Press
Key Reviews and Previews
Broadstreet Review of Galumpha at the Cannonball Festival, Philadelphia, PA, September 20, 2021
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Triple Cities Carousel, Binghamton, NY, September 2017
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New York Times Preview of Galumpha at Symphony Space, NYC, February 9, 2017
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Broadway World Preview of Galumpha at Symphony Space, NYC, February 2, 2017
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AXS Symph Space Preview, NYC, January 19, 2017
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Western Carolinian Review of Galumpha at Western Carolina University, February 29, 2016
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River Cities Reader, St Anselm University, Davenport, IA, January 25, 2014
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Inside BU (Binghamton, University) October 30, 2013
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Wilmington Star Review of Galumpha at Thalien Hall, Wilmington, NC, March 25, 2011
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Wilmington Encore Preview of Galumpha at Thalien Hall, Wilmington, NC, March 11, 2011
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Wilmington Star preview of Galumpha at Thalien Hall, Wilmington, NC, March 10, 2011
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Apex Herald, Apex, NC, March 10, 2011
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Newsday Preview of Galumpha at the Staller Center, SUNY Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, November 21, 2010
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Bahrain Tribune Review of Galumpha, Manama, Bahrain, March 10, 2010
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Ithaca Times, Ithaca, NY, Preview of Galumpha at the State Theater, Ithaca, NY, February 17, 2010
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Binghamton University Magazine Call to Action, November 29, 2009
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Inside BU (Binghamton University), May 9, 2009
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Oberheissische Presse review of Galumpha in Marburg, Germany, (German), June 11, 2008
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Marburg Press, Review of Galumpha in Marburg, Germany, (German) June 4, 2008
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Berliner Morgenpost Review of Galumpha at UFA Fabrik, Berlin, Germany, (German), July 20, 2007
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Basler Zeitung Review of Galumpha at Variete de Bale, Basel, Switzerland, (German), November 4, 2006
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Napa Valley Register Review of Galumpha at the Napa Valley Opera House, May 8, 2006
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Press & Sun Bulletin Review of Galumpha with the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, Binghamton, NY, January 22, 2006
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Press & Sun Bulletin, Good Times, Binghamton, NY, January 19, 2006
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Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Preview of Galumpha at the Lake Placid Arts Center, Lake Placid, NY, September 23, 2005
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Jyväskylä Press Review of Galumpha at the Jyväskylä Festival, Jyväskylä, Finland, (Finnish), July 1, 2005
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Press & Sun Bulletin, Good Times, Binghamton, NY, October 28, 2004
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München Abendzeitung Review of Galumpha at the Tollwood Festival, Munich, Germany, (German), July 5, 2004
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TZ München Review of Galumpha at the Tollwood Festival, Munich, Germany, (German), July 5, 2004
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Dance View Times, Review of Galumpha at Project Artaud Theater, San Francisco, CA, May 24, 2004
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San Francisco Chronicle Review of Galumpha at Project Artaud Theater, San Francisco, CA, May 13, 2004
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San Francisco Bay Guardian Review of Galumpha at the Project Artaud Theater, San Francisco, CA, May 12, 2004
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Oakland Bay Tribune Review of Galumpha at the Project Artaud Theater, San Francisco, CA, May 4, 2004
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San Francisco Weekly Review of Galumpha at the Project Artaud Theater, San Francisco, CA, May 4, 2004
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Press & Sun Bulletin, Good Times, Binghamton, NY, October 23, 2003
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Inside BU (Binghamton University), October 23, 2003
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Palm Beach Daily Review of Galumpha at the Kravis Center, West Plam Beach, FL, March 30, 2003
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Press & Sun Bulletin Review of Galumpha at the Anderson Center for the Arts, Binghamton, NY, September 28, 2002
The art of human architecture
Philly Fringe 2021: The Cannonball Festival presents Galumpha
By Melissa Strong, September 20, 2021
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New York-based performance troupe Galumpha brought its unique blend of art and entertainment to the Cannonball Festival, an independent Fringe Festival series produced by Almanac Dance Circus Theatre and the hosting MAAS Building. Cannonball aims to serve both artists and festivalgoers at a one-stop venue, and this event offered a pleasant outdoor space for gathering before and after an enjoyable performance.
Galumpha combines acrobatics, physical comedy, and choreography into its own inventive, athletic, and quirky style. Andy Horowitz, artist-in-residence at Binghamton University, co-founded Galumpha with Greg O’Brien in 2002. Most dancers retire before age 40, but Horowitz continues to perform. Gil Young Choi and Christian DiRado-Owens joined him at MAAS in a program of vignettes harnessing the performers’ strength, agility, endurance, teamwork, and comic timing. Often funny and sometimes moving, the self-titled show is a meditation on creativity, trust, cooperation, and human expression.
Acrobatic stunts and physical theater are the company’s strengths, and Galumpha delivered plenty. Highlights included countless variations on the human pyramid, often incorporating motion. In “The Blues,” the trio spun with two performers hooked around the waist of a third. A recurring motif included one performer leaping onto the feet of another who lay on his back. The venue’s intimacy dissolved a bit of the fourth wall to reveal what might be hidden from the audience in a different setting, including how hard the performers worked during an hour of nonstop physical feats. In the front row, I could see the sweat and hear the verbal communication necessary to safely execute collaborative stunts. Cleverly, Galumpha turned many of these moments into opportunities for laughter.
“How are you doing?” Horowitz asked his fellow performers during a change of scene. “I’m having a great time!” Young Choi replied, while DiRado-Owens drew laughter when he joked, “I wish I could say the same.” Horowitz then added to the hilarity by offering to wipe out to cheer up his comrade.
Imaginative use of props and sound helped create distinct scenes and emotions. A sheet of fabric was used evocatively in “Rachmaninov,” performed to music by the composer. First the artists took hold of the fabric’s edges and shook it into the air, like children with a parachute in elementary school gym class. Next, they dropped to the floor, rolled their bodies inside the sheet, and pulled it over their heads as they crouched low, for an effect reminiscent of Snow White’s evil queen disguised as the witch with the poison apple. Then, still hidden within the fabric, the trio formed the illusion of a towering, shrouded giant.
The mood shifted from introspective to silly in “Legs” and “Clackers.” In the former, the performers donned red suits with false feet that they controlled with their hands, like puppets, for a fun optical illusion. Facial expressions and gestures added to the humor of “Legs” as the performers feigned surprise at their own movements and mimed playing air guitar on their pretend legs. For “Clackers,” the performers kicked specially modified shoes against cooking pans strapped to their backsides. Instead of music, the performers kicked out percussion and vocalized nonverbal sounds. Silly, innovative, and fun, it showcased Galumpha’s ability to connect and communicate through theater and choreography. This piece also conveyed the company’s range. Equal parts acrobatics, slapstick, and physical theater, Galumpha shines in each of these areas, and its Cannonball Festival show was a reminder of the power of live performance to communicate and connect.
Cannonball Festival events are running at the MAAS Building through October 1, 2021.
ARTS
Events for Children in NYC This Week
By LAUREL GRAEBER FEB. 9, 2017
GALUMPHA at Symphony Space (Feb. 11, 11 a.m.). The name may not be graceful, but the troupe that bears it is; the members of Galumpha do not galumph. Instead, they use dance, acrobatics and carefully orchestrated movement to create intriguing body architecture and often comical skits. Appearing as part of the Just Kidding series at Symphony Space, the performers — Andy Horowitz, Gil Young Choi and BriAnna Barnett — turn gymnastics into a contact sport.
212-864-5400, symphonyspace.org
Carousel
WCU welcomes the unique and unforgettable
February 8, 2016 by Julia Hudgins
The story was created with Kayla Brookshire.
