Katherine Dunham News

Today we learn all about Alvin Ailey- a dancer, director, choreographer, and activist who is perhaps best known for founding the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). His work fused theater, modern dance, ballet, and jazz with black vernacular, creating hope-fueled choreography that continues to spread global awareness of black life in America.

Ballet Hispánico, the nation's leading Latino dance organization since 1970 and recognized this year as one of America's Cultural Treasures, will be included in The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' Jerome Robbins Dance Division sixth annual Symposium.

Held on January 29, 2021, this year's Symposium, entitled Dance and Immigration: A Symposium Beyond Boundaries, features the culminating projects from this year's cohort of Dance Research Fellows: Kiri Avelar, Ninotchka Bennahum, Phil Chan, Sergey Konaev, Yusha-Marie Sorzano and Ferne Regis, and Pam Tanowitz.

King Khan has shared the video for 'Wait Till The Stars Burn,' a highlight from his first-ever jazz album The Infinite Ones.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) celebrates African American dance masters in Tribute, an inspiring work for the ages. Matthew Rushing Associate Artistic Director for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater choreographed the work.

The Arts and Education Council announced today that 10 organizations have been awarded a total of $40,000 in PNC Program Grant funding to help strengthen the region's arts community. PNC Program Grants a?" underwritten by the PNC Foundation a?" provide funding for arts and arts education programs that address community needs.

A history-making first for The Muny, the live-streamed, free program features historic footage from past Muny summer shows, including Elton John and Tim Ricea??s Aida, 42nd Street, Spamalot and Oklahoma!

The lineup for the second episode of The Muny 2020 Summer Variety Hour Live! has been announced. This free, live-streamed program will air on Monday, July 27, at 8:15 p.m. CDT.

Jacob's Pillow, home to the longest-running dance festival in the United States, launches a Virtual Festival with eight weeks of free programming, July 7-August 29.

The historic community of Harlem is in the midst of the Centennial Celebration of the Harlem Renaissance, and the Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) through its HSA@Home platform, has tapped into this prolific epoch to create a unique summer experience for young people ages 5 a?" 18, that captures and brings to life the richness of that transformational movement.  

Jacob's Pillow has announced Ronald K. Brown as the recipient of the 2020 Jacob's Pillow Dance Award. A master choreographer and visionary storyteller, Brown's distinct blend of West African, Caribbean, and contemporary genres is embedded with an unmatched sense of musicality, spiritual traditions, and humanity.

Celebrating the resilience, vitality, and joy of age in response to this time of COVID-19 and the strengthened American fight for equality and justice for all, Dances For A Variable Population (DVP) will present, REVIVAL 4: Virtual!  This five-day virtual performance festival features daily interactive dance workshops free and open to the public with a grand finale performance, REVIVAL 4: Virtual!, featuring eight legendary dance artists and 50 non-professional senior dancers. 

Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation in collaboration with the Milton G. Bassin Performing Arts Center at York College have announced the co-production of and world premiere of a new musical, DREAMING OF 1975, and benefit featuring the Bessie Award-winning Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater on Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 7pm.

The Arts and Education Council is accepting applications for the fall 2020 Katherine Dunham Fellowship, a program that promotes diversity in arts leadership by giving African American students and recent graduates an opportunity to explore, gain experience and be mentored in arts administration. Applications are due April 15, 2020.

The Arts and Education Council announced today that Caren Vredenburgh, former senior director, creative services at Caleres, has been elected as the nonprofit's new board chair. Vredenburgh has served on the board for seven years. Four members of the board of directors have also been elected. Jeffrey D. Carter, M.D., Naretha Hopson, Janet Newcomb and Solomon Thurman, Jr. were each elected to a three-year term beginning January 1. Newly-elected Young Friends of the Arts President Alexandra Schenk, marketing director at Capes Sokol, also joined the board as an ex officio member.

Goodwill Cultural Ambassador Ronald Rand, recently returned from performing at Nairobi's National Theatre in The Kenya International Theater Festival, will celebrate his 20th year of touring, performing his celebrated solo play, LET IT BE ART! in a special performance presented by Tennessee Valley Art Association (TVAA) at The Ritz Theatre's Ritz Studio in Sheffield, Alabama on February 29th.

The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) has partnered with Philadanco!, The Philadelphia Dance Company to bring the 32nd Annual International Conference and Festival of Blacks in Dance to Philadelphia, PA in January 2020. During this conference, emerging, established, and legendary Black Dance companies from all over America will convene in the City of Brotherly Love for Then Now Next a one of a kind festival where dance lovers can experience over forty diverse companies and styles from January 15-18, 2020. This four-day conference and festival celebrates the brilliance of Black Dance companies while enhancing audiences' understanding of Black Dance history and technique.

The American Dance Festival (ADF) will present the 2020 Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award for lifetime achievement to acclaimed choreographer Shen Wei. Established in 1981 by Samuel H. Scripps, the annual award honors choreographers who have dedicated their lives and talent to the creation of modern dance. Shen Wei will be in residence at ADF during the 2020 season working on his latest ADF commission set on ADF students. ADF Director Emeritus Charles L. Reinhart will present the $50,000 award in a brief ceremony on Thursday, July 23rd at 8:00pm, prior to the Footprints performance in Reynolds Industries Theater.

I'm certain that we will see Camille A. Brown awarded again soon. She deserves a nomination just for the performance she unleashed during this Bessie ceremony. Is there another dancer in the world whose deep scholarship comes through so clearly with every breath she or he takes?

On Friday, Oct. 11, 6:00 pm, Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series will honor award-winning performance artist, author and cultural activist Camille Yarbrough with our distinguished Reel Sisters Hattie McDaniel Award for her outstanding contributions to film, television, literature and performing arts over six decades. The Reel Sisters Trailblazer Award will be presented to Sandra Guzman, producer and lead interviewer of Toni Morrison: Pieces I Am, and pioneering filmmaker Leslie Harris, director of the classic film Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. Cash prizes will also be presented to our award-winning filmmakers. Tickets: $35 ($30 - Bring A Pal discount for 2+ tickets).