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A CULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA to TOUCH YOUR SOUL! the Impact of Inspiration

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A CULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA to TOUCH YOUR SOUL! the Impact of Inspiration 15TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION VIRTUAL 7:00 PM CDT / 8:00 PM EDT A CULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA TO TOUCH YOUR SOUL! The impact of inspiration Thank you for your efforts and commitment to making a true difference. At MUFG, we salute all those who are helping to change lives in our community for the better. WE’RE PROUD TO SUPPORT THE DANCEAFRICA PROGRAM MUFG Union Bank, N.A. A member of MUFG, a global financial group ©2020 Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. All rights reserved. The MUFG logo and name is a service mark of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc., and is used by MUFG Union Bank, N.A., with permission. Member FDIC. mufgamericas.com DANCEAFRICA 2020 CO-SPONSORS DANCEAFRICA 2020 SUPPORTER LEGACY SPONSOR SEASON SPONSORS SEASON SUPPORTERS COVID RESILIENCE SPONSORS Anonymous Wells Fargo LKS Foundation Anonymous Mid-America Arts Alliance United States Communities Foundation of Texas/North Texas Regional Arts Resilience Fund Giving Day Office of Arts and Culture–City of Dallas Chase Coronavirus Relief Fund Deedie Rose National Endowment for the Arts CARES Act TACA Emergency Arts Relief Fund Dallas Black Dance Theatre Board of Directors Sally Pian & Ira Silverman Henry C. Beck, Jr. Donor Advised Fund at Texas Lucy and Henry Billingsley Fund at Texas Women’s Foundation Women’s Foundation Kate Wilson Davis Fund at Texas Women’s Ford Reynolds Fund of the Southwest Foundation Community Foundation The Eugene McDermott Foundation Keron Wright PNC DR. CHARLES “CHUCK” DAVIS January 1, 1937 – May 14, 2017 Founder and Artistic Director, African American Dance Ensemble and DanceAfrica America Spanning 4 decades of Dance was the incomparable Dr. Chuck Davis. Founder of the Chuck Davis Dance Co. and the African American Dance Ensemble, Dr. Davis has become a living legend. He received many accolades from Honorary Doctorates, to the Proclamations from the many different Cities and States around this country, he was one of our most beloved and honored treasures. A Master Dancer, par excellence; World traveler, Teacher, Instructor, Friend and Benefactor and Protector for many of the under-served and often neglected communities, Dr. Davis brought the joy of the dance, the excitement of the rhythm and the intensity of humanity to everything he did. Dr. Davis served this nation, not only as a Goodwill Ambassador to other countries, but he served with his time in the U.S. Navy and served this Nation to represent all mankind for the benefit of mankind. Showing and living, Peace! Love! Respect! For Everybody! What made him a distinguished artist, was not the awards that proclaimed him so, what made him a distinguished artist was his ability to remain humble and constantly giving to those in need and tirelessly fighting injustice with the passion of the Ancestors that have gone on before him. Refusing to become one of those who forget, Dr. Davis constantly reminded us all, that we are standing, marching, kneeling and existing by the grace and will of the Merciful Creator and to give true obeisance to HIM, is to NOT forget the warriors of the past, and the Elders of today. A constant teacher and creator is the legend that is, Dr. Charles “Chuck” Davis. His Mother’s Son. GUEST ARTIST BIOS Leo Hassan Leo Hassan is a storyteller and musician who has been sharing his talents for several decades. As a student of New York’s African Cultural Arts Movement of the 1960s, he was inspired by great teaching artists such as Chief Bey, Baba Olatunji, Mama Pearl Primus, Baba Ishangi and longtime friend and fraternity brother Baba Chuck Davis. After relocating to Dallas in the ‘70s, Leo organized “The Omari African Drummers and Dancers”, the first such group in the southwest. Years later, inspired by the rhythms and lessons of ancient Africa, Leo joined friend Tony Browne and others to create Bandan Koro African Drummers and Dancers, now one of Texas’ premier performing arts ensembles. In 2012, he was recruited as Artistic Associate for Dance Africa 35, Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Grand Reunion of its original performing The DeSoto High School A Cappella Choir The DeSoto High School A Cappella Choir is the premier, auditioned Varsity mixed choir composed of freshman through seniors who exhibit high levels of commitment and dedication to DHS and its overall success. DeSoto High School is a 6A high school with an enrollment of 3,000. DeSoto, Texas is a suburban city found southwest of Dallas. The ensemble performs music from various musical genres and has competed in festivals throughout Texas, Toronto, Canada, Atlanta, Georgia, Nashville, Tennessee, Anaheim, California, and Orlando, Florida. In 2015, the choir participated in the Festival of Gold held in Washington DC and performed in the beautiful Strathmoor Center. In 2016, the choir traveled to London and toured performing