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This program has been generously supported by the SHS Foundation in honor of its Treasurer, Sara Throne; and; Steve Pesner in honor of Michèle Pesner
We are thrilled to start the year with a dance project of historic proportions: on January 24th, we will present the first look at a new solo being created for the Martha Graham Dance Company – to be performed by none other than Lloyd Knight, acclaimed lead dancer of the Company. Based on archival materials assembled over many years, the performance takes inspiration from a work choreographed by Martha herself in 1938. After its creation at The Church, the new solo will become a centerpiece of the Company’s repertory for 2026 – its 100th season.
The Premiere Showing will offer audience members a first look at the choreography and music created during a one-week residency at The Church. This process brings together Lloyd Knight, composer-percussionist Stahv Danker, and choreographer Jamar Roberts for an intense collaboration with roots in the Graham legacy.
Inspired by the materials from Martha Graham Dance Company archives, Roberts will create the new solo in five days as Danker composes the music. These materials include a one-minute silent film of a man dancing a solo thought to be from Graham’s 1938 American Document, as well as poetry from that work, and some of the original musical score. Graham’s choreography was never recorded and is considered to be lost. Roberts is not charged with recreating Graham’s work, but rather, to create something completely contemporary inspired by the past.
This performance is part of the exhibition programming of Martha Graham: Collaborations, on view January 18 – March 22. The exhibition explores the 100-year history of the company through the lens of its myriad artistic collaborations – thereby breaking down the completed work of a choreographed piece into the many creative practices it encompasses.
Fully immerse yourself into the world of American Master, Martha Graham, as we present a screening of the full-length documentary Martha Graham: The Dancer Revealed followed by a Q&A with the film’s executive producer Susan Lacy led by Sheri L. Pasquarella, The Church’s Executive Director.
Produced for PBS’s “American Masters” series, the hour-long film is a definitive documentary on the life and work of Martha Graham. It traces Martha Graham’s career from her early days with Denishawn Company and follows her through the formation of her own troupe. Directed by Catherine Tatge and narrated by Claire Bloom, the film documents Graham’s emergence as one of the most important figures in twentieth-century dance, as echoed by the set pieces, costumes, photos, and more of the exhibition. Join us for a unique experience to take in the film, whilst being surrounded by the history it documents.
This program is supported by the Friends of the Fund for Community & Education at The Church
Are you familiar with the century old technique and the highly artisanal craft of hand bookbinding? Learn from Paul Vogel! Our first Knowledge Friday of the year welcomes the seasoned artisan to discuss the craft, the history of the book, and his own origin story as a book binder. From traditional binding to custom made pieces, the East Hampton shop owner has dedicated more than 40 years to the technique. Following the discussion, Vogel invites the audience to learn the figure eight stitch and create their very own take-home hand-bound booklet!
Join award-winning artist & performer mayfield brooks for an interactive presentation of dArK oXyGen, a sonic dance installation that explores the decomposed dances and choreographies of breath. In reference to the recent discovery of oxygen production in the deep ocean where sunlight cannot penetrate, dArK oXyGen examines the idea of entering darkness as a generative process, inspired by memories from brooks’ childhood of singing Black gospel music, primordial ocean myths, decomposed whales or whale falls, and dances that rely on breath to move the body and voice. Our audience can expect a passive yet immersive experience, bringing them into a sense of depth and submersion that examines how cycles of light and dark, life and death, are always entwined.
This program is supported by the Friends of the Fund for Community & Education at The Church
Strike a pose and continue your celebration of International Women’s Day at our special March Knowledge Friday! – that explores the intersection of our current exhibition while also celebrating a creative community member of the South Fork. Join us for a sit down with Shelter Island’s own Margaret Garrett, a former dancer turned visual artist.
Knowledge Friday provides an intimate presentation by a community member who shares their knowledge and expertise with rare intimacy. For March, we’re exploring Garret’s special history with dance and then will turn the spotlight on a special Martha Graham Dance Company Project: The 19Poses. The audience is invited to learn a few of the poses, do the poses, and to own them in their own, powerful way!
Developed as part of The Eve Project, Martha Graham Dance Company’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, The 19 Poses honors the suffragists and accentuates Martha Graham’s revolutionary representation of women onstage. Drawn from a curated selection of photographs of Graham in evocative poses, The 19 Poses were shared in this YouTube Video, starring the star of The Church’s Saturday dance performance, Xin Ying! The project also led to a memorable Insta-Graham challenge, which invited women everywhere to utilize the poses in their everyday life. Join us as we learn more about an incredible project that brought women together through movement and expression.
This talk has been programmed in tandem with Martha Graham: Collaborations, on view January 18 – March 22 during our exhibition hours, Thursday through Monday from 11 AM – 5 PM.
A warm welcome to Lindsay Morris! Peer into the mind and creative process of the esteemed photographer as she discusses her project The Kids of Camp I Am, a follow-up documentation about Camp I Am, a weekend camp for gender-creative children and their families. This update, featured in The New York Times Magazine, will explore new photos and writing from former attendees of the camp who are now young adults. Sharing excerpts from these essays, Morris invites The Church audience to continue the dialogue about how non-judgmental environments can provide life-changing support and pave a road free of judgment, welcoming of a wide-range of gender expressions. Following the presentation, there will be a meaningful Q&A with the photographer.
This project was a 2025 recipient of the New York State Council for the Arts Artist Grant, as supported through The Church.
A regular contributor to The New York Times, a 2023 TED Speaker, producer of the 2016 BBC documentary My Transgender Summer Camp, and publisher of You are You, a monograph about Camp I Am, Morris offers an invaluable insight to aspiring photographers drawn to advocacy and support.