Bad Blood

Ulysses Dove returned to his frequent theme—the battle of the sexes—in this daredevil display that keeps audiences breathless and on the edge of their seats. In Bad Blood, emotional passion and kinetic energy mark the explosive yet extremely tender relationship between man and woman.

With music by Laurie Anderson and Peter Gabriel, Bad Blood was the precursor to two other phenomenal ballets on the same theme—Episodes and Urban Folk Dance—and the fourth of what would eventually be seven ballets by Dove performed by the Company.  

Hailed as one of the most exciting choreographers to emerge in the latter half of the 20th century, Dove is renowned for a style that merges the influences of his choreographic mentors, Alvin Ailey and Merce Cunningham.

Veteran Ailey dancer and original cast member Renee Robinson recalls Dove saying in rehearsal, “don't add anything more, don't take anything away…every movement, every single step that I've put in, I know exactly what it's for and I'm going to get you to understand how to convey that to the audience.” Former Artistic Director Robert Battle has said that Bad Blood uses “the minimal language to say the maximum thing.”