Category: Dance

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9/17/23 O&A NYC REVIEW: Is Heart of Brick A Black Queer Sex In The City?

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By Walter Rutledge

The Joyce Theater’s fall 2023 season began September 15 with the interdisciplinary gay romance saga Heart of Brick. The theatrical production combined live vocal music, spoken narrations, voiceovers, dance, lighting and a clean, simple set design to recreate an evening at Langstons, New York City’s oldest Black gay bar. This is the first presentation in Director of Programming Danni Gee augural season, and in the truest downtown dance style she left the audience with something to talk about.   Continue reading

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9/8/23 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Empathy (Part One)- A Conversation with Debbie Allen

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By Walter Rutledge


In 2015 O&A NYC Editor-in-Chief Walter Rutledge interviewed Debbie Allen at the Faison Firehouse Theater for Dance Noir Magazine (DNM). The print article would discuss her relationship with Katherine Dunham. The video was produced as visual notes for the upcoming Dunham article. When the magazine suspended publication, out of respect for DNM Founder/Editor-in-Chief Carol Lloyd, we held the material with hopes of eventually printing the article for DNM. After eight years Ms. Allen’s words remain relevant, inspiring and informative and should be shared. We call this first installment Empathy. Continue reading

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9/4/23 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: The Last Dragon (1985)

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The Last Dragon  is an n enjoyable 80″s pastiche of martial arts, romance, music, and video, The story centers around  a likable young hero, Leroy (Taimak), who aspires to become a kung fu master. Trouble arises when the stories protagonist, a man who calls himself “Sho’ Nuff (Julius Carry) is determined to prove himself the kung fu master of the neighborhood. Singer Vanity is the damsel in distress.
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9/2/23 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Ulysses Dove Vespers

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Ulysses Dove proclaiming a thoroughly exhilarating vision of female power and strength in Vespers. Inspired by Dove’s memories of his grandmother’s place of worship, this dramatic work showcases the athleticism and grace of six female dancers who are propelled by Mikel Rouse’s profound electronic score.  Continue reading

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8/29/23 O&A NYC DANCE: Sneek Peek at THPAC Documentary- To The Souls of Our Feet

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By Walter Rutledge

On August 18 and 19 the Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center (THPAC) began two days of interviews with dancers, choreographers and directors about their experiences with Thelma Hill and THPAC for the upcoming documentary To The Souls of Our Feet. The two days of filming captured the experiences of six artists, (George Faison, Alfred Gallman, Dyane Harvey Salaam, Abdel Salaam, Edisa Weeks, Jill Williams and Lakai Worrell), who lives and careers were directly impacted by Ms. Hill and/or THPAC.

THPAC Documentary Preview

Here is an excerpted from the upcoming documentary with the one and only dance and theater legend George Faison. The final filming will take place in the fall and we will keep you inform as our documentary “To The Souls of Our Feet” get one step closer to coming to a theater near you. For more information about the Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center and/or to make a donation to the “To The Souls of Our Feet” documentary project visit https://www.thelmahill.org/. An additional filming date will take place later in the fall. 

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12/1/23 O&A NYC WORLD AIDS DAY: Ulysses Dove- Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven

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Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven: Odes to Love and Loss is a work by Ulysses Dove. Set to Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s haunting composition Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten, the ballet features six dancers; and is a moving tribute described by Dove to the “people I loved. Continue reading

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8/19/23 O&A NYC ITS SATURDAY- ANYTHING GOES: Carmen DeLavallade- The Creation (TEDxEast 2012)

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Dancer, actor and choreographer Carmen DeLavallade performs The Creation featuring choreography by her husband Geoffrey Holder. Holder also designed the costume and music. 
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8/8/23 O&A NYC DANCE/FILM: Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center Bringing Its Groundbreaking History To The Screen

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By Walter Rutledge

Please excuse my self indulgent opening digression. It is the perfect example of  history being rewritten and romanticized to create propaganda more palatable to the American founding fathers myth. . Continue reading

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6/11/23 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: Ailey At BAM

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By Walter Rutledge

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater presented a Brooklyn dance series June 6th thru 11th at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). The six-day seven performance series offered two well curated programs of new works and Ailey classics. The Saturday evening performance consisted of four works by four modern dance luminaries, Kyle Abraham, Robert Battle, Ron Brown and Paul Taylor. Continue reading

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2/14/24 O&A NYC ST. VALENTINE’S DAY DANCE: Dudley Williams- Alvin Ailey’s Love Songs

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d90704264383da96da61f51bc870f967In 1972, Alvin Ailey created the elegiac solo Love Songs for dancer Dudley Williams. The  sixteen minute solo, composed in three sections includes A Song for You by Donny Hathaway; Poppies by Nina Simone; and He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Brother by Donny Hathaway. Many  thought of the work as the male equivalent of the female solo Cry (1971). Continue reading