1/20/25 O&A NYC HAIL TO THE KING!: Martin: A Ballet By Gordon Parks (Prelude)

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Martin: a ballet by Gordon Parks, an original five-movement ballet chronicling the struggles of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Filmed in 1990 the work stars John Jones as Dr. King and Sheila Rohan as Rosa Parks, featuring choreography by Real Lamb. “Martin” (PBS, 1990),  about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King. Parks served as executive producer, director, composer, keyboardist and documentary photographer for this boldly ambitious project. Continue reading

1/17/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Happy Birthday Debbie Allen!!!

By Walter Rutledge


Happy Birthday to one of the dance world’s icons Debbie Allen. We had the opportunity to talk to Ms. Allen about a wide range of her life experiences from segregated dance classes in her native Texas, to heartless rejection and finally coming into her own in New York City. We pay tribute to a living dance legend and activist born on January 16th.- 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

1/12/25 0&A NYC SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ CONCERT: The Herbie Hancock Group (1976)

Herbie Hancock and his band perform cuts from the albums Man-Child and Secrets: 1. Hang Up Your Hang Ups (from Man-Child, 1975) 2. Gentle Thoughts (from Secrets, 1976) 3. Spider (from Secrets, 1976). Continue reading

1/7/24 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Judith Jamison- 22nd Kennedy Center Honors (1999)

Morgan Freeman introduces honoree Judith Jamison at the 22nd Kennedy Center Honors in 1999. Continue reading

1/6/25 O&A NYC WITH WALESTYLEZ FASHION SPECIAL: Ralph Lauren becomes First Fashion Designer To Win Medal of Freedom

As US President Joe Biden’s term comes to a close his administration distributed eighteen Medals of Freedom at the White House on Saturday morning. Designer Ralph Lauren was one of the honorees, making him the first fashion designer to receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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1/5/25 O&A NYC HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALVIN AILEY!: Alvin Ailey 1985 Cairo Interview- Historic Stock Video Footage

Today, January 5 is the 94th birthday of choreographer Alvin Ailey. O&A NYC shares rare video footage from a 1985 interview. The one-way dialogue between Alvin Ailey, founder of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater took place in Cairo, Egypt. (Note: We only hear Ailey’s answers; not questions asked). He talks about his life, his dance school, the motivational forces behind his choreography and theories of dance. Continue reading

1/3/25 O&A NYC DIVO ALERT: I Wanna Be Ready- Matthew Rushing


Interim Artistic Director Matthew Rushing premiered his fifth ballet, Sacred Songs, for the Alvin Ailey American dance Theater (AAADT) on December 20, 2024.  Today Friday, January 3, is the last opportunity this season to see this new work which uses the deleted music from the original production of Revelations. Continue reading

1/2/25 O&A NYC THE MORNING FUNNIES: Alte Zachen – Rocka My Soul In The Bosom of Abraham (Howard A. Robert Arrangement)

Alte Zachen, Choreography by Nadav Zelner featuring dancers Réginald Lefebvre and Alessio Marchini set to Howard A. Robert renowned arrangement of Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham with costumes by Ofir Hazan.Ofir Continue reading

1/1/25 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: Matthew Rushing- Sacred Songs

By Walter Rutledge

The 2024 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s (AAADT’s) New York City Center fall season presented four premieres by two former company members Hope Boykin and Jamal Roberts, master choreographer Lar Lubovitch, and AAADT Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing. Rushing’s Sacred Songs, an ensemble work with an interesting twist, is set to the music edited from the original version of Alvin Ailey’s and AAADT’s signature work Revelations. Sacred Songs it made its debut on December 20th, was the last of the four new works to premiere, and it was worth the wait.    Continue reading

12/29/24 O&A NYC SUNDAY SCHOOL: The Birth of Christ (Animated Bible Movie)

Judah Stretch Animation‘s  bible movie Birth of Christ gives young audiences a version of the Nativity like never before experienced. Continue reading