Dance Theatre Of Harlem Kicks Off Season With 2017 VISION GALA

Dance Theatre of Harlem (Virginia Johnson, Artistic Director; Anna Glass, Executive Director), is thrilled to announce that its 2017 hometown season will kick off on April 19 with a live performance by Grammy Award-winning recording artist India.Ariewith students from the Dance Theatre of Harlem School performing the world premiere of High Above, featuring choreography by DTH resident choreographer Robert Garland. The program for the opening night celebration - the organization's annual Vision Gala - will also include the Act III Pas de Deux from Swan Lake (staging by Anna-Marie Holmes after Marius Petipa and Nicholas Sergeyev);Equilibrium (BROTHERHOOD) by Darrell Grand Moultrie; Chaconne by José Limón, normally a solo, it will be performed by DTH with dancers from the Limón Company for this performance only; and Return by Robert Garland. To purchase tickets to the Vision Gala, immediately following the April 19 opening night performance, please call (212) 889-4694.

As previously announced, there will be a special tribute to choreographer Glen Tetley as part of the program on Saturday, April 22 at 8pm. This tribute will include remarks by legendary artist and dancer Carmen De Lavallade, who performed several Tetley ballets and danced with his company; and DTH Alumna, Texas Ballet Theatre instructor and original cast member of Tetley's DialoguesCharmaine Hunter, leading into the following performances:

Excerpts from Voluntaries

Choreography by Glen Tetley

Music by Francis Poulenc

Performed by Texas Ballet Theater - Allisyn Hsieh and Carl Coomer

Excerpts from Greening

Choreography by Glen Tetley

Music by Arne Nordheim
Performed by Caroline Rocher (Former DTH Principal Dancer)

Dialogues (New Production)

Choreography by Glen Tetley

Music by Alberto Ginastera

Performed by Chyrstyn Fentroy, Jorge Villarini, Alicia Mae Holloway, Nicholas Rose,

Stephanie Rae Williams, Da'Von Doane, Alison Stroming and Dylan Santos

Programing for Dance Theatre of Harlem's 2016 New York City Center Season:

Wednesday, April 19 at 7pm: Opening Night Performance and Vision Gala

Equilibrium (BROTHERHOOD) by Darrell Grand Moultrie

Performed by Dylan Santos, Jorge Villarini, Jordan Kindell

High Above by Robert Garland

Performance by India.Arie and students from the Dance Theatre of Harlem School

Chaconne by José Limón

Performed by DTH with dancers from the Limón Company

Swan Lake - Act III Pas de Deux

Staging: Anna-Marie Holmes after Marius Petipa and Nicholas Sergeyev

Performed by Alison Stroming and Da'Von Doane (Entree and Adagio)

Ingrid Silva and Francis Lawrence (Coda)

Return by Robert Garland

Performed by Chyrstyn Fentroy, Stephanie Williams, Alison Stroming, Lilit Hogtanian, Alicia Holloway, Lindsey Croop, Francis Lawrence, Choong Hoon Lee, Dylan Santos, Nicholas Rose, Jordan Kindell Sanford Placide

PROGRAM A: Friday, April 21 at 8pm

Brahms Variations (NY Premiere) by Robert Garland

Danced by Chyrstyn Fentroy, Da'Von Doane, Lindsey Croop, Lilit Hogtanian,

Alicia Mae Holloway, Alison Stroming, Nicholas Rose, Choong Hoon Lee,

Stanford Placide, Francis Lawrence

Chaconne (DTH Premiere) by José Limón

Danced by Dylan Santos

System (NY Premiere) by Francesca Harper

Danced by Stephanie Rae Williams, Ingrid Silva, Chyrstyn Fentroy, Da'Von Doane, Choong Hoon Lee, Dylan Santos, Nicholas Rose, Jorge Andrés Villarini

Vessels by Darrell Grand Moultrie

Light?

Alison Stroming, Ingrid Silva, Lilit Hogtanian, Stephanie Rae Williams, Lindsey Croop

Francis Lawrence, Dylan Santos, Choong Hoon Lee, Stanford Placide, Jordan Kindell

Belief?

