Dance Theatre of Harlem Student Matinee Pre-event Video Transcript

Welcome to Northrop at the University of Minnesota!

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We welcome the Dance Theatre of Harlem to the Northrop Stage!

Dance Theatre of Harlem comes to us from the neighborhood of Harlem in New York City!

About the Company 

They perform forward-thinking ballet that includes classic and contemporary works to celebrate Black culture.

About the Founders

• At the height of the Civil Rights Movement Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook founded Dance Theatre of Harlem.
• Karel Shook (1920-1985), a ballet master, choreographer, and author, played a vital role in teaching and mentoring African Americans in the 1950s.
• Arthur Mitchell (1934-2018) grew up in Harlem and was known internationally as an acclaimed dancer, artistic director, choreographer, educator, activist, and dance visionary.
• Co-founder Karel Shook was Arthur Mitchell's dance teacher. Arthur started taking classes with him at age 17.
• In 1969, opening the dance school was Mitchell's way to turn his despair at the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. into hope.

Arthur Mitchell

• Mitchell was the first African American principal dancer with a major U. S. ballet company and was famous in the dance world, Broadway, and films.
• A principal dancer is a dancer at the highest rank within a professional ballet company.
• Arthur Mitchell believed ballet training could offer focus, discipline, and skills to empower youth in challenging communities.

"The arts ignite the mind; they give you the possibility to dream and hope" —Arthur Mitchell

Today, under the leadership of Virginia Johnson, the message of empowerment through the arts continues to be at the center of the company's mission.

About the Artistic Director 

• Arthur Mitchell taught Artistic Director Virginia Johnson in college, and she became a founding member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem in 1969.
• Virginia Johnson was with the company for almost 30 years, many of those years as principal dancer. She is one of the great ballerinas of her generation!

Meet the Dancers Q & A

• Derek Brockington, Chicago, Illinois. Q: Derek, what's your favorite karaoke song? A: "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid
• Micah Bullard, Houston, Texas. Q: Micaha, what is your favorite TV show? A: Schitt's Creek.
• Lindsey Donnell, Midland, Texas.
• Kouadio Davis, Oneonta, New York. Q: Kouadio, what is your favorite TV show? A: The Office.
• Keenan English, Randallstown, Maryland.
• Yinet Ferrandez, Mariano’ La Habana, Cuba.
• Alexandria Hutchinson, Wilmington, Delaware. Q: Alexandra, what is your favorite visual artist? A: Claude Monet.
• Daphne Marcelle Lee, Rahway, New Jersey. Q: Daphne, how old were you when you started dancing? A: I was 3 years old and trained by my mom.
• Christopher Charles McDaniel, East Harlem, New York. Q Christopher, what is your favorite type of music? A: Gospel, R&B and classical.
• Sanford Placide, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
• Kamala Saara, Los Angeles, California. Q: Kamala, what's a fun fact about you? A: I'm a vegetarian.
• Anthony Santos, New York, New York.
• Dylan Santos, São Paulo, Brazil. Q: Dylan, what is your favorite type of food? A: Brazilian food is the best!
• Crystal Serrano, Denver, Colorado.
• Ingrid Silva, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Q: Ingrid, what's a fun fact about you? A: I'm a professional swimmer.
• Amanda Smith, Orange County, California.
• Delaney Washington, San Francisco, California. Q: Delaney, what is your favorite karaoke song? A: "Love On Top" by Beyoncé.
• Stephanie Rae Williams, Salt Lake City, Utah.
• David Wright, Ft. Polk, Louisiana.

What is a Choreographer?

A choreographer (ko-ree OG ruh fer) is a person who puts movement together to create dance.

What You Will See & Hear - "Passage"

You will see a dance titled "Passage" choreographed by Claudia Schreier with music by Jessie Montgomery.

About the Choreographer

• At Harvard University, Claudia Schreier explored choreography and developed a dance vocabulary informed by the history and culture of dance in America.
• Claudia Schreier is one of the few women of color who identifies as a ballet choreographer, a position historically dominated by men.
• Claudia Schreier created Passage to recognize the 400th anniversary of the arrival of enslaved Africans to Virginia in 1619

Reflection Question

While you watch the performance, notice the costumes. Why do you think the designer chose those styles and colors?

About the Composer

Jessie Montgomery, a renowned violinist and composer, was commissioned (hired) to create the music for Passage.

Reflection Question

Think about the music as you watch Passage. What emotions come to mind? Any images?

“It is the history of slavery’s beginnings in the New World delivered through inventive dance … this ballet ... conveys pain and the theme of hope as the dancers embody the concept of endurance of the human spirit.” - Claudia Schreir

What You Will See & Hear - "Balamouk"

You will see a dance titled Balamouk (Bahl-uh-mook) choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa with music by Les Yeux Noirs.

About the Choreographer

• Annabelle Lopez Ochoa is a Belgian-born, award-winning choreographer based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• Ochoa creates dance with "constructed chaos," a carefully structured work that appears to lack structure.

About the dance

• The dance "Balamouk" is a series of journeys—some fun, some rebellious, and some filled with wild tales.
• The dance "Balamouk", which translates as "house of the insane" in Romanian, comes from an album by the French band Les Yeux Noirs.
• Les Yeux Noirs’ music style combines traditional melodies from many inspirations: Klezmer, Romani music, and Gypsy and modern jazz.
• The upbeat music and free-flowing costumes in vibrant hues of reds, oranges, and green create a party-like feeling.

Join us again for exciting dance and music!

• Ragamala Dance Company on Feb 25
• Third Coast Percussion with Art Movement Is on Apr 29

Acknowledgments

Thank you PNC Band for your partnership!

We gratefully acknowledge the support from:

• National Endowment for the Arts
• RBC Wealth Management
• PNC Bank

Northrop activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Enjoy the Show!