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The halls of Bardo Arts Center were filled with gasps of awe and the laughter of children and their parents alike as a group called Galumpha put on a one of a kind physical performance at Western Carolina University on Friday, Feb. 5.
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This family friendly show was equal parts comedic acrobatic performance and modern dance recital. The three artists, Andy Horowitz, Gil Young Choi and BriAnna Barnett, told stories and created impossible shapes that amazed the audience by using only their bodies and one or two very unique props.
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The three performers showed incredible strength and control over their own bodies as they stacked and intertwined themselves up and around one another.
All of the dances were as bizarre as they were riveting. Many of the dances went along with a wide variety of music that ranged from classical compositions, to melodies with haunting vocals sung in a foreign language, to upbeat country and alternative rock songs.
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However in some parts of the show the music was purposefully left out to make room for things wildly alternative options to music, such as beats created solely through the dancers kicking wooden sticks against pans strapped to their backsides. Or they moved their bodies to the sound of Velcro ripping as the three dancers passed balls from hats made out of Velcro back and forth to one another until finally throwing them into the audience. They then incorporated the audience in the show as well by having members throw the balls back for the performers to catch using nothing but their heads.
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The audience’s experience was valued throughout the entire evening. All three of the dancers addressed the audience directly, making jokes with them or giving them things to shout that added to the show as a whole. This kept the entire audience, that included all ages, completely engaged and entertained. “I like actually all of it! I liked the part where the rice fell down from the roof on to…on top of them the most,” said six-year-old audience member Alyssa.
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In another dance, they omitted sound so that the audience could hear the performers breathing as they glided from one motion to another making it look as if the three of them were creating one breath.
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Each group member moved in complete harmony as they moved from one carefully choreographed trick to another, placing a foot here or lending their torso to another for support, each of their movements were as exact and calculated as they were effortless.
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“See, I love the show. There are moments when you just enter the zone, you know? You’re not even thinking ahead or behind. You’re just right there in the moment dancing and smiling and I’ll catch a look and I’ll see the same in Bri or the same in Gil and it will just… it’s like this is exactly where I want to be right now, doing this,” explained the president and director of Galumpha, Horowitz, after the show.
Inside BU
October 30, 2013
by Eric Coker
Just because Galumpha is leaving for the China Shanghai International Arts Festival hours after performing at Binghamton University doesn’t mean that the hometown show is a rehearsal for a stage across the world.
To the contrary, said Andy Horowitz, president/director/co-founder of the troupe that combines dance, acrobatics and physical comedy. The show, scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts (tickets are $20, adults; $12, Students; $10, children 12 and under; $50, family four-pack), will feature performances both old and new from Horowitz ‘89, Emiko Okamoto ’13 and William Matos ’10.
“We are going to do a very polished road show that will include four dances that are new to Binghamton and were in fact new to the world just a few months ago,” said Horowitz, who is also an artist-in-residence in Binghamton University’s Theatre Department. “Along with those four dances, there will be some of our favorite pieces going back over the decades.”
Horowitz enjoys that Galumpha has the flexibility to reach all kinds of audiences.
“In some countries, we’re known as a gritty, edgy act for grown-ups,” he said. “We’re often booked at 10 p.m. at The Chamaeleon (Theater) in Berlin. That same quirky, fun-loving acrobatic dance can equally be seen as for kids. So sometimes we are booked for a kids’ show. I love it. We will waltz into a theater and perform for any audience.”
On the morning of Nov. 3, Horowitz, Okamoto, Matos and production manager Howard Klein ’02 will depart for Shanghai, home of the only state-level International Arts Festival hosted by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China and organized by Shanghai Municipal People's Government. For the past 14 years, the festival has featured the best music, drama and dance from China and the world.
Galumpha will perform for eight days (Nov. 5-12) across a variety of festival sites before returning to the United States on Nov. 13.