Ingrid Silva, Lilit Hogtanian, Stephanie Rae Williams, Lindsey Croop

Love

Alison Stroming, Francis Lawrence

Abundance

The Company

- Talkback with the choreographers immediately following the performance -

FAMILY MATINEE: Saturday, April 22 at 2pm: Family Matinée

Brahms Variations by Robert Garland

Danced by Chyrstyn Fentroy, Da'Von Doane, Lilit Hogtanian,

Alicia Mae Holloway, Alison Stroming, Lindsey Croop, Nicholas Rose, Dylan Santos,

Stanford Placide, Jordan Kindell

Change by Dianne McIntyre

Ingrid Silva, Chyrtstyn Fentroy, Stephanie Rae Williams

Return by Robert Garland

"Mother Popcorn" Lindsey Croop and Jorge Andrés Villarini

with Stephanie Rae Williams, Alison Stroming, Lilit Hogtanian, Alicia Mae Holloway, Cristel Alvarado, Francis Lawrence, Sanford Placide, Jordan Kindell, Nicholas Rose

"Baby, Baby, Baby" Stephanie Rae Williams and Choong Hoon Lee

with Alison Stroming, Francis Lawrence, Cristel Alvarado, Nicholas Rose

"I Got The Feelin'"?Lindsey Croop, Jordan Kindell and Nicholas Rose

with Alicia Mae Holloway, Sanford Placide, Lilit Hogtanian

"Call Me"?Alison Stroming and Francis Lawrence with The Company

"Superbad"?Jorge Andrés Villarini with The Company

- Special Post-Performance event: Meet the Ballerina -

PROGRAM B: Saturday, April 22 at 8pm

Vessels by Darrell Grand Moultrie

Light?

Alison Stroming, Ingrid Silva, Lilit Hogtanian, Stephanie Rae Williams, Lindsey Croop

Francis Lawrence, Da'Von Doane, Choong Hoon Lee, Stanford Placide, Jordan Kindell

Belief?

Ingrid Silva, Lilit Hogtanian, Stephanie Rae Williams, Lindsey Croop

Love

Alison Stroming, Francis Lawrence

Abundance

The Company

Glen Tetley Tribute performed by Special Guest Artists including

Excerpts from Voluntaries

Choreography by Glen Tetley

Music by Francis Poulenc

Performed by Texas Ballet Theater - Allisyn Hsieh and Carl Coomer

Excerpts from Greening

Choreography by Glen Tetley

Music by Arne Nordheim
Performed by Caroline Rocher (Former DTH Principal Dancer)

Dialogues (New Production)

Choreography by Glen Tetley

Music by Alberto Ginastera

Performed by Chyrstyn Fentroy, Jorge Villarini, Alicia Mae Holloway, Nicholas Rose,

Stephanie Rae Williams, Da'Von Doane, Alison Stroming and Dylan Santos

Return by Robert Garland

"Mother Popcorn" Ingrid Silva and Francis Lawrence

with Lindsey Croop, Chyrstyn Fentroy, Lilit Hogtanian, Alicia Mae Holloway, Cristel Alvarado, Jorge Andrés Villarini, Dylan Santos, Sanford Placide, Jordan Kindell, Nicholas Rose

"Baby, Baby, Baby" Lindsey Croop and Jorge Andrés Villarini

with Chyrstyn Fentroy, Dylan Santos, Cristel Alvarado, Nicholas Rose

"I Got The Feelin'"?Ingrid Silva, Jordan Kindell and Nicholas Rose

with Alicia Mae Holloway, Sanford Placide, Lilit Hogtanian

"Call Me"? Chyrstyn Fentroy and Dylan Santos with The Company

"Superbad"?Francis Lawrence and The Company

-Casting and Programming are subject to change-

Please note: there is no performance on Thursday, April 20

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Francesca Harper (Choreographer). A Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Francesca Harper performed soloist roles with the Dance Theatre of Harlem from 1987-1991 and spent several years as a principal in William Forsythe's Ballet Frankfurt. Her Broadway credits include Fosse, The Producers and the Tony Award winning treasure The Color Purple, among others. She was also a featured performer inZinnias - The Life of Clementine Hunter directed by Robert Wilson, with Libretto by Civil Rights Activist Bernice Reagon. Her Principal acting roles include starring opposite Molly Ringwald in Sweet Charity and performing the role of Judith originated on Broadway by Judith Jamison in Sophisticated Ladies. Harper served as ballet consultant for the feature film, BLACK SWAN, by Darren Aronofsky. Harper has choreographed works for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Tanz Graz, Hubbard Street II, Dallas Black Dance Theater, and her own company, The Francesca Harper Project (FHP), which was founded in 2005 and has toured internationally to the Holland Dance Festival, the Venice Biennale, NJPAC, The Joyce Theater and The Metropolitan Museum. For the current season Harper is remounting 'Creatures of Prometheus,' originally created for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, with FHP. She is currently in a residency at New York University's Ballet Center through May 2017, where she is working on a new work, #yourstory. Harper is an adjunct professor at New York University, has been a resident artist at Harvard University, Associate Professor at Barnard College, and continues the vital role of teacher and choreographer for The Ailey School, Fordham University's BFA Program and the Susan Batson Studio led by Award Winner Susan Batson.

