CHS Visiting Artist | Christopher Williams


Christopher Williams, hailed as “one of the most exciting choreographic voices out there” (The New York Times) and “the downtown prodigy” (The New Yorker), is a New York Dance & Performance “Bessie” award-winning choreographer, dancer, and puppet artist who has created over thirty original and collaborative works in New York City and abroad since 1999. In addition to touring internationally in France, England, Italy, Spain, Holland, Austria, Colombia, Malawi, and Russia, as well as nationally in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Kalamazoo, Princeton, Carlisle, Interlochen, and Jacob’s Pillow, his works have been presented in many New York City venues including Lincoln Center, City Center, The Solomon R, Guggenheim Museum, Dance Theater Workshop, Danspace Project, La Mama, P.S. 122, the 92nd Street Y, and HERE Arts Center.
While in residence for 10 days at the CHS in Washington, DC, Williams will conduct research and develop new choreography for his latest work, Narcissus, an original, evening-length contemporary ballet set to Nikolai Tcherepnin’s score Narcisse et Echo composed in 1911 for the Ballets Russes reappropriating themes of the eponymous Greek myth on which it is based to re-envision the original ballet through a contemporary queer lens. The work, featuring New York City principal dancer Taylor Stanley in the title role accompanied by fellow principal Russell Janzen as Echo and a host of acclaimed contemporary dancers, will include costume designs by Andrew Jordan, set design by David R. Harper, and lighting by Joe Levasseur for its premiere at New York Live Arts in New York City from October 28th-31st, 2020.

Photo by Andrew Jordan

Photo by Mark Kwiatek