And Mercy

“I started out thinking about judgement. The piece ended up being about mercy.”

— Choreographer Preston Miller.

New York choreographer Preston Miller is most recently known for his short film Enemy Within featuring an unlikely group of top performing artists - YouTube sensation Marquese Scott, New York City Ballet principal Tiler Peck, former Alvin Ailey dancer Matthew Rushing, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet's Samantha Figgins. But, the list of artists and companies that Miller has worked with doesn't stop there. Miller's choreography has been performed by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, William Forsythe Company, Lines Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, and now, Ballet 5:8. Working as an independent choreographer, Miller enjoys engaging in the creative process and collaborating with a variety of dancers and dance companies, creating works that explore the language of movement in a powerful way. 

“Our rep always presents news technical and artistic challenges, but [Preston Miller’s] work challenged me to work to create an artistic world using a style of dance that was not familiar to me. I loved the intense physicality of the piece and the opportunity to develop deep artistry.”

— Former Company Artist Marinna Kus on the creation of 'And Mercy' by Preston Miller

When Miller originally agreed to create a work for Ballet 5:8, he landed on the concept of judgment as his subject for exploration. Miller wanted to look at this seemingly innate aspect of human nature and the impact it has on all kinds of human relationships. When Miller arrived at the studios for the first day of work on the piece, however, his own exploration of the concept had already led him past the concept of judgement - to mercy. And Mercy uses three distinctly different movements to illustrate this journey in an athletic, contemporary style that engages the eye in continuous, connected movement emerging seamlessly from the music.

Premiere: October, 2015
Choreography: Preston Miller
Costumes: Lorianne Robertson