Robert Garland (Resident Choreographer) was a member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem Company achieving the rank of principal dancer. After creating a work for the DTH School Ensemble, Arthur Mitchell invited Mr. Garland to create a work for The Dance Theatre of Harlem Company and appointed him the organization's first Resident Choreographer. He is also the organization's webmaster. In addition to choreographing several ballets for DTH, Mr. Garland has also created works for New York City Ballet, Britain's Royal Ballet, Oakland Ballet and many others. His commercial work has included music videos, commercials and short films, including the children's television show "Sesame Street," a Nike commercial featuring New York Yankee Derek Jeter, the NAACP Image Awards, a short film for designer Donna Karan and the "Charmin Cha-Cha" for Proctor and Gamble. Most recently, he created a work honoring jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, featuring ABT Ballerina Misty Copeland. Mr. Garland holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the Juilliard School in New York City.

José Limón (Choreographer) was a crucial figure in the development of modern dance: his powerful dancing shifted perceptions of the male dancer, while his choreography continues to bring a dramatic vision of dance to audiences around the world. Born in Mexico, Limón moved to New York City in 1928 after a year at UCLA as an art major. In 1946, after studying and performing for 10 years with Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman, he established his own company with Humphrey as Artistic Director. During her tenure, Humphrey choreographed many pieces for the Limón Dance Company, and it was under her experienced directorial eye that Limón created his signature dance, The Moor's Pavane (1949). Limón's choreographic works were quickly recognized as masterpieces and the Company itself became a landmark of American dance. Many of his dances-There is a Time, Missa Brevis, Psalm, The Winged-are considered classics of modern dance. Limón was a consistently productive choreographer until his death in 1972-he choreographed at least one new piece each year-and he was also an influential teacher and advocate for modern dance. He was in residence each summer at the American Dance Festival, a key faculty member in The Juilliard School's Dance Division beginning in 1953, and the director of Lincoln Center's American Dance Theatre from 1964-65. Limón received two Dance Magazine Awards, the Capezio Award and honorary doctorates from four universities in recognition of his achievements. He was the subject of a major retrospective exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, The Dance Heroes of José Limón (Fall 1996), and in 1997 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, NY. His autobiographical writings, An Unfinished Memoir, were edited by Lynn Garafola and published in 1999 by Wesleyan University Press.

Dianne McIntyre (Choreographer) has choreographed for her own Sounds in Motion company, Philadanco, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, countless university student ensembles, American Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival and Jacobs Pillow. Her music collaborators include, Olu Dara, Max Roach, Hannibal, Cecil Taylor, Lester Bowie and Don Pullen. In theatre, Professor McIntyre has worked with Broadway, London, Off Broadway and Regional Theaters. Her film and television credits include, Beloved, Miss Evers' Boys and "Langston Hughes: The Dream Keeper." She has been awarded the 2015 Doris Duke Impact Award, three Bessie Awards, the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Helen Hayes Award (D.C. Theatre), the Audelco (New York Black Theatre), the Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degrees from SUNY at Purchase and Cleveland State University and numerous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and New York State Council on the Arts. Her upcoming projects include, Lost in Language and Sound, a workshop of a choreo-essay by Ntozake Shange at Karamu Theatre, a commission by Dance St. Louis and a solo at New York Live Arts in association with Music, Marcos Balter and Bill T. Jones.

Darrell Grand Moultrie (Choreographer). A recipient of a prestigious Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Award, Darrell Grand Moultrie has created and staged multiple works for The Juilliard School, Colorado Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Met Columbus, Ailey 2, Sacramento Ballet, and Milwaukee Ballet. His work has also been commissioned by North Carolina Dance Theatre, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Atlanta Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Richmond Ballet and Smuin Ballet. Moultrie has taught and choreographed at several higher education dance programs such as Ailey Fordham B.F.A, Point Park University, Cal Arts, New York University and Stanford University. In addition to Vessels for Dance Theatre of Harlem, he has created new works for Oregon Ballet Theatre and the Boston Conservatory. Grammy Award-winning recording artist Beyoncé selected Moultrie as one of her choreographers for her Mrs. Carter World Tour. He recently collaborated with Tony Award-winner Savion Glover and choreographed last season's Witness Uganda, under the direction of Tony Award-winner Diane A proud New Yorker born and raised in Harlem, Mr. Moultrie is a graduate of P.S. 144, LaGuardia High School and The Juilliard School.

