Nikki Feirt Atkins Announces ADM21 Company

Nikki Feirt Atkins, Founder and Executive Director, has announced the formation of American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (ADM21), a new not-for-profit dance company dedicated to "creating a living and vibrant archive of classic and current notable musical theater choreography."

ADM21, under the artistic direction of Margo Sappington, will continue the legacy of the late Lee Theodore, who established The American Dance Machine in1976. Theodore created a “Living Archive” of Musical Theater Dance to address her belief that “many great choreographic works are lost with the production of the musical they once embellished.” Of concern was that the artistry of each dance would vanish with the artists who created them. That was the impetus that drove The American Dance Machine from its pilot program in 1976 to its final days following the death of Lee Theodore in the late 1980’s.

The new company will produce workshop presentations and full-length productions, and plans to open a training facility called “The School at ADM 21” in the fall of 2012. The ADM21 Dance Company will demonstrate the value of theater dance choreography through careful research, reconstruction and respect for the choreographer’s inspiration. The company will maintain a core group of dancers joined by guest artists proficient in the style and technical requirements of each dance piece.

“My goal is to continue Lee Theodore’s legacy by establishing American Dance Machine for the 21St Century as New York City’s leading center for musical theater dance,” said Atkins. “I believe that when a show closes and the script, songs and designs are preserved for posterity, so too should its dances.”

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