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presents February 22 - March 12, 2021 (PHOTO BY DAVID TORRENCE) Thank you LEADERSHIP SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: UNDERWRITING SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: Ameren Missouri Arts Council Cardinals Care National Endowment for the Arts Edward Jones Regional Arts Commission Emerson Mary Strauss Laura Kipnis and Sidney Goldstein Woodcock Foundation for the Appreciation of the Arts Contents Click the title to move to that section or push the forward arrow to advance the slideshow. Section 1: About Evidence/ Ronald K Brown Section 2: About your teaching artists (Lisa and Angelica) Section 3: “Destiny” (1998) by Ronald K Brown Section 4: Dance and Music Section 5: Dance and Social Justice Section 6: Who are your Mentors? Section 7: What is it like to work as a professional dancer with Ronald K Brown? Section 8: Health: The importance of breathing in dance and in life Section 9: Keeping a Dance Journal Section 10: Resources Section 11: Standards SECTION 1: ABOUT EVIDENCE, A DANCE COMPANY About Evidence, A Dance Company (PHOTO BY ERNESTO MANCEBO) SECTION 1: ABOUT EVIDENCE, A DANCE COMPANY Mission: The mission of Evidence is to promote understanding of the human experience in the African Diaspora through dance and storytelling and to provide sensory connections to history and tradition through music, movement, and spoken word, leading deeper into issues of spirituality, community responsibility and liberation. SECTION 1: ABOUT EVIDENCE, A DANCE COMPANY Founded by Ronald K. Brown in 1985 and based in Brooklyn, New York, Evidence, A Dance Company focuses on the seamless integration of traditional African dance with contemporary choreography and spoken word. Through work, Evidence provides a unique view of human struggles, tragedies, and triumphs. Brown uses movement as a way to reinforce the importance of community in African American culture and to acquaint audiences with the beauty of traditional African forms and rhythms. He is an advocate for the growth of the African American dance community and is instrumental in encouraging young dancers to choreograph and to develop careers in dance. (EVIDENCE COMPANY IN COME YE BY RONALD K. BROWN, PHOTO BY DAVID TORRENCE) SECTION 1: ABOUT EVIDENCE, A DANCE COMPANY Brown’s choreography is in high demand. He has set works on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Cleo Parker Robinson Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Jennifer Muller/The Works, Jeune Ballet d’Afrique Noire, Ko-Thi Dance Company, Philadanco and others. He choreographed Regina Taylor’s award-winning play, Crowns and won an AUDELCO Award for his work on that production. “I hope that when people see the work, their spirits are lifted. I am interested in sharing perspectives through modern dance, theater and kinetic storytelling. I want my work to be evidence of these perspectives,” says Brown. Evidence now tours to some 25 communities in the United States and abroad. The company has traveled to Cuba, Brazil, England, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa and Canada to perform, teach master classes and conduct lecture/demonstrations for individuals of all ages. Evidence brings arts education and cultural connections to local communities that have historically lacked these experiences. Annually the company reaches an audience of more than 25,000. SECTION 1: ABOUT EVIDENCE, A DANCE COMPANY About Ronald K. Brown Founder/ Artistic Director (PHOTO BY DAN MERLO) SECTION 1: ABOUT EVIDENCE, A DANCE COMPANY RONALD K. BROWN, raised in Brooklyn, NY, founded EVIDENCE, A Dance Company in 1985. He has worked with Mary Anthony Dance Theater, Jennifer Muller/The Works, as well as other choreographers and artists. Brown has set works on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Jennifer Muller/The Works, Jeune Ballet d’Afrique Noire, Ko-Thi Dance Company, Philadanco, Muntu Dance Theater of Chicago, Ballet Hispánico, TU Dance, and Malpaso Dance Company. He has collaborated with such artists as composer/designer Omotayo Wunmi Olaiya, the late writer Craig G. Harris, director Ernie McClintock’s Jazz Actors Theater, choreographers Patricia Hoffbauer and Rokiya Kone, and composers (RONALD K. BROWN, PHOTO BY JULIETA CERVANTES) Jason Moran, Arturo O'Farrill, Meshell Ndegeocello, Robert Een, Oliver Lake, Bernadette Speech, David Simons, and Don Meissner SECTION 1: ABOUT EVIDENCE, A DANCE COMPANY Brown is the recipient of the 2020 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award. His other awards and recognitions include theAUDELCO Award for his choreography in Regina Taylor’s award-winning play Crowns, received two Black Theater Alliance Awards, and a Fred & Adele Astaire Award for Outstanding Choreography in the Tony Award winning Broadway and national touring production of The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, adapted by Suzan Lori Parks, arrangement by Diedre Murray and directed by Diane Paulus. Brown was named Def Dance Jam Workshop 2000 Mentor of the Year and has received; the Doris Duke Artist Award, NYC City Center Fellowship, Scripps/ADF