Tag: Dance Preview by Walter Rutledge

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8/3/26 O&A NYC DANCE BY WALTER RUTLEDGE: Danni Gee Talks Ballet Festival

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By Walter Rutledge

The Joyce Ballet Festival returns to the Joyce’s Tino & Rajika Puri Auditorium August 3 though August 16. Former American Ballet Principal Dancer Misty Copeland has curated a stellar festival featuring outstanding choreography performed by an impressive roster of world class artists. Each night will feel like a gala performance. Choreographers Kyle Abraham, Bob Fosse, Alonzo King, José Limón, Dwight Rhoden, Rudolf Nureyev, John Taras, Ingrid Silva, Houston Thomas and a new work by Aleisha Walker commissioned by the Joyce complete the roster – and that’s just the roster for the first week! Continue reading

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7/29/26 O&A NYC STOP THE PRESSES: Tommie-Waheed Evans Talks Philadanco

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By Walter Rutledge

The Philadelphia Dance Company aka Philadanco begins their New York City Season tonight July 29th at the Joyce Theater. The five day, six performance season will feature works by four choreographers Thang Dao, Rennie Harris,  Christopher Huggins and Co-Artistic Director Tommie-Waheed Evans. O&A NYC Editor-in-Chief Walter Rutledge caught up with Evans during the afternoon rehearsal to discuss the New York City season.

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7/24/26 O&A NYC DANCE BY WALTER RUTLEDGE: Danni Gee Talks Philadanco

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By Walter Rutledge

PHILADANCO! (The Philadelphia Dance Company) returns to New York City for a highly anticipated six performance season at The Joyce Theater from July 29 through August 2, 2026. This celebrated company’s mission, to preserve the Black American concert dance traditions, will be on full display with a program featuring two New York premieres, a world premiere, and a company revival. “Danco’s” dynamic New York City season will include works by Co-Artistic Director Tommie-Waheed Evans, Thang Dao, Rennie Harris and Christopher Huggins. Continue reading

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7/10/26 O&A NYC DANCE BY WALTER RUTLEDGE: A Tribute to Erick Hawkins

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By Walter Rutledge

A Tribute to Erick Hawkins, an informal showing of two solos by Gloria McLean and a work by Vienna based dancer/choreographer Bert Gstettner will take place on July 16, 8pm at the Joan Weill Center for Dance, 405 West 55th Street in Studio 5D. These works are literal love letters expressing their admiration to a mentor dubbed by the dance community as “the great poet of modern dance”. Continue reading

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4/7/26 O&A NYC DANCE BY WALTER RUTLEDGE: A Conversation With Lloyd Knight – GRAHAM100 The Centennial Celebration

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By Walter Rutledge

 

Lloyd Knight is living art. There is no other way to describe him. A master of his art form, while remaining one of its most humble servants. Continue reading

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8/23/25 O&A NYC MEET THE ARTIST: Sekou Tepaka Lunda Conde – Muntu Dance Theater

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By Walter Rutledge

Lights! Camera! Action! The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project’s Unbound: Shattered Frames, Endless Visions is finally here. This Black dance extravaganza will that place tonight, August 23, 6pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. Continue reading

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8/19/25 O&A NYC DANCE: The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project And Dr. King’s Beloved Community

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By Walter Rutledge

The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project (CBDLP) will present Unbound: Shattered Frames, Endless Visions on Saturday August 23, 6pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance (205 E. Randolph Street). Co- Directors Kevin Iega Jeff and Mashaune Hardy in coordination with co-curators Gary Abbott and Jeff have assembled a cast of ten of Chicago’s most exciting and progressive dance companies. This production will put meaning/message to movement for a transformative evening celebrating the city’s Black dance excellence. It will also emphasize the historic impact of Black dance on the cultural identity of the city of Chicago. Continue reading

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8/16/25 O&A NYC DANCE: The Era Footwork Crew – Chicago’s Urban Terpsichoreans

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By Walter Rutledge

Los Angles urban dance warriors perform Krump, Memphis dancers have the Juke, New Yorkers are Flexn and Chicago homies dance Footwork. Footwork music began evolving in Chicago in the early 90s, drawing on Ghetto House and Juke but adding complex layers of odd, almost compulsively frenetic rhythms; it grew hand in hand with the athletic, high-octane dance style that shares its name.

The dance/theatre urban storytelling style is accompanied by original lyrics and music tracks that reflect social justice, inequality and systemic racism. For over ten years Chicago’s Era Footwork Crew has introduce Footwork to the urban “dance battles” and the greater international dance community. Era Footwork Crew continues to make the urban dance style as synonymous to Chicago’s cultural identity as Deep-Dish Pizza. These Urban Terpsichorean will be part of the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project (CBDLP) in Unbound: Shattered Frames, Endless Visions, which will premiere Aug 23, 2025, 6:00pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance (205 E. Randolph Street). Continue reading

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8/14/25 O&A NYC DANCE: Kevin Iega Jeff and The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project – Pedagogy. Community. Legacy

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By Walter Rutledge

Life is an ever changing, ever evolving adventure. On the adventure life requires us to react, adapt and hopefully reinvent. Sadly, when we stop making history we become a part of history.

Kevin Iega Jeff continues to make history. His latest adventure is the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project (CBDLP) in Unbound: Shattered Frames, Endless Visions, which will premiere Aug 23, 2025, 6:00pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance (205 E. Randolph Street).  Jeff is both the Co-Director (Mashaune Hardy Co – Director) and Co- Curator (Gary Abbott Co – Curator) of this production, which promises to be evening of Black Dance excellence. CBDLP unites ten Chicago dance companies for an evening of diverse and artistically/socially relevant performances. Continue reading

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4/4/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: A Conversation With Micah Bullard

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By Walter Rutledge

Shall We Dance Friday

Houston, Texas native Micah Bullard is living his dream. The twenty-six-year-old dancer will perform with the Dance Theatre of Harlem April 10 through April 14 at New York City Center. This New York City season begins his fourth year with the company.  Recently O&A NYC Editor-in-Chief Walter Rutledge and Bullock sat down to discuss the upcoming season, his early training and being an African American male who dances ballet. Continue reading