Tag: Black History

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2/12/24 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY- BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Sounder (1972)| Cicely Tyson | Paul Winfield | Kevin Hooks

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Four Oscar nominations went to Sounder a moving drama about a family of Louisiana sharecroppers facing hardships during the Depression. The story concerns Nathan Lee Morgan (Paul Winfield), a black man sent to a prison camp for committing a petty crime. When his wife Rebecca (Cicely Tyson) sends their young son (Kevin Hooks) to visit him, the boy’s journey becomes a life changing rite of passage. Critic Roger Ebert praised Sounder, calling it “a film for the family to see.” Continue reading

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2/10/24 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: Philadanco at the Joyce

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By Walter Rutledge

The Philadelphia Dance Company, better known by its sobriquet Philadanco, is having a stellar New York City season at the Joyce Theater.  The all-to-short four-day five performance series will conclude to today Saturday, February 10 with two performances: a 2pm family matinee and an 8pm finale. The season has successfully highlighted the works of four emerging choreographers Tommie-Waheed Evans, Nijawwon Matthews, Ray Mercer and Chris Rudd: thus, continuing the company’s role in perpetuating the Black dance tradition. Continue reading

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2/4/24 O&A NYC GOSPEL SUNDAY: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

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Keep Your Eyes on the Prize is a traditional song Gospel Plow also know as Hold On. The song became influential during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
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1/28/24 O&A NYC DANCE: Philadanco- “Philly’s Finest” Returns to New York’s Joyce Theater

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By Walter Rutledge

Philadanco- the Philadelphia Dance Company returns to New York City’s Joyce Theater, February 6th thru February 10th, 2024. The highly anticipated four-day five performance series will present the works of four emerging choreographers of merit, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Nijawwon Matthews, Ray Mercer, and Christopher Rudd. Evans, Matthews and Mercer have history with Philadanco as company members and in Mercer’s case choreographer-in-residence. While Rudd has gained recent notoriety for the two works set on American Ballet Theater.   Continue reading

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1/25/24 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: Deniece Williams – Free

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Singer June Deniece Williams has been described as “one of the great soul voices” by the BBC. Free was her  first music video. Continue reading

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1/22/24 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Claudine (1974) Starring Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones

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Claudine is a 1974 American romantic comedy-drama film, directed by John Berry. Claudine was written by Lester Pine and Tina Pine, starring James Earl Jones, Diahann Carroll and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs.  The film was released on April 22, 1974, grossing about $6 million, a modest hit for the times. It was praised for showing a new dimension in black cinema during the height of blaxploitation. Continue reading

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1/21/24 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: Ronald K. Brown /Evidence

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By Walter Rutledge

Ronald K. Brown /Evidence presented their 2024 New York season January 16 through 21 at the Joyce Theater. The nine-member ensemble offered two works Walking Out the Dark (2001) and Torch (2012). The program provided an overview of the range and diversity of choreographer Brown and his company in what is best described as an American artist’s declaration of his diasporic roots. Continue reading

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1/3/23 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: The Genius of Alvin Ailey

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By Walter Rutledge

Another bout of Covid (our third slow dance) prevented me from seeing the new works presented during the first and second weeks of the Ailey season. When Covid and I finished our Rumba, I attended an All-Ailey matinee featuring four works, Night Creature, Cry, Survivors and Revelations.   Continue reading

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11/29/23 O&A NYC WILDIN OUT WEDNESDAY: Whoopi Goldberg- Direct From Broadway, 1984 – 1985, (originally – Spook Show)

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In 1983 Whoopi Goldberg (Caryn Elaine Johnson) created The Spook Show, a one-woman show composed of different character monologues. Director Mike Nichols offered to take the show to Broadway. Whoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadway premiered on October 24, 1984 and ran until March 10, 1985, for a total of 156 performances. Continue reading

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11/22/23 O&A NYC WALESTYLEZ DANCE PARTY: The Lockers – Rerun 70’s

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The Lockers was a dance group formed by Toni Basil and Don Campbellock Campbell in 1971. Active throughout the 1970s, they were pioneers of street dance. Continue reading