Award, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts Choreographers Fellowship, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, United States Artists Fellowship, a New York Dance and Performance “Bessie” Award, Dance Magazine Award, and The Ailey Apex Award. Brown is Co-Artistic Director of RestorationART Youth Arts Academy Pre-Professional Training Program / Restoration Dance Youth Ensemble, and a member of Stage Directors & Choreographers Society. (from Evidence website: https://www.evidencedance.com/about-us) SECTION 2: MEET YOUR TEACHING ARTISTS Meet Your Teaching Artists Lisa Nicole Wilkerson and Angelica Edwards SECTION 2: MEET YOUR TEACHING ARTISTS Lisa Nicole Wilkerson Lisa is an award-winning actor, voiceover artist, writer and speaker. Her Broadway credits include Motown: The Musical, The Lion King, and the Tony Award-winning The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. She is a Fred and Adele Astaire Award recipient for "Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show." In addition to Broadway, she has performed in multiple national tours and at numerous regional theaters. Earlier in her career, Lisa trained as a performing apprentice with Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre under Kevin Iega Jeff’s artistic direction, and later became a member of the Joel Hall Dancers Company and xodus dance collective. Lisa's voiceover credits include tv, radio, new media and industrial videos for companies such as Ford, AT&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Children’s Flonase, as well as the video game Red Dead Redemption 2. Lisa voiced multiple documentary videos in the PBS American Masters UNLADYLIKE 2020 docuseries, and has narrated a wide variety of audiobooks. She has been a featured motivational speaker and/or the storyteller at venues across the country, including New York City’s historic Apollo Theater and the Learning Conference held annually in Orlando. She, also, teaches public speaking skills workshops for everyday people and professionals in various fields, and at all levels of the corporate ladder. SECTION 2: MEET YOUR TEACHING ARTISTS Angelica Edwards Angelica started her dance journey off and on from elementary school to the present. Studying dance in Pittsburgh pa., at Kasemon ballet , Selma Burke arts center, Point Park College, and the performing arts junior high and Highschool. Upon moving to Cleveland Ohio, she studied at Karamu arts center and then received a full Dance scholarship to The Ohio State University where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. After graduation she joined the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company. Four years later she moved to New York and joined Ronald K. Brown Evidence Dance Company. She performed with many Choreographers while living in New York, Earl Mosley, Dianne McIntyre, Brigette Moore etc. She joined The Lion King on Broadway and is still performing with that company.. Grateful to God, family, and friends. Never Give Up, Persevere! SECTION 3: THE MAKING OF DESTINY The Making of Destiny “Upside Down” (PHOTO BY DAVID TORRENCE FROM EVIDENCE WEBSITE) SECTION 3: THE MAKING OF DESTINY Ronald K. Brown’s evening length piece Destiny was created in 1998 after a three year collaboration with Mr. Brown, Rokiya Kone of the Ivory Coast, and her company Jeune Ballet d' Afrique Noire. This work established the company’s unique style of blending contemporary dance with traditional West African dances. As the title may suggest, the work strives to answer the question “Where are we going and what is our destiny as a community?” (SABAR FROM SENEGAL, IMAGE FROM MUNTUWORLD.ORG) amid devastating loss and the chaos of trying to find a path forward. SECTION 3: THE MAKING OF DESTINY The work begins with the premonition of community mourning. In this section, Mr. Brown incorporates a spiritual dance from the Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) called Noblesse. This is a dance traditionally done at funerals in the Ivory Coast. The word Noblesse refers to the finesse of the movement which Mr. Brown says adds a gentle sweetness to the somber mourning walk that is necessary for this section of the dance. Also present is movement from a social dance from Senegal called the Sabar. The grounded and weighted nature of this dance was also used to express the grief of not knowing who you will lose next in a community. This section concludes with the dancers coming together on stage to aid one of the male dancers in a show of solidarity. those who need it most. In the next section “Upside Down”, the dance continues with frenetic energy driving the dancers towards their differing paths to a common destiny. Mr. Brown pulls from the more playful and aggressive side of the Senegalese Sabar seen at parties to help drive that energy and fire. This chaos is interrupted sporadically by moments of organized unity and focus brought by the reintroduction of Noblesse and spiritual dances from Guinea. Both dances from the Ivory Coast and Guinea prioritize a groundedness of the legs and center (or SECTION 3: THE MAKING OF DESTINY viscera as Mr.

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