Ryan Ponder McNamara’s Kinetic Grace: Transform Through Dance

Audiences from near and far, “The Troupe” invites you to The Church for a welcome mass seeking newcomers to join Kinetic Grace, a movement (some call it a cult) that believes transcendence can be reached through the sacred art of dance. On Friday, January 12, at 6 p.m., be prepared to sing and dance as “The Troupe” explains its tenets, introduces its members, and, through this sacred revelry, attempts to reach Kinetic Grace.

Creator (some call him a cult leader) and artist Ryan Ponder McNamara asked himself, “After all these years, what do we want out of performance?” The answer is Kinetic Grace, a musical about a cult, guided by the Greek muse Terpsicore, that worships their own sweat and choreography— ranging from hardcore, gabber, rave, disco, line dance to tectonic. McNamara is joined by collaborators Liv Bruce, Sigrid Lauren, Rebecca Patek, and Josh Weidenmiller, with a few surprise appearances from local talent and community members you may recognize.

Kinetic Grace was commissioned by Works & Process and was developed in Works & Process LaunchPAD residencies at The Watermill Center (2022) and Bethany Arts Community (2023). Following McNamara’s two-week residency at The Church, Kinetic Grace will be performed at the Guggenheim Museum in April 2024. This project is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts.

Ryan Ponder McNamara is a Brooklyn-based artist who works in performance, video, photography, drawing, and sculpture. His work has been featured at MoMA PS1, The Guggenheim New York, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, ICA Boston, Perez Art Museum Miami, ICA London, The Garage Moscow, The Power Plant Toronto, the Athens Biennale, and The High Line New York. His work is included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.

Tickets to the performance are $20 ($10 for members) at thechurchsagharbor.org. The Church is at 48 Madison Street, Sag Harbor.