Noémie Lafrance

Architecture & Buildings

Metropolitan Opera - " The first time I went to the opera I felt like I was in old New York. It's the feeling of the room, the decor and the velvet walls. It's small, quaint, rustic and old. For an authentic experience, it's worth going as a night out when everyone is dressed up."

Frank Gehry - Noémie Lafrance, Rapture

Frank Gehry - "Frank Gehry is always coming up with very original designs and pushing the boundaries of construction. His work is very spectacular and usually I’m not drawn to spectacular spaces because I feel like they already are expressing something. But I feel like his work is particularly wanting some bodies on it, and that's why we did the show Rapture in upstate NY. I also really like the IAC building on the west side of Manhattan. We did our gala there and it was wonderful. I'm glad to be working on a number or projects with him exploring dance and architecture."

Stanford White - "Stanford White was a brilliant architect who was murdered tragically in 1906 by the husband of his mistress. He was a real NY character who caused a lot of trouble with his extracurricular social activities. He designed a beautiful stairwell in a clock tower in a downtown Manhattan court building. We performed the show Descent there in 2003. It's a very interesting stairwell architecturally because it doesn’t have any columns. There’s a big hole in the middle and that’s where the audience looked down and saw all the dancers dancing vertically together."

Woolworth Building - "The Woolworth Building on Wall Street is phenomenal. It's very ornate and beautiful. The large arch at the entrance is amazing."

Domino Sugar Factory - "The Domino Sugar Factory is in my neighborhood and I respect it because it's always in grave jeopardy. It represents that industrial era in Williamsburg. I love the arch windows. It's also wild to know the source of all the sugar packets we see around."

Domino Sugar Factory - Source: Flickr

McCarren Park Pool - "I created the show, Agora, in the McCarren Park Pool in 2005. This was a public pool in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that was constructed in 1936 and closed in 1983. It was designed to accomodate 6800 people. I thought it was extremely sexy and interesting because a pool is a representation of recreation, pleasure and people having fun. And, of course, only in New York would you find such a massive, public space."

McCarren Park Pool - Source: Flickr

Artists

Brian Eno - "We share interest in the use of self generated patterns. He uses music and I use choreography. Systems are created by putting elements together that make the rules and that structure is what makes everything possible. It's like an eco-system the way it's alive and evolving."

James Turrell - "James Turrell is a very famous artist who does a lot with light. I am a site-specific choreographer so I am particularly inspired by his use of nature and shapes. He's building a secret observatory in Arizona to observe the sky. He has a great permanent piece on the roof of PS1 in Long Island City."

James Turrell - Source

Richard Serra - "I love his elliptical sculptures. His work is so massive but you feel the resonance of movement; like going inside a sound."

Film

Maya Deren - "It's unfortunate she didn't create more work. She's considered the mother of experimental film and opened the door to film being used as a narrative without being of real life. You open a door and you're in the ocean, for example. She used film to make poetry. She is best known for Meshes of the Afternoon, but the one I like is Ritual in Transfigured Time. She also used beautiful dance in her films."

Maya Deren - Source

Existenz - "I recommend this film by David Cronenberg over the Matrix because they came out at the same time and this was much more imaginative about technology and the future."

Performance and Experimental Arts

"There are a bunch of us working in experimental dance and performance in NYC. Folks like Wooster Group, Tom Pearson, Zach Morris of Third Rail Projects, Andrea Haenggi/ AMDat, Collage Dance Theatre and Alejandra Martorell of TRYST. We are watching out for one another. It's the downtown scene and we're all thinking about what's going on with dance and where it's going."

Radiohole - "Radiohole is a radical experimental theater collective. Their space is real close to mine and you can see their shows right in it."

Radiohole, Anger/Nation - Source

Jonah Bokaer - "Jonah started CPR with John Jasperse. Both are modern choreographers whose works are very Merce Cunnigham inspired. They are interested in technology and computers and bringing together the beauty of dance performance with the intellectual side."

CPR - Center for Performance Research - "CPR presents all sorts of modern dance and film programs. It's curated and built by artists."

Chocolate Factory - "The Chocolate Factory in Long Island City is showing some really interesting stuff. It's a nice theater space that's out there a little bit but well worth the trip."

Koosil-ja - "Koosil-ja is a contemporary performance artist whose work combines dance, electronic music, video and interactivity. Part of her aesthetic is asking questions in the world of technology."

"Some other places to definitely check out are BRIC, HERE, La Mama, Chez Bushwick, Cave, Dixon Place and The Judson Church. They show the local experimental greatness of the city and they need your support!"

"Also, dont miss the established and quality performance venues like BAM, PS 122, The Kitchen, Dance Theater Workshop and St. Ann's Warehouse."

"I love being out and about in New York looking for unusual things. You always meet the strangest people and find yourself in the most unexpected places. Going to see underground adventurous art in the middle of nowhere or walking down Bedford Ave and buying clothes and junk on the street."

Restaurants

Aurora - "Aurora is one of my favorite restaurants because it is always fresh. It's Italian but very creative and not traditional. For the price it is certainly better than most."

Corton - "Corton is just a very elegant restaurant. If you're looking for a happening upscale place I thought this was really good."

Corton, Source: Photo by Evan Sung

Blue Ribbon - "Blue Ribbon is a very sexy spot. I especially like having oysters at the bar. There are a few locations and I like the Manhattan one best."

Marlow and Sons - "I love Marlows and Diner which is right next door. The food is always "from the market" fresh and creative. It's very sexy at night, delicious and cool. They have great pastries as well."

Tomoe - "I love this place for sushi. The owner makes the sushi himself and I've seen lines out the door for 15 years. Count on waiting up to 45 minutes but its well worth it. Have the sashimi deluxe, it's the best thing."

Ushiwakamaru - "This is a fancy, top quality raw and sushi restaurant. It's elegant and always recommended by Japanese people."

Ushiwakamaru - Source

"My favorite neighborhoods are Williamsburg and TriBeCa because of the interesting people who live there and Fort Greene because it's beautiful."

Other Stuff To Do

Circle Line - "If you want to do the touristic thing, you want to go on the Circle Line. It’s kind of cool because you can see all the dozen or so bridges. When you're up towards the Bronx, they open in all different kinds of ways and they're really interesting. It’s really interesting to see the whole city from the water."

"For the extreme, I think definitely go up to the Bronx or Queens and experience some of the Indian & Portuguese neighborhoods further out. I mean, it’s nice also to go to Coney Island and see the Russian neighborhoods. It’s nice to see all those cultural neighborhoods. But if you go to Maspeth then you’re going to experience something a little more extreme. Just follow the UPS truck and get lost over there. It’s really interesting. It’s pretty industrial and kind of disconnected. It's just another world over there."