“I know a lot of Chinese faculty and have a lot of Chinese students,” Horowitz said. “When I mention the festival, it’s very famous to them. It’s one of the biggest performing-arts festivals in China. We are quite lucky to have our debut in China be at this festival.”
The road to Shanghai has taken more than a year for Galumpha. The troupe was headlining at Bumbershoot, the largest arts and music festival in Seattle, in September 2012 when a representative from the China Shanghai International Arts Festival arrived to scout the group.
“The scout didn’t talk with me and I didn’t even know anyone at the show was considering us for future engagements,” Horowitz said. “That very same day, our agent – DCA Productions – got the call from the Shanghai representative. That was the beginning.”
Horowitz who has performed in more than 40 countries with Galumpha, said “negotiating with China was the hardest of all” and he is anxious about the mystery of the festival and the country.
“We are definitely going into an adventure without as much knowledge of the environment as we ordinarily would have for any other gig,” he said. “They haven’t told me a lot. I’ve been trying to get tech specs for the stage. I’m not even sure what format I’m supposed to take the music in!”
Communication with the festival – and the Chinese government – meant hundreds of e-mails, faxes and the securement of business visas from the Chinese consulate in New York City. The festival also demanded to see every dance that Galumpha might do onstage. With no Twitter, Facebook or YouTube in China, Horowitz created a Vimeo page with parts of the group’s many different dances.
“We like to be able to make spontaneous decisions about our content,” he said. “In order to do that, we had to have China examine, watch and vet every second of what we might perform. … They asked questions about each dance, but finally approved them all. Why wouldn’t they?”
Galumpha won’t rest after returning to the United States. The troupe is scheduled to perform at Genesee Community College in Batavia on Nov. 15; the University of Maine on Dec. 2-3; and a New Year’s Eve show at Sugarloaf Ski Resort in Carrabassett Valley, Maine; with more shows slated for 2014.
With more than 3,000 performances across dozens of countries, Galumpha and Horowitz display no signs of slowing down.
“I take life day by day,” Horowitz said. “Right now, I’m focusing on the (Binghamton University) show. Even though I’ve played here many times before, it still feels great. I love to be onstage and I don’t mind if it’s one that I’ve been on 20 times before.
“I love what I do. I don’t feel like saying: ‘Job well done, now it’s time to do something else.’ I want to choreograph more, create new works that are interesting and compelling, and continue to perform all over the world.”
Berliner Morgenpost (Tagestipps)
Friday, 20.07.2007
Artistik-Comedy
Das halsbrecherische Theater der US-Gruppe "Galumpha"
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David Letterman hatte sie in seiner Late-Night-Sendung zu Gast, und auch im Programm von MTV ließen Andy Horowitz und Greg O'Brien von Galumpha schon ihre Muskeln spielen. Ihre erfolgreiche Truppe gründeten die durchtrainierten Amerikaner 2002, damals unter dem Titel "Second Hand Dance Company". Der neue Name wie auch der neue dritte Mann Marlon Torres sind noch relativ frisch. Das Erfolgsrezept der Shows hat sich aber nicht geändert: Handakrobatik wird nie einfach nur als blanke Kraftmeierei vorgeführt, sondern eingebunden in tänzerisch ausgefeilte und phantasievoll ausgestattete Choreographien. Mit Liebe zum Detail erfinden Galumpha auf der Bühne schräge Charaktere und kleine Geschichten, in die ihre halsbrecherischen Balanceakte und Hebefiguren wie nebenbei eingeflochten werden. Artistik mischt sich mit Theater und Comedy.
