Janine N. Beckles, Clifton Brown, Kiyon Ross and Helanius J. Wilkins span generations and geographies. All four have recently transitioned into leadership roles, in dance companies and, for Wilkins, a university theater and dance department.
Much of the dance world is at—or headed to—a summer festival right now. It’s impossible to catch it all, but if we could be in multiple places at once, here’s what we’d be hoping to see.
On May 6, there was a tear in the universe and a void opened up when Debora Chase-Hicks died. For a large portion of the Black dance community, her name needs no qualifiers like “former star of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.” A dance giant fell, and yet, if one paid close attention to news outlets […]
A pioneer with both Philadanco and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Debora Chase-Hicks died on May 6 at age 63 following a brief but serious illness. Chase-Hicks was a kind, gentle soul who loved life and the people in it. The gift of her artistry touched the lives of all those with whom she came […]
Here are the latest promotions, appointments and departures, plus notable awards and accomplishments, from the last month. Comings & Goings Kim Y. Bears-Bailey has been named artistic director of Philadanco. Founder Joan Myers Brown is now artistic advisor; Janine Beckles assistant artistic director; Donald T. Lunsford II artistic director of D/2. Wayne McGregor has been […]
Here are the latest promotions, appointments and transfers, plus notable awards and accomplishments from the last month. Comings & Goings Tigran Mkrtchyan has joined Boston Ballet as a soloist, Chisako Oga as a second soloist. At English National Ballet, Aitor Arrieta, Katja Khaniukova and Ken Saruhashi have been promoted to first soloist, Julia Conway, Daniel […]
“Should I watch it to get a sense of what happened, or should I go with my own vision and understanding of the culture?” That’s what choreographer Camille A. Brown was wondering in June, when she started work on the Broadway revival of the Antilles-themed musical Once on This Island. The 1990 show, directed originally […]
When we’re talking about the history of black dancers in ballet, three names typically pop up: Raven Wilkinson at Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Janet Collins at New York’s Metropolitan Opera and Arthur Mitchell at New York City Ballet. But in the 1930s through 50s, there was a largely overlooked hot spot for black ballet […]