Jonah Bokaer is an internationally acclaimed choreographer and media artist. He has dedicated a short lifetime to expanding live performance through choreography, digital media, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and social enterprise, in the United States and internationally.

Education

Originally from Ithaca, NY, Bokaer trained in dance at Cornell University, and subsequently graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts as a North Carolina Academic Scholar (Contemporary Dance/Performance, 2000). Recruited for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company at the unprecedented age of 18, Bokaer pursued a parallel degree in Visual & Media Studies at The New School (2003–2007), where he received the Joan Kirnsner Memorial Award. Additional studies in media and performance occurred at Parsons School of Design, NYU Performance Studies, and through self-taught explorations into digital media and 3D animation: such studies led to the development of a rare, multi-disciplinary approach to choreography, addressing the human body in relation to contemporary technologies.

Dance

Bokaer has worked with Merce Cunningham

Merce Cunningham

Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...

 (2000–2007), John Jasperse

John Jasperse

John Jasperse is an American choreographer and dancer. Since 1990 he has been artistic director and choreographer of the New York City-based John Jasperse Company....

 (2004–2005), David Gordon (2005–2006), Deborah Hay (2005), Tino Sehgal (2008), and many others. He has also interpreted the choreography of George Balanchine as restaged by Melissa Hayden. Bokaer is also a frequent choreographer for Robert Wilson (2007–Present).

Choreography

Bokaer’s work has been presented widely throughout venues in the United States and abroad, including Cornell University, Dance Theater Workshop, Danspace Project, Dixon Place, La Mama ETC, P.S. 122, Symphony Space, the ISB (Bangkok), Naxos Bobine, Studio Théâtre de Vitry, and La Générale (Paris), Les Subsistances

Les Subsistances

Les Subsistances is a cultural centre of diffuse artistic production and located in the 1st arrondissement of Lyon. Since 2007, it has housed a creative laboratory and the École nationale des beaux-arts de Lyon...

 (Lyon), La Compagnie (Marseille), La Ferme Du Buisson (Marne-la-Vallée), De Singel (Belgium), International Tanzmesse NRW (Germany), PSi (Copenhagen), Kunsthalle St. Gallen (Switzerland), and others. Recent engagements include the Attakalari Performance Biennale (Bangalore), the Rotterdamse Schouwburg (Holland), and a new commission from the National Academy of Sciences

United States National Academy of Sciences

The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...

 (Washington, D.C.).

Awards

Bokaer has been honored with a Human Rights Award (Public Volunteerism, 2000), a fellowship from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts (Dance & Media, 2005–2006), the inaugural Gallery Installation Fellowship from Dance Theater Workshop (2007), and one of four national Dance Access Scholarships from Dance/USA, with funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (2007), and the Alumni Achievement Award from North Carlonia School of the Arts (2009). Additionally, Bokaer recently accepted the Special Citation at the New York Dance & Performance/BESSIE Awards, for the arts organization Chez Bushwick (2007); his last choreography “The Invention Of Minus One” was also awarded a BESSIE for original lighting design by Aaron Copp (2008). He’s also a 2008–2009 Young Leader of the French American Foundation, and is the first dance artist to have been awarded.

Awards, Honors, Fellowships:

• Human Rights Award (Public Service, 2000)
• Joan Kirnsner Memorial Award (New School, 2005)
• Foundation for Contemporary Arts (Dance & Media, 2005–2006)
• Passing It On Award, Brooklyn Arts Exchange (Chez Bushwick, 2006)
• 25 To Watch, Dance Magazine (2006)
• Inaugural Gallery Installation Fellowship from Dance Theater Workshop (Media, 2007)
• Rolex Mentor / Protégé Initiative in Dance (Dance Finalist, 2007)
• New York Dance and Performance "Bessie" Award - Special Citation (Chez Bushwick, 2007)
• New York Dance and Performance "Bessie" Award - (Lighting Design by Aaron Copp, 2008)
• National Dance Access Scholarship from Dance/USA (via Mellon Foundation, 2007)
• Young Leader of the French American Foundation (First Choreographer Awarded, 2008–2009)
• Alumni Achievement Award from North Carolina School of the Arts (2009)
• OUT Magazine (2009)
• Rockefeller NYC Cultural Innovation Award (Chez Bushwick, Youngest Recipient, 2009–2010)
• The Nifty Fifty, America's Up-And-Coming Talent (NY Times, 2010)
• Inaugural Artist In Residence, Georgia Institute of Technology (2010–2011)
• Bogliasco Foundation Special Fellowship in Choreography (First Male & Youngest Ever Recipient, 2011)

Activism

Under the leadership Bokaer in 2002, a group of artists and choreographers formed Chez Bushwick, an adventurous arts organization that has significantly impacted a new generation of dance artists, choreographers, and performers in the United States, and beyond. Founding artists developed a series of public programs that have become emblematic of a new way of working in New York City: across borders, across disciplines, employing variable aesthetic signatures, and overturning divisions between choreographer, curator, producer, and audience member. Through strategies of collaboration, activism, and public dialogue, these cultural strategies have achieved economic justice during a challenging real estate and funding climate in NYC. Chez Bushwick was recently awarded by the Rockefeller NYC Cultural Innovation Fund (1 of 16 awards).

