Dance Theatre of Harlem in Lester Horton‘s 1949 masterwork The Beloved the duet (based on a true story) performed by Cassandra Phifer and Hagues Magen. Continue reading
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Category: Dance Theatre
8/8/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Chicago’s Hiplet Ballerinas To Perform In The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project Debut
By Walter Rutledge
Who would defile the sacred world of ballet (the last bastion of “pure” euro-centric dance and culture) by adding a healthy dose of urban flair? Move over Swan Lake and make way for the Hiplet Ballerinas. The Chicago – based dance company, whose unique style has taken the dance world by storm. The company will be part of The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project – Unbound: Shattered Frames, Endless Visions on Saturday, August 23, 6 pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance (205 E. Randolph Street). The performance is a showcase of Black dance excellence and will feature ten of the city’s most innovative and diverse dance companies. Continue reading
8/1/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Maya Plisetskaya Dances Bolero, The Dying Swan And More
Maya Plisetskaya, Prima Ballerina Assoluta of the Bolshoi Ballet, danced Maurice Bejart’s Bolero set to the famous Ravel score in 1975. Plisetskaya created a stunning theatrical experience. What makes the piece so compelling is that although Plisetskaya may be accompanied by dozens of other dancers mirroring her movement, the first and only focus is on the prima ballerina herself. Continue reading
7/6/25 O&A NYC DANCE COMMENTARY: The Ramp To Paradise Afterglow
By Walter Rutledge
The Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center (THPAC) presented A Ramp To Paradise at the Ailey Citicorp Theater on June 27th and 28th. The two-day spring performance season showcased the third rendition of the dance theater narrative. The story begins in 1985 at the now celebrated underground nightclub- the Paradise Garage. The sold-out Saturday evening performance was followed by a classic Paradise Garage style after party that lasted from 9pm to 12am (that’s 12 midnight not the Garage’s notorious Sunday noon closing- for those who remember). Continue reading
5/26/25 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: DanceAfrica 2025- Mozambique: Movement! Magic! Manifestation!
By Walter Rutledge
DanceAfrica 2025- Mozambique: Movement! Magic! Manifestation! is the crown jewel of the annual four-day celebration of African and African influenced culture. The festivities coincide with the Memorial Day holiday weekend May 23rd thru May 26th at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House. Now in its 48th season Dance Africa continues its healing message through the voices of the Diaspora. The 2025 season transported us to the east African country of Mozambique. Continue reading
5/4/25 O&A NYC DANCE PREVIEW: THPAC’s A Ramp To Paradise Returns
The Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center (THPAC) will present A Ramp To Paradise on June 27 and 28, 2025 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater,405 west 55th Street. The dance theater work is the brainchild of THPAC executive chairman Alex Smith, Jr. and is based on the short story A Ramp To Paradise conceived and written by Smith. The story centers around a group of friends who attend the famed 1980’s underground dance club-The Paradise Garage. Continue reading
3/21/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: They Called Her Moses
They Called Her Moses is Donald McKayle‘s story of freedom fighter Harriet Tubman. The cast includes Jacqueline Walcott, Robert Powell, Sylvia Waters, Arthur Mitchell, Kathleen Stanford, Donald McKayle and Carmen DeLavallade. Continue reading
3/7/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Stormy Weather- Lena Horne, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Cab Calloway, Nicholas Brothers, Katherine Dunham and dancers
Stormy Weather is a 1943 film musical produced and released by 20th Century Fox. The movie is considered one of the best Hollywood musicals with an all African-American cast and serve to showcase of some of the top African-American performers of the time. Continue reading
2/23/25 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: Camille A. Brown and Dancers
By Walter Rutledge
Camille A. Brown and Dancers presented an all too short New York season Wednesday February 5th thru Sunday February 9th at the Joyce Theater. The sold-out five-day seven performance run presented I AM the third installment in her Black Joy trilogy. As the curtain rose, and as the evening proceeded it became clear Brown has saved the best for last. Continue reading
2/18/24 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet – Remembering
By Walter Rutledge
Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet (JGCO) presented their New York City season February 13 thru 15 at Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Bam Fisher Fishman Space. The seventy minute audience friendly one act was more than a celebration of Black History Month; it is also a fitting tribute to the dance theatre genre. The season offered a blend of spoken word, live drumming, recorded music and voiceovers, theater, ritual, art, photography, video projections and of course the primary medium dance. Continue reading
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