Zusammen kamen die drei Künstler aus völlig verschiedenen Richtungen: Horowitz studierte in Taiwan und bereiste ausgiebig China, spielte in Kung-Fu Filmen und arbeitete als Wild-West-Stuntman. Noch heute wird er in seiner Heimatstadt Binghampton gelegentlich gebeten, bei Gericht als Übersetzter für chinesische Mandanten aufzutreten. Greg O'Brien hängte für Galumpha die Fußballschuhe an den Nagel: Er war Auswahlspieler des Staates Connecticut. Marlon Torres, der jüngste Zugang, stammt aus Caracas in Venezuela, wo er durch Tanzauftritte in einer populären Fernsehshow als Kinderstar bekannt wurde und später Musical studierte. Zusammen ergeben sie eine ausgesprochen zug- und hubkräftige Formation, die auf ihrer Sommertour Station in Berlin macht. Lassen wir uns also demonstrieren, was man aus menschlichen Körpern alles bauen kann: Türme, Pyramiden, Schichttorten und sogar eine Madonnenfigur. Und für den Fall, dass das Wetter wieder einmal nicht mitspielt: Keine Agngst, der Sommergarten der Ufa Fabrik ist überdacht.
Click here to find out more!
Ufa Fabrik:
Viktoriastr. 10-18, Tempelhof. Tel.: 75 50 30, heute 20.30 Uhr. Eintritt 14, ermäßigt 12 Euro Constanze Klementz
Press & Sun-Bulletin
Sunday January 22, 2006
LIFESTYLE
REVIEW
Elegant, determined dancers bring grace to 'galumphing'
By SARAH D'ESTI MILLER
The Binghamton Philharmonic and Galumpha played to an appreciative sold-out audience Saturday night at the Anderson Center.
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The evening opened with Josef Strauss' Music of the Spheres, a lovely waltz — as most of them are, with a few sojourns into minor keys and a twist of an ending for added interest. It's no wonder waltzes were the popular music of their day. Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 in A major was easy on the ears as well, and the orchestra did a fine job. Their hands moved like lightning for the final movement.
The harmonies and repeated melodies of Strauss and Mendelssohn couldn't be more different for the piece that ended the first half of the program, Stravinsky's Song of the Nightingale. The audience was treated to something special, however, as Galumpha galumphed to the atmospheric piece, after conductor Jose-Luis Novo did a charming introduction. Actually, "galumphed" doesn't sound right. The movements of the dancers, Andy Horowitz, Marlon Torres and Greg O'Brien (with guests Emily Hooper, Erin Stanley and Gabriela Ranallo, "girlumpha," if you will) were elegant, emphasizing synchronicity of movement with precision and control, with only a touch of silliness. O'Brien did sort of a solo within the piece, and got to use one of the clever props Galumpha is known for. I don't have enough space to describe it, but, it was big, roundish, white and flexible and far more interesting when he started creating with it. The group had a tough go of one of their acrobatic maneuvers and frankly, it was inspiring. The move involved the precarious balancing of four dancers supported by one. They broke form once, set it up again, broke a second time, and went for a third time, which proved the charm. I have never seen such aplomb and determination on stage. They so often make it look so easy, it's nice to remember that it's not easy to do. But thank goodness it's easy to watch.
Galumpha
Project Artaud Theater
San Francisco, California
Saturday May 14, 2004
Volume 2, Number 19
May 24, 2004
Copyright ©2004 by Ann Murphy
Remember Pilobolus long, long ago? No? Well I don’t either. I only saw them after they hit the big time, but I imagine that they had some of the same down-to-earth, off the wall, child-like yet muscular charm that the wacky trio from Binghamton, New York called Galumpha did last Saturday. They perform through next weekend at Theater Artaud, and for Bay Areans if you want a treat, don’t miss it.
Slightly revamped, Artaud is still somewhere between a bona fide proscenium theater and a cavernous dance space. Although there’s now a raised stage space and a front curtain, the old Aluminum Can factory will probably reek of the essential for years to come. To make the place any cushier would call for a venture capitalist willing to burn millions, and there aren’t any of those in sight.
