Ronald K. Brown News

ODC Theater announces its program for 2013, featuring artists committed to expanding the experience of contemporary performance.

ODC Theater's annual fringe-style festival returns for a second year with samplings of contemporary dance from around the nation. Over two days, Friday, May 31 - Saturday, June 1, 2013 the Festival will feature three separate programs designed to spark conversation. This year's superb roster of artists includes Brian Brooks Moving Company; casebolt and smith; Nicole Klaymoon's Embodiment Project; ODC/Dance; Rachael Lincoln and Leslie Seiters; Kate Weare and Company; and Scott Wells and Dancers.

The National Tour of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS, winner of the 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, will star Theatre World Award winner and original Broadway cast member PHILLIP BOYKIN, who will reprise his Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critic Circle Award-nominated role as Crown. Boykin joins previously announced original Broadway cast members NATHANIEL STAMPLEY as Porgy and ALICIA HALL MORAN as Bess. The national tour, which begins in the late fall of 2013 will travel to more than 20 cities in its first season, including Los Angeles (Ahmanson Theatre), Seattle (5th Avenue Theatre), Dallas (Winspear Opera House), Charlotte, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Des Moines, Tampa, Las Vegas, Cleveland, West Palm Beach, Tempe, St. Paul and Greenville with additional cities to be announced in the coming days.

Exemplifying its commitment to provide Los Angeles with inspiring, immersive entertainment for all ages, The Music Center announced its 2013-2014 Season, which includes major dance premieres, multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary performances for families and its nationally recognized series of free 'do-it-yourself' arts events. According to The Music Center, this extensive group of performances and arts-making opportunities - which includes engagements at all four of its venues and Grand Park - is The Music Center's most comprehensive, diverse season to date.

New York Live Arts announces the 2013 Theater Access Program - a comprehensive rental program that provides performance space and resources to a diverse group of self-producing artists of all disciplines. This year's artists include (in order of appearance) 10 Hairy Legs, Ellen Robbins, NuMoRune Collaborative, Makeda Thomas, Elisa Monte Dance and Jennifer Muller/The Works, Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre and Joseph Mills for Modern American Dance Company.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, beloved as one of the world's most popular dance companies, brings its 21-city U.S. tour to the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert for one performance tonight, April 11 at 8:00pm. Following record-breaking performances in New York City that brought full houses to their feet, Ailey's second season led by Artistic Director Robert Battle is thrilling audiences in major cities across the country. Artistic Director Robert Battle continues to surprise and delight audiences with premieres and new productions that expand his vision for the company, adding dynamic choreographic voices to the repertory that give Ailey's extraordinary artists new ways to inspire.

Jacob's Pillow announces today that Executive and Artistic Director Ella Baff will soon present the seventh annual Jacob's Pillow Dance Award to Michelle Dorrance, an acclaimed tap dancer, choreographer, and Artistic Director of Dorrance Dance. Praised as a "talented choreographer, the most promising one in tap right now" by Brian Seibert of The New York Times, Dorrance is among the most respected tap performers of her generation.

For the first time ever, the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will be joined by rising stars of Ailey II, gifted young dancers from The Ailey School, and talented students from AileyCamp in a spectacular Ailey At The Apollo performance on Tuesday, May 7th at 7pm. Led by Artistic Director Robert Battle, the Spring Gala Benefit performance will take place on the world famous Apollo Theater stage. A gala party with festive dress, decor and dancing to music by the famed DJ Kiss will follow the one-night-only performance.

The National Tour of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS, winner of the 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, will star original Broadway cast members ALICIA HALL MORAN as Bess and NATHANIEL STAMPLEY as Porgy. The national tour, which begins in the late fall of 2013 will travel to more than 20 cities in its first season, including Los Angeles (Ahmanson Theatre), Seattle (5th Avenue Theatre), Dallas (Winspear Opera House), Charlotte, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Des Moines, Tampa, Las Vegas, Cleveland, West Palm Beach, Tempe and St. Paul, with additional cities to be announced in the coming days.

