary season of over 60 performances across Houston’s historic Theater District and venues citywide and creates a wide range of programs and opportunities for students and lifelong learners to engage with and experience the arts, including masterclasses, workshops, talks, student matinees, performance avenues for local arts groups, paid arts administration internships, a commissioning series for working Houston artists, and in-school residencies. Learn more at performingartshouston.org.
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CALENDAR DETAILS
Performing Arts Houston
presents
Complexions Contemporary Dance
February 1, 2025
Jones Hall
Tickets from $19
performingartshouston.org
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