Jungle Dance

Program Notes

Jungle Dance (2014) originally appeared as the final movement to my family ballet Into the Jungle (commissioned by the Rock Dance School of Philadelphia, PA and premiered in May 2013 at their 50th-Anniversary gala). In the ballet’s dramatic scenario, a young child is visiting the zoo, but her imagination begins to take over, and the zoo seemingly turns into a jungle before her eyes with the animals coming outside of their cages to participate in a raucous dance. The music was originally scored for clarinet, violin, cello, and two percussionists, but I felt its energy and character made it well-suited for percussion ensemble.

— Daniel Temkin