Andy Horowitz, Greg O’Brien and Marlon Torres are Galumpha, and they differ in temperament, body type and areas of expertise sufficiently that the trio congealed into something like a whole—and whole lot bigger—company. I billed the performance as a circus to my children. My 14-year-old came expecting a tent and all kinds of slinky, tacky diversion. The 11-year-old and his friend, age-appropriately, were up for anything, but also wary of clowns that were at first glance not very clownish. But after about 10 minutes, once we all grasped the low-tech, bare bones character of this circus, all four of us were seduced by the magic of what imagination, enormous exertion, the willingness to be fools, and the foolishness to defy gravity can yield. Galumpha was a galloping delight. Was it the kooky satire on Stomp in the piece Clackers that did it, with clacking devices on their shoes and frying pans on their bums? Or was it Window-7 in which they leapt, fell, pantomimed and performed simulated acts of daring do inside the frame of a window looking out, it seemed, on a large sky? Or could it have been the modern dance/ballet spoof Rachmaninoff that sealed their appeal? Doesn’t matter. It was an evening of magical entertainment.
And watch out for the Galumpha-inspired gear that may soon hit the runways. I mean, who can live without a velcro hat?
Volume 2, Number 19
May 24, 2004
Copyright ©2004 by Ann Murphy
Second Hand trio first-rate at dance, wit
Palm Beach Daily
By F.J. MYERS
Special To The Daily News
Sunday, March 30, 2003
The Second Hand, a delightful theatrical dance trio, soon to be renamed Galumpha, performed Friday at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Dancers included Greg O'Brien, Andy Horowitz, and Marlon Torres. While the majority of the trio's 14 pieces relied heavily on group gymnastic balancing skills, the program was never boring because of constant -- and usually comedic -- costume and prop changes, great variety in musical accompaniment and the unique personality of each performer.
Highlights included the opening dance, From the Depths, with music by The Horseflies. It featured a lighting effect, designed by Howard S. Klein, that enveloped the stage and each performer's white unitard in a multitude of colors. The ever-changing kaleidoscope-type patterns were enhanced by frequently frozen, well-designed and ever-changing creative physical shapes made by the juxtaposition of dancers' bodies.
Other memorable moments included a visual effect whereby one man supported and, at the same time, swung two others who were laid out in space, parallel to the floor, looking much like a spinning letter "T," and a dance where each dancer wore padding attached to his upper back making a series of staccato prat-type falls safe and extremely humorous.
Also outstanding was Human Fly, to music by The Horseflies. The limbs of the performers were used to illustrate numerous effects through a variety of shapes, movement, and precarious balances and comedic shenanigans reminiscent of the title.
Velcro featured each performer wearing a white ball attached to a Velcro bonnet. The dancers proceeded to pass the balls from one to the other in unique ways while moving in interesting patterns and/or frozen in shapes that evoked giggles because of the inaneness of it all. The piece concluded with throwing the balls out to the audience and then catching them on their caps as the audience threw them back.
A nice segue ensued. The pants that the dancers wore had zippers on each outer seam and, when unzipped, transformed their costume from plain jeans to flared and colorful cowboy-riding britches, appropriate for the frolicking Lonesome Cowboy Bob dance, to music by the Opera Cowpokes.
Additional variation was demonstrated in a dramatic and ironic duet that had the sensual qualities usually reserved for a traditional ballet male-female pas de deux. It was lovely and thought-provoking.
Clackers was another playful piece featuring each performer wearing a trash can lid-type prop attached to his buttocks and a metal gadget attached to each shoe, so that each could hit the lid with either shoe and provide his own rhythmic accompaniment.
In closing the program, the three men intertwined their bodies to give the illusion of a tall man standing on a chair while holding an open, twirling umbrella on which sand was pouring down.
The group, formed in 1989, is a collaborative effort whereby each member has responsibility for the created material. While many of the pieces were similar in concept to those performed by companies such as Pilobolus, Momix, Stomp, Nikolais, and Cirque de Soleil, this company was unique in its ability to make its performance personal -- to minimize the fourth wall, that one separating audience from performer.
Copyright © 2003, The Palm Beach Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
