Deborah Abel School Of Modern Dance

The Deborah Abel Dance Company

The Deborah Abel Dance Company is a company that performs original works choreographed by Artistic Director Deborah Abel. Our mission is to engage our audience in a deeply human, soulful, and emotionally resonant way. We aim to remind our audience of a level of connection with themselves and others that gets buried in everyday life, and which the arts are uniquely qualified to uncover.

Our performances are conceived as a whole, creating a universe into which our audience is invited to enter. Abel's work has been described as ".a confluence of broad strokes and telling details, " with influences from Jose Limon, Martha Graham, and Pilobolus. At the heart of our work is the concept of breath as powerful as the concept of "inward wind" in Japanese butoh dance.

The Company

We are a company of dancers, musicians, and designers who come together to create original works of modern dance. Our performances are designed to be a deeply personal and emotional experience, inviting our audience to enter a world of connection and discovery. Our work is informed by a perspective that blends Western psychology and Eastern intentionality, and explores the possibility of personal wholeness and evolving relationships.

Meet the Directors

Deborah Abel is the founder and director of the Deborah Abel Dance Company. With over 30 years of experience as a choreographer and dancer, Abel has created eight evening-length works and has performed across the Northeast US, Mexico, and India. Abel is a recipient of the USArtist International grant and the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Artist Fellowship in Choreography. She is also a certified instructor of yoga and meditation.

Lee Perlman is the company's resident composer and musician. With over 40 years of experience in music, Perlman has been composing original scores for the Deborah Abel Dance Company since 1991. He is also a professor of philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has taught at numerous institutions including Brown University, Harvard University, and Swarthmore College.

The Artists

Our company is comprised of experienced dancers, musicians, and designers who are dedicated to creating innovative and expressive works of dance. Our performers have backgrounds in modern dance, ballet, and other forms of movement. Our musicians are skilled in a range of instruments and styles, from jazz to classical. Our designers bring their expertise in costumes, lighting, and sets to create immersive and engaging environments for our performances.

The Mission

Our mission is to create a world that is filled with connection, love, and understanding. We believe that through the power of dance and music, we can bring people together and inspire positive change. We strive to create performances that are not only beautiful and engaging, but also thought-provoking and spiritually uplifting.