Join us today as Doppelgänger Dance Collective transforms Kennedy Plaza into a vital public space with unexpected movement and sound. World class dancers Shura Baryshnikov and Danielle Davidson will perform The Trail We Left Behind, choreographed by Rhode Island native Kellie Ann Lynch, with music composed by Caitlin Scholl.
Photo credit: Tal Shibi
“Performances like this demonstrate the vitality possible in a multi-use public space like Kennedy Plaza, ” explains Cliff Wood, our Executive Director at Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy. “Having Doppelgänger Dance Collective as DPPC’s first programming of this public plaza proves that exciting, high quality performances can happen there.”
Events like this one involve the hard work of many different people to make it come together, including the generosity of our sponsors who are key in helping us commission unique events like these.
I sat down with one of our sponsors, Buff Chace of Cornish Associates, to talk to him about his commitment to our public spaces.
Why is it important to you to sponsor events like this in the city?
It’s very exciting to be able to introduce to our fellow citizens of Providence and the surrounding communities, at no cost, artists of the caliber of Shura and Danielle.
What kind of impact do you see events like this having on the neighborhood?
As we await the relocation of the transit hubs north to the train station and south towards the hospitals, our intention has been to introduce programming into the Parks and Kennedy Plaza that will give us an idea of what potential this “Central Square” of ours has as a place for our citizens to come together and see great performance art. We see this as the heart of our metropolitan district and it should be a place where persons from all the neighborhoods can mingle together and be inspired.
Why should the people of Providence care about investing in our public spaces?
Our elected officials and our citizens understand the importance of our parks and public spaces as important amenities which effect the quality of our daily life. Additionally, it has become more apparent that the vitality of our public spaces has a profound impact on our ability to grow our economy and our job base.
What is one special thing you wish people knew about Greater Kennedy Plaza?
That in the 1920’s it is reported that nearly 100,000 people assembled in Greater Kennedy Plaza to watch the great Houdini walk high across the plaza on a tight rope.
Thank you to Buff, and all of our sponsors, for helping us make events like this happen.
Sponsors include:
Cornish Associates
Westminster Lofts
Aurora Providence
Biltmore Garage
75 Fountain
High Rock Equities