Evidence, A Dance Company paid tribute to the life and legacy of Beth Young, a dance enthusiast and long-time supporter of Evidence, A Dance Company, and recognized Goldman, Sachs & Co. and, Valentino D. Carlotti for supporting the arts and community outreach at The Torch Ball on March 25 at New York City's The Plaza Hotel. Proceeds from the black tie affair support Evidence's mission to promote understanding of the African Diaspora through dance, music and storytelling. Scroll below for photos from the event!

From tonight to Saturday, April 2-6, 2013, The Kitchen presents the New York premiere of choreographer Camille A. Brown's Mr.TOL E. RAncE. Inspired by Spike Lee's controversial film Bamboozled and Mel Watkins' book On The Real Side: Laughing, Lying, And Signifying - The Underground Tradition of African American Humor that Transformed American Culture, from Slavery to Chris Rock, Brown's ensemble piece celebrates the humor and perseverance of the black performer while examining the stereotypes that persist in popular black culture. Mr. TOL E. RancE is performed by Brown and her company: Juel D. Lane, Mayte Natalio, Waldean Nelson, Mora-Amina Parker, Willie 'Tre' Smith III and KeonThoulouis, and features original music, which will be played live by Scott Patterson.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, beloved as one of the world's most popular dance companies, returns to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts for the first time in 13 years for a seven-performance engagement at the David H. Koch Theater June 12-16, 2013. Today, Artistic Director Robert Battle announced repertory for the season anchored with a world premiere by celebrated choreographer Ronald K. Brown, along with encore performances of 2012-2013 season premieres and repertory favorites, including Alvin Ailey's acclaimed American masterpiece Revelations.

Ronald K. Brown's Dance Company, Evidence, delighted their audience with three unique selections at The Harkness Dance Festival on Sunday.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, beloved as one of the world's most popular dance companies, brings its 21-city U.S. tour to the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert for one performance on Thursday, April 11 at 8:00pm. Following record-breaking performances in New York City that brought full houses to their feet, Ailey's second season led by Artistic Director Robert Battle is thrilling audiences in major cities across the country. Artistic Director Robert Battle continues to surprise and delight audiences with premieres and new productions that expand his vision for the company, adding dynamic choreographic voices to the repertory that give Ailey's extraordinary artists new ways to inspire.

Omaha Performing Arts is packing more than 100 performances with dozens of Tony and Grammy Award-winners into seven great series for its 2013/2014 season.

The 2013-2014 Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre season was announced today by CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie.

From Tuesday to Saturday, April 2-6, 2013, The Kitchen presents the New York premiere of choreographer Camille A. Brown's Mr.TOL E. RAncE. Inspired by Spike Lee's controversial film Bamboozled and Mel Watkins' book On The Real Side: Laughing, Lying, And Signifying - The Underground Tradition of African American Humor that Transformed American Culture, from Slavery to Chris Rock, Brown's ensemble piece celebrates the humor and perseverance of the black performer while examining the stereotypes that persist in popular black culture. Mr. TOL E. RancE is performed by Brown and her company: Juel D. Lane, Mayte Natalio, Waldean Nelson, Mora-Amina Parker, Willie 'Tre' Smith III and KeonThoulouis, and features original music, which will be played live by Scott Patterson.

Executive Director of the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, Brett Batterson, welcomes world renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to Chicago for an unprecedented 10 full performances, tonight, March 8 - 17.

ODC Theater announces its program for 2013, featuring artists committed to expanding the experience of contemporary performance.

ODC presents Dance and Diaspora, featuring work by belly dance artist Jill Parker and Afro-Brazilian dance artist Tania Santiago. This double bill, a high-energy celebration of live music and the cultural diversity within San Francisco's dance scene, runs from tonight to Saturday, February 22 to 23, 2013.