in the cathedrals including Strathmoor and Warwick. In 2018, they had the honor of performing on the stage of Carnegie Hall and receiving a standing ovation. They are embarking on their Canada Tour in April 2019 competing at the World Strides Music Festival held at York University and performance at the Prince of Whales Theatre both in Toronto. Members of A Cappella Choir maintain a high academic standing while taking AP and Pre-AP classes. They are active in a multitude of school, community, and religious activities including: athletics, theatre, cheerleading, dance, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Texas Association of Future Educators, and various other organizations. The DeSoto High School Choral Department is a partnership between directors, administrators, parents, students as well as the community. They are committed to musical excellence, inspiring others through singing and developing members into musicians and leaders. Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble was founded by Tony Browne in 2009 as an outlet to study and share experiences associated with African culture and history to the community at large through the medium of dance, music and specialized presentations. Bandan Koro is a Malinke term meaning “under the tree” and traditionally, the large trees of Africa serve as gathering places for the community. In this tradition, Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble brings the village to the stage, gathering audiences “under the tree” to celebrate life through African Arts. The ensemble presents community classes, specialized workshops, performances, and corporate engagement programs throughout the year. Tony Browne Founder and Director, Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble Tony Browne is a performing artist, musician, instructor and engineer who received his Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from Prairie View A&M University. Born in Seattle, Washington, Tony relocated to Dallas, Texas to pursue career growth and the opportunity to serve underrepresented communities. As the Founder and Director of Bandan Koro, Tony works tirelessly to serve the Dallas community by educating and inspiring through African arts and culture. His Trinidad and Tobago roots and the African influence on the Caribbean has inspired him to study the culture of Africa and the African Diaspora. He has intensively studied under the tutelage of over 15 master teachers that currently reside across the United States, Canada, West Africa and the Caribbean. He also houses resident artists when they visit Dallas, helping to facilitate opportunities for them to share their artistic and cultural knowledge with the Dallas community. Tony continues to play a key role in Dallas’ cultural events through Bandan Koro which he founded in the winter of 2009. Step Afrika! Step Afrika! Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the first professional company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping. The Company blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional dances from across the African continent; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, focusing on teamwork, academic achievement and cross-cultural understanding. The Company reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year through a 50-city tour of colleges and theatres and performs globally as Washington DC’s one and only Cultural Ambassador. Step Afrika! has earned Mayor’s Arts Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education (2005); Innovation in the Arts (2008); and Excellence in an Artistic Discipline (2012); and was a featured performer at the White House for President Barack Obama and the First Lady. Step Afrika! now ranks as one of the top ten African American dance companies in the United States and is featured prominently at the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture with the world’s first stepping interactive. C. Brian Williams Founder and Executive Director, Step Afrika! C. BRIAN WILLIAMS, Founder and Executive Director of Step Afrika!, is a graduate of Howard University. After living in Southern Africa, Brian began to research the percussive dance tradition of stepping, exploring the many sides of this exciting, yet under-recognized American art form and founded Step Afrika! in 1994. Brian has performed, lectured and taught in Europe, South & Central America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean and throughout the United States. He is a founder of the historic Step Afrika! International Cultural Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa. Dallas Black Dance Theatre Artistic Director MELISSA M. YOUNG MELISSA M. YOUNG is a Honduran-American raised in Santa Ana, California. She attended Orange Coast College with a focus in Business Administration. She is a graduate of The Ailey School in New York City. She trained in threae of their programs: Summer Intensive, Certificate Program and Fellowship. During her Fellowship studies, she was selected to train as an exchange student at Amsterdam School of the Arts (de Theaterschool) in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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