Social Enterprise

Bokaer is a Co-Founder of CPR – Center for Performance Research, a newly formed nonprofit organization in collaboration with John Jasperse/Thin Man Dance. CPR is located at 361 Manhattan Avenue in Williamsburg, and offers a singular new development for the performing arts in Brooklyn’s first L.E.E.D.-certified green building of its kind. This 4000 square feet (371.6 m²) arts facility is an-artist driven initiative: the new development aims to provide affordable space for rehearsal and performance, innovative arts programming, education and pedagogical engagement with the communities of New York City and abroad, as well as a dynamic new model for sustainable arts infrastructure in dance and performance. During a real estate climate that threatens to displace the arts from maintaining permanent and affordable space in NYC, CPR offers a pioneering approach to civic development, and advocacy for performance at the community level. www.cprnyc.org

Awards for CPR - Center for Performance Research & GREENBELT Brooklyn:

• United States Green Building Council - First "Gold" Certification in Brooklyn for a green building
• Leadership in Energy Efficient Design - First "Gold" Certification in Brooklyn for a green building
• Building Brooklyn Awards - Winner for Mixed Use Development
• National Grid - Award for Excellence in Energy Efficient Design
• AIA New York Designs for Living Exhibition - 2008
• Open House New York - Featured Project: Sustainable New York
• Graphic Design USA - 2008 Winner
• Municipal Arts Society - 2008 Nominated in Neighborhood Catalyst Category
• NESEA - Green Buildings Open House Tour 2008
• Village Voice Award - Best New Performance Space, 2008

Writing

Bokaer's writings have been published in Artwurl, The American Society for Alexander Teachers, Critical Corresondence, DIAL Magazine, Goldrush Dance Magazine, ITCH, Movement Research Performance Journal, and NYFA Current.

Selected works

• Why Patterns
• REPLICA
• STACKS
• Autograph
• Prayer & Player
• The Invention Of Minus One
• Three Cases Of Amnesia
• A Cure For Surveillance
• No Caption
• False Start
• underscribble
• CHARADE
• Relative
• NUDEDESCENDANCE
• RSVP
• OCTAVE

Collaborations

• Daniel Arsham | Artist (2009–Present)
• Charles Atlas | Filmmaker (2003)
• Irit Batsry | Video Artist (2010)
• Liubo Borissov | Surveillance Designer (2007)
• Anne Carson | Writer (2008)
• Michael Cole | Video Artist (2006–2008)
• Peter Cole | Sculptor (2008)
• Collective Opera Company | Original Opera (2006)
• Aaron Copp | Lighting Designer (2008–Present)
• Merce Cunningham | Choreographer (2000–2007)
• Loren Dempster | Composer (2005–Present)
• Robert Gober | Sculptor (2005)
• Marisela La Grave | Intermedia Events (2003)
• Christian Marclay | Composer (2008)
• Isaac Mizrahi | Fashion Designer (2008)
• Snarkitecture | Scenographers (2010)
• Robert Wilson | Theater Artist (2007–Present)
• FAUST, By Charles Gounod (Teatr Wielki, Polish National Opera, 2008)
• AÏDA, By Giuseppe Verdi (Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Italy, 2009)
• KOOL: Suzushi Hanayagi (Guggenhiem Museum, New York City, 2009)
• CONFINES (IVAM: Institut Valencià d’Art Modern, Spain, 2009)
• Dialogue ONE
  Dialogue ONE
  Dialogue ONE is an international theatre festival of one-person theatre. Its founder and artistic director is Omar Sangare, actor and professor at Williams College.-History:...
  
   Theatre Festival, Williamstown, MA, 2009

Museums, Performances, & Commissions

• The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum / Works & Process
  Works & Process
  Works & Process at the Guggenheim is a performing-arts series at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Works & Process informs artistic creation through conversation and performance, and is presented in the Guggenheim’s Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Peter B...
  
   Series - New York, USA
• The New Museum of Contemporary Art - New York, USA
• Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno / IVAM - Valencia, Spain
• Le Carré d'Art - Nîmes, France
• MAC Marseille - Marseille, France
• MOCA Miami - Miami, USA
• The Whitney Museum of American Art - New York, USA
• Kunsthalle St. Gallen - St. Gallen, Switzerland

Relations with France

Bokaer's choreography over the past decade has been made possible in large part through a vigorous artistic relationship with France.

Dance and Choreography:

• Working with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company throughout 30 French cities, in 9 regions, over the course of 8 years

• Touring new choreography to Alternative Spaces in Paris - Naxos Bobine (2006), La Générale (2006), Atelier de Paris (2007), Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin (2007, 2010)

• Production support in Marseille - La Compagnie (2006), Ballet National de Marseille (2010), MAC Marseille (2010)

• Production support in Lyon - Les Subsistances (2007)

• Production support in Nîmes - Le Carré d'Art (2009)

• Production support in Paris - Art/Dan/Thé Festival, Vanves (2010)

• Production support in Avignon - Les Hivernales Festival (2011), Les Penitents Blancs (2011), CDC Avignon (2011)

• Receipt of the FUSED / French U.S. Exchange in Dance grant (2011)

Production & Presenting:

• Provision of residencies to Alexandre Roccoli (Chez Bushwick, 2007)

• Provision of residencies to Christian Rizzo (CPR, 2008)

• Provision of residencies to Steven Cohen (CPR, 2009)

• Provision of residencies to David Wampach (CPR, 2009)

• Restaging of French choreography on U.S. artists via David Wampach (CPR, 2009)

Leadership:

• Induction into Young Leaders of the French American Foundation 2008 (Paris, Strasbourg) / 2009 (Chicago)

Partnerships:

• FUSED / French U.S. Exchange in Dance (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011)
• Cultural Services of the French Embassy (2008, 2009, 2010)
• FIAF's Crossing The Line Festival (2007, 2008, 2009)
• ONDA (2010)

Representation & Booking:

Julie George & Damien Valette, Paris

External links

• Website
• Chez Bushwick
• Center for Performance Research
• Daniel Arsham
• Robert Wilson
• Snarkitecture