Bruce Wood's signature male ensemble production resurfaces, anchored by his artistic imprint for the ensuing exhibition.
In 2011, Bruce Wood, a Fort Worth native and celebrated dance choreographer, returned to the North Texas dance scene, marking the commencement of his long-held dream to create an all-male work. Previous support in the 1990s had instigated his initial contemplation of starting a men's troupe, which eventually led to the inception of I'm My Brother's Keeper.
Bruce Wood Dance Dallas, the contemporary dance company that preserves Wood's legacy, will be reviving this piece as part of a program that incorporates new works by dance-makers who were influenced by and influenced Wood himself.
The dance group, initially called the Bruce Wood Dance Project due to its tentative nature, was established after Wood's first group disbanded a decade post-movement from Austin to Fort Worth in 1997. Dallas arts patron, Gayle Halperin, played a crucial role in persuading Wood to return for at least one performance. The project, however, continued to thrive following the successful 2011 performances.
Brother's Keeper became a priority for Wood, and a 25-minute version premiered the following summer, later expanding to more than double its length in 2013. Joy Bollinger, the artistic director, recalled Wood's emotional attachment to the piece, which delves into the struggles of male familial relationships across three generations. With his unique background as a gay son of a football coach, Wood left home for George Balanchine's School of American Ballet at 16, choosing the stage over the gridiron.
Larry Lane, a 50-something yoga teacher at the time, was recruited by Halperin to play one of the father figures in Brother's Keeper. Lane shared similarities with Wood, both having fathers who were pro football players and Army generals, facilitating a connection and allowing them to develop their roles effectively.
Tom Fowler, a former Joffrey Ballet dancer, and Gary Floyd, a musical theater performer, will take on the roles of the patriarchs opposite Lane in the upcoming revival.
Seth York, a company member unaware of Brother's Keeper until its scheduled 2020 performance at the Joyce Theater, will reprise his role as one of the sons. Commenting on the piece, York expressed the challenging yet rewarding aspect of participating in such a meaningful exploration of masculinity through dance.
The program, titled "Echoes", will also present two premieres: the all-female Love Songs and Make Love Not War, a duet by Ben Stevenson, artistic director laureate of Texas Ballet Theater.
The performances will take place at Moody Performance Hall on June 6-8, 2025, with tickets available at brucewooddance.org. This community-funded journalism initiative is supported by various organizations and individuals committed to promoting arts access in Dallas.
The upcoming revival of Bruce Wood's live dance piece, I'm My Brother's Keeper, will be a part of Bruce Wood Dance Dallas's program, as they aim to celebrate and preserve Wood's unique style of contemporary dance. As the piece delves into the struggles of male familial relationships across three generations, it serves as a significant exploration of lifestyle and entertainment within the local community, fostering a deeper understanding of the shared human experience.
