The Philadelphia Dance Company
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THE PHILADELPHIA DANCE COMPANY A SECREST ARTISTS SERIES EVENT AT WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY WINSTON -SALEM , NORTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2002 8PM IN BRENDLE RECITAL HALL C 0 sage Worf The Philadelphia Dance Company Joan Myers Brown - Executive/ Arti stic Director panJ "lABESSII" Choreographer : David Brown (Company Premiere,2000 Music: Zap Mama - Philadelphia) Assistants to Mr. Brown: Akari Sasaki & Nadine Mose lighting Design/Execution: William H. Grant. Ill Costume Design. David Brown Costume Execution: Natasha Guruleva Dawn Marie Watson with Tracy Vogt, Willia -Noel Montague , Hollie Wright Francisco Gella, Ahmad Maverick lemons, Antonio Sisk "Labess"is a Tunisian expression meaning that, in the face of all we mustc in life, in each day,"It's all right .../'m okay" The piece is drawnfrom a simp a joyous place and a celebration of self-acceptance. Built in four sections ensemble of seven dancers, one woman carries a •thread throughout-lea,NOS pan) following and opening the space. The dance is set to music by Zap Mama, Euro a cape/la women's vocal ensemble. "EXOTICA" Choreographer: Ronald K. Brown (Company Premiere, 1999Music: Wunmi & Various Artists - Philadelphia) Assistant to Mr. Brown: Telly Fowler lighting Design/Execution: William H. Grant, Ill Costume Design/Execution: Wunmi Kristen J.S. Irby, Ahmad Maverick lemons , Roxanne lyst Willia -Noel Montague, Gabriele Tesfaguma, Dawn Marie Watson, Hollie Wright "Exotica" is a variation of "No More Exotica," an excerpt from a full Ieveni, "Lessons''. "Exotica" begins with a judgment parade, drops down to a1 test of compassion and then goes into the contemporary plea ofWunmi O/aiya's, "Woman Child." The creation of "Exotica"was madeI SI in part by a grant from Meet the Composer, Inc. and the AT&T Foundatