Dance Theater of Harlem – Power on Pointe

Posted December 22, 2015 by qotsm in Arts & Entertainment

Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH), has now, and has always had a three tiered mission:

To maintain a world-class school that trains young people in classical ballet and the allied arts
To provide arts education, community outreach programs and positive role models for all
To present a ballet company of African-American and other racially diverse artists who perform the most demanding repertory at the highest level of quality

INSPIRED BY A DREAM

Dance Theatre of Harlem is a leading dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim, encompassing a performing Ensemble, a leading arts education center and Dancing Through Barriers®, and a national and international education and community outreach program. Each component of Dance Theatre of Harlem carries a solid commitment towards enriching the lives of young people and adults around the world through the arts.

Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, Dance Theatre of Harlem was considered “one of ballet’s most exciting undertakings” (The New York Times, 1971). Shortly after the assassination of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mitchell was inspired to start a school that would offer children — especially those in Harlem, the community in which he was born — the opportunity to learn about dance and the allied arts. Now in its fourth decade, Dance Theatre of Harlem has grown into a multi-cultural dance institution with an extraordinary legacy of providing opportunities for creative expression and artistic excellence that continues to set standards in the performing arts. Dance Theatre of Harlem has achieved unprecedented success, bringing innovative and bold new forms of artistic expression to audiences in New York City, across the country, and around the world.

The DTH Company enjoyed its official New York debut on January 8, 1971 at the Guggenheim Museum, with a triumphant program of three chamber ballets created by Mitchell. The company grew from strength to strength, and definitively debunked opinions that black people could not dance ballet. By 2004, DTH had become a world renowned company with forty dancers, one hundred and twenty-five ballets in its repertory, an international touring schedule, and an associated school and operational center in Harlem.

The Company is known for its thrilling performances that successfully challenge preconceived notions. Today, the Dance Theatre of Harlem Company consists of 14 racially diverse dance artists who perform an eclectic, demanding repertoire. From treasured classics, neo-classical works by George Balanchine and resident choreographer Robert Garland, to cutting edge contemporary works and works that use the language of ballet to celebrate African American culture, the Company brings new life to the art form of classical ballet. In addition to performances in New York City, across the country, and abroad, DTH Company activities carry a message of empowerment through the arts that also include engaging the community through educational activities for audiences and young people.

Davon Doane

After a brief hiatus for a few years, Dance Theater of Harlem is back and better than ever. The company revamped and regrouped for an all new worldwide tour for 2016. “Quiet on the Set Magazine” caught up with Principal Dancer Davon Doane to talk about DTH and what we can expect from the newly emerged dance company.

“Since there’s been such a gap between the time of the old company and the new one, people often make comparisons between the two, which is understandable, but also a bit unnerving at times. People still have that idea of what the old company looks like” says Doane. “We’re working hard to change those old views about us as dancers so that we can form our own identity.” Having never seen the original Dance Theater of Harlem, he says, helps because he doesn’t have anything to compare the current company to. “I’m striving to form my own identity as a dancer.”

Davon discovered he had a natural ability to dance as a child. He soon developed a love and passion for the art of dance, and has been working to perfect that talent ever since. He grew up in Salisbury, Maryland and began his training at the Salisbury Studio of Dance. In 2008, Mr. Doane moved to New York City to join the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble and performed at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival that summer. In 2009, he performed with Ballet Noir at East River Park as part of SummerStage and with Jacob’s Pillow once again. In the fall of 2009, he danced as part of the Dance Theatre of Harlem with roles in the Joplin Dances, New Bach, the excerpt “Mother Popcorn,” Concerto In F, Fete Noir and South African Suite. And in the winter of 2009, he began touring with DTH as a part of its Dance for America Tour. As a guest artist, Mr. Doane has performed with the Classical Contemporary Ballet Theatre and with choreographer Ja’ Malik in 2009’s E-moves Emerging Choreographers Showcase. In the summer of 2010, he performed once again with Ballet Noir in the 200th Anniversary Chopin Celebration and the 2010 World Dance Gala in Kielce, Poland. In 2011, Davon danced roles in Glinka Pas de Trois, In the Mirror of Her Mind and Contested Space.

The Dance Theater of Harlem’s new repertoire is full of impeccable dance routines with detail after detail of exquisitely intricate movements that will leave you breathless. One such number is “Contested Space”, in which Davon is the principal dancer. “That ballet for me is one that challenges me to go beyond myself. I have to be bigger than myself because I have to draw all the attention to me while there are four girls to my left doing all of this intricate footwork, and the guys are on the other side of the stage doing these amazing jumps and powerhouse moves. While all of this is going on, I’m by myself in the middle of the stage. I have to hold the audience’s attention and also make a statement at the same time.” That pretty much sums up the goal of the new company as they try to hold on to the old tradition and legacy that Dance Theater of Harlem is known for, while at the same time attempting to transcend and go beyond the past, and look toward the future. I must say what a promising future it is. The new DTH is bright, innovative, and refreshing to say the least. With other dance numbers like: “Coming Together”, “Far But Close”, “Pas De Dix”, and “Vessels”, the new incarnation of this company is sure to wow and amaze.

Davon is also quite proud of the attention that Misty Copeland has brought to the world of ballet. “I’m thrilled that young boys and girls of color can see her and what she has accomplished, or see Dance Theater of Harlem and say, “hey I can do that too! It’s so important to see ourselves on that stage.” Now, the company is currently on a world tour and preparing to go home to New York for a 2016 run at City Center. “I can’t wait to get back to City Center. It’s such a great venue, and DTH has had a history there for so many years. It will be nice to get the opportunity to get on that stage and tear it up!”

Watch Davon Doane and The Dance Theater of Harlem: