Portland Public Library

Dance Theatre of Harlem, a history, a movement, a celebration, Judy Tyrus, Paul Novosel

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 282-289)

illustrations

no index present

non fiction

Dance Theatre of Harlem

bibliography

1266265705

Judy Tyrus, Paul Novosel

a history, a movement, a celebration

"From its modest beginnings in the 1960s in a Harlem church basement, to its meteoric rise to international fame, the Dance Theatre of Harlem ignited the world with one simple, still-revolutionary statement: All can do ballet. Into the 21st century, as the world, and the country, continue their historical struggles and triumphs, the story of this haven for dancers of all colors and backgrounds resonates more than ever. Here, for the first time, is the definitive portrait of the one-of-a-kind community dance company that reflected -- and shaped -- our times, and whose enduring principle continues to inspire the future. With exclusive backstage stories from its legendary dancers and staff, and unprecedented access to its archives, Dance Theatre of Harlem is a striking chronicle of the company's amazing history, its fascinating daily workings, and the visionaries who made its legacy. Here you'll discover how the company's founders -- African-American maestro Arthur Mitchell of George Balanchine's New York City Ballet, and Nordic-American Karel Shook of The Dutch National Ballet -- created timeless works that challenged Eurocentric mainstream ballet head-on -- and used new techniques to examine ongoing issues of power, beauty, myth, and the ever-changing definition of art itself. Gaining prominence in the 1970s and 80s with a succession of triumphs -- including its spectacular season at the Metropolitan Opera House -- the company also gained fans and supporters that included Nelson Mandela, Stevie Wonder, Cicely Tyson, Misty Copeland, Jessye Norman, and six American presidents. Dance Theatre of Harlem details this momentous era as well as the company's difficult years, its impressive recovery as it partnered with new media's most brilliant creators -- and, in the wake of its 50th anniversary, amid a global pandemic, its evolution into a worldwide virtual performance space. Alive with stunning photographs, including many from the legendary Marbeth, this incomparable book is a must-have for any lover of dance, art, culture, or history." --, Provided by publisher

Part one. Arthur Mitchell. The trip to Brazil ; Family and early years ; Dress code for dancers ; Broadway debut ; Katherine Dunham ; Early career and dance studies ; John Butler ; New York City ballet ; The black and White of Agon ; Other early roles ; Roles and transitions ; Requiem and rising -- Karel Shook. A child thespian ; Shook's early studies ; Becoming a teacher ; His own school ; Dutch National Ballet ; Amsterdam -- Birth of a school. The age of anxiety ; The 1960s dance scene in New York ; Shook's "aboutness" of dance -- Part two. Beginnings: the seasons 1968-1971. Controlled avalanche ; Harlem School of the Arts ; Dorothy Maynor ; Lecture demonstrations ; A board of directors ; Church of the master ; Alva Gimbel and 466 West 152nd Street ; Music and musicians ; The DTH style ; Guggenheim and touring ; The seasons' ballets -- Pink tights in black tea: the seasons 1972-1976. The times ; Building community ; Allied arts ; Karel Shook's dance philosophy ; Zelda Wynn ; The school grows ; The company grows ; A royal visit ; Broadway and beyond ; Eagle eye ; Ballet building ; Geoffrey Holder ; Pink tights in black tea ; The seasons' ballets -- World stature: the seasons 1977-1985. The times ; Artistic growth and community ; The Wiz ; Doin' it, a musical revue ; For presidents and Prime Ministers ; Casting logistics ; Awards ; Benefits and benefactors ; The George Balanchine tribute ; Tours: triumphs, surprises, and mishaps ; The 1984 Olympics ; Television ; Danilova and Franklin ; Glen Tetley ; Firebird ; Giselle ; The Metropolitan Opera House ; Scheherazade ; The end of an era ; The seasons' ballets -- Riding the wave: the seasons 1986-1996. The times ; The Shook legacy ; Allied arts and more ; Arts exposure and dancing through barriers ; Balanchine and DTH ; Bessie Schönberg ; The 1922 renovation ; The visual ; On television ; The money pit, layoffs, and cancellations ; Friends and fundraising ; 25th anniversary ; HIV/AIDS ; Company tours ; Harlem homecoming ; The seasons' ballets -- Toward a new millennium: the seasons 1997-2004. The times ; Fragmentation and fusion ; A father figure ; Generational change ; Virginia Johnson ; The Garland style ; Five choreographers ; China tour 2000 ; 9/11 ; St. Louis woman ; The 2004 hiatus ; The seasons' ballets -- Part three. Emergence: the seasons 2005-2010. The times ; The fallout ; The school's the thing ; Hiplet: ballet and rap ; Hiatus gap ; The DTH ensemble ; Making a new company ; Master teachers and choreographers ; Gentrifications ; Events ; Exhibitions ; Functions and fundraising -- A new company: the seasons 2011-2015. The times ; New programs ; The fourth generation and social media ; Moving forward ; The new company ; Administrative changes ; The school ; Advancing diversity ; Events and touring ; Galas ; Divergence ; The seasons' ballets -- Evolution: the seasons 2016-2020. The times ; Gender and equality in twenty-first-century ballet ; The school thrives ; Events ; Arthur Mitchell ; "50 forward" ; The seasons' ballets -- Postscript -- A flourish -- Afterword- by Karel Shook