New Jersey Stage December 2014 | Page 83

tor Karel Shook. “In terms of the origins, the Dance Theatre of Harlem was born out of the crucible of the civil rights movement and Arthur Mitchell being inspired by the loss of Dr. King to return to Harlem and start the company to give opportunities to young people in that community,” explained Keith Saunders, Ballet Master at the Dance Theatre of Harlem. “To make that history real for a new generation — not only of our dancers but for a new generation of audiences coming to see us — is very special and very poignantly tied to the Dr. King holiday.” The evening program for January 16 consists of three ballets from the company’s repertoire. They will be performing Agon, a ground-breaking 1957 collaboration between two monumental 20th-century artists, choreographer George Balanchine and composer Igor Stravinsky. Agon is universally regarded as a masterwork that redefined ballet in its time. In Agon, (ancient Greek for contest), 12 dancers perform a series of solos, duets, trios and quartets based on 17th-century French court dances. DTH Founder and Artistic Excerpts From “return” Advertise here for $25 - $100 call 732-280-7625 pg 83