blend of the elegance of classical
ballet and the gritty drive of soul
music. This work features choreography by Robert Garland set to the
music of Aretha Franklin and James
Brown. Garland pushes the boundaries of ballet technique and form,
incorporating and blending vernacular movement from the African
American experience. From Pas de
Bouree to the Cabbage Patch, Ballone to the bump, the ballet fulfills
Dance Theatre of Harlem’s idea of
what it means to be “Classically
American.”
Last year’s MLK Celebration signified the return of the Dance
Theatre of Harlem to NJPAC for
the first time in a decade. In addition to the evening program, the
company will also be doing a mini
performance designed for school
children in the early afternoon.
It’s something they do in almost
every city they visit.
“In our touring we often offer lecture demonstration performances
and other educational activities
in which we’ll either bring the
kids into the theatre or go into
their schools to deliver the educational service whether it’s an
athletic workshop, a movement
class, or whatever the case may
be,” explained Saunders. “That’s
been part of the Dance Theatre
of Harlem’s mission since the inception. To make this art form accessible and available to anyone
who wants to see it, particularly
those who may not have had the
opportunity previously. We take
that mission very seriously — to get
people into the theatre, to see and
experience what we do, and hopefully get them hooked for life. The
idea is to provide the opportunity
for the young people to perhaps
see a different possibility than
they might have imagined before.”
Dance Theater of Harlem: MLK Celebration
January 16, 2015 at 7:30pm at NJPAC, Newark, NJ
Advertise here for $25 - $100 call 732-280-7625
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