Glen Tetley (1926-2007) is one of the 20th century's most renowned and respected choreographers. Mr. Tetley created over 50 ballets for the world's major dance companies including Dance Theatre of Harlem, American Ballet Theatre, the Stuttgart Ballet, Ballet Rambert, The Royal Ballet, the Netherlands Dance Theatre, The Australian Ballet, Aterballetto, the Royal Swedish Ballet, the Norwegian National Ballet, The Houston Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, Deutsche Oper Am Rhein, London Festival Ballet (now the English National Ballet), and The National Ballet of Canada. For these and many other companies, Mr. Tetley has restaged and produced existing works into their repertoire. Tetley studied modern and classical dance with such legendary teachers as Hanya Holm, Martha Graham, Antony Tudor and Margaret Craske before quickly establishing himself as a leading male dancer performing with such companies as ABT, Jerome Robbins' Ballets: USA, the Martha Graham Dance Company as well as with José Limón, John Butler, and Pearl Lang. He was assistant to Hanya Holm when she staged Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate and he performed a show stopping solo choreographed by Agnes De Mille in the Broadway musical Juno. In 1962, Mr. Tetley began his first choreographic venture, gathering a group of talented dancers together to perform the first program of his own choreography at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology, which included the premiere of the now classic, Pierrot Lunaire. From that point forward he went on to create works that are now heralded as 20th century classics.

Virginia Johnson (Artistic Director) isa founding member of Dance Theatre of Harlem and was one of its principal ballerinas over a career that spanned nearly 30 years. After retiring in 1997, Ms. Johnson went on to found Pointe Magazine and was editor-in-chief for 10 years. A native of Washington, D.C., Ms. Johnson began her training with Therrell Smith. She studied with Mary Day at the Washington School of Ballet and graduated from the Academy of the Washington School of Ballet and went on to be a University Scholar in the School of the Arts at New York University before joining Dance Theatre of Harlem. Ms. Johnson is universally recognized as one of the great ballerinas of her generation and is perhaps best known for her performances in the ballets Giselle, A Streetcar Named Desire and Fall River Legend. She has received such honors as a Young Achiever Award from the National Council of Women, Outstanding Young Woman of America, the Dance Magazine Award, a Pen and Brush Achievement Award, the Washington Performing Arts Society's 2008-2009 Pola Nirenska Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2009 Martha Hill Fund Mid-Career Award.

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ABOUT THE DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM

Dance Theatre of Harlem is a leading dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim, encompassing a performing Ensemble, a leading arts education center and Dancing Through Barriers®, a national and international education and community outreach program. Each component of Dance Theatre of Harlem carries a solid commitment towards enriching the lives of young people and adults around the world through the arts. Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, Dance Theatre of Harlem was considered "one of ballet's most exciting undertakings" (The New York Times, 1971). Shortly after the assassination of The Reverend DR. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mitchell was inspired to start a school that would offer children - especially those in Harlem, the community in which he was born - the opportunity to learn about dance and the allied arts. Now in its fifth decade, Dance Theatre of Harlem has grown into a multi-cultural dance institution with an extraordinary legacy of providing opportunities for creative expression and artistic excellence that continues to set standards in the performing arts. Dance Theatre of Harlem has achieved unprecedented success, bringing innovative and bold new forms of artistic expression to audiences in New York City, across the country and around the world.

Dance Theatre of Harlem once again takes the stage at New York City Center for four performances only, from April 19-22. This season highlights an expansive four programs of works - both NY premieres and audience favorites - by Robert Garland, Francesca Harper, José Limón, Dianne McIntyre, Darrell Grand Moultrie, plus a special tribute to Glen Tetley. (Please note: there is no performance on Thursday, April 20.) Tickets, ranging in price from $25 - $115 can be arranged through CityTix, by calling (212) 581-1212, visiting www.NYCityCenter.org, or by visiting the New York City Center box office located at 131 West 55th Street. To purchase tickets to the celebratory Vision Gala, immediately following the April 19 opening night performance, please call (212) 889-4694. Groups of 10 or more, please call (212) 690-2800 x404 or email Groupsales@dancetheatreofharlem.org for excellent group rates. New York City Center is located at 131 West 55th Street. For more information about Dance Theatre of Harlem, please visit www.DanceTheatreOfHarlem.org.

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