Utilizing the large, empty space of the 23rd Street Armory which once stored arms and ammunition, Leah Stein’s site specific choreography of movement and Pulitzer Prize winning composer David Lang’s music will investigate the great potential of many bodies in the large space and military atmosphere of the Armory. Over 100 performers – singers, dancers, and percussionists will create an experience for the audience that is both militarily precise and dynamic.

2 Days Only – June 13 &  20
Performances at 4:00 PM & 6:00 PM each day.
22 South 23rd Street Philadelphia, PA, 19103
Tickets:  http://www.hiddencityphila.org/tickets

The Artists
David Lang, Leah Stein, and Alan Harler

Philadelphia choreographer and dancer Leah Stein has performed nationally in galleries, theaters, museums, outdoor sites, and dance festivals across the US and in Indonesia, Japan, Canada, Poland, Romania, and Scotland. She is known for her site specific performance projects and is dedicated to interdisciplinary collaboration. She has received numerous grants and commissions, and founded the eight-member Leah Stein Dance Company in 2001.

David Lang is an eclectic composer whose music runs a stylistic gamut from the minimalist to the dramatic, and is being heard by more and more audiences around the globe.  His many prizes and awards include the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Music for the “The Little Match Girl Passion”, commissioned by Carnegie Hall for Paul Hillier’s vocal ensemble Theater of Voices.  Lang has collaborated on a number of works for the stage, including four operas and an oratorio, as well as a number of prominent dance productions, receiving a New York Dance and Performance (“Bessie”) Award in 1999.

Philadelphia choreographer and dancer Leah Stein has performed nationally in galleries, theaters, museums, outdoor sites, and dance festivals across the US and in Indonesia, Japan, Canada, Poland, Romania, and Scotland. She is known for her site specific performance projects and is dedicated to interdisciplinary collaboration. She has received numerous grants and commissions, and founded the eight-member Leah Stein Dance Company in 2001.

Alan Harler, Music Director and conductor of the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia chorus, is a strong advocate for new American music. Over the past 20 years, he has directed the 135 year-old chorus to become a leader in commissioning new choral works as well as groundbreaking multidisciplinary collaborations.

23rd Street Armory
In west Center city, a fortress-like structure stands out among the proliferation of commercial and residential structures. Built in 1901, the Armory is a granite building which houses the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, the oldest cavalry unit in continuous service in the United States. Formed in 1774, just after the First Continental Congress, the Troop was created by the volunteering of 28 distinguished Philadelphia men to defend the city of Philadelphia. The Troop acted as George Washington’s personal bodyguard in the Revolutionary War; this began its tradition of escorting leaders, both foreign and domestic. The Troop fought by Washington’s side in the Revolutionary War, for the Union at Gettysburg during the Civil War, and fought in both World Wars, and also defended both the city and country in other conflicts, local, national, and international. The Armory reflects the protective and stately nature of the Troop. In 1899, the Troop’s Armory at 21stt and Ranstead Streets collapsed under heavy snow, necessitating a new structure, designed by one of its own members, in 1900. Even in the past 50 years, the Troop’s commitment to service has continued, now as a part of the National Guard, with regular drills and involved in the nation’s most recent conflicts. What’s more, the Troop has maintained a tight fraternity, with various social events and equestrian events for its members, who are still well-connected and members of other social organizations and Philadelphia businesses.