Endangered Pieces

Endangered Pieces, exposes the most vulnerable, endangered, aspects of two seemingly disconnected realities — human existence and theatrical performance.

The work reflects upon people’s propensity to become their own worst enemies, and upon the cataclysm in contemporary economic, ecological and cultural landscapes, foreboding its arrival the way a dog senses an earthquake. With its set and costumes reduced to bare minimum, Endangered Pieces determinedly returns to the human body as the main medium of expression, exploring its multifaceted potential as an abstract sculpture, emotional trigger, and political symbol.

Performed by a trio of dancers (Jaro Viňarský, Matthew Rogers and Zuštiak), this theatrical reverie of visually haunting scenes is shaped by movement, evocative lighting design by longtime Palissimo collaborator Joe Levasseur, and architectural live music by Christian Frederickson (of Rachel’s) and Bobby McElver (of the Wooster Group).

World premiere: Abrons Arts Center, NYC, October 2013, 60 min

Concept/Direction/Choreography: Pavel Zuštiak; Performers: Christian Frederickson, Bobby McElver, Matthew Rogers, Jaro Viňarský, Pavel Zuštiak; Original Music: Christian Frederickson, Bobby McElver; Male Voice: Paul Cooper; Female Voice: Tara Frederickson; Lighting Design: Joe Levasseur; Assistant Lighting Design: Dan Stearns; Text, Costumes and Set: The Company; Dramaturgical Advice: Igor Dobričić

A Palissimo production, commissioned by the Abrons Arts Center, created in research and development residencies and with the support of Abrons Arts Center, Czech Center New York, Vermont Performance Lab, and Stanica Zilina, Slovakia. Elements of the sound score recorded and engineered by Dave Snyder at Guilford Sound. This piece was made possible with funding from The Jerome Foundation, The Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Trust for Mutual Understanding, and New Music USA.

Scroll to Top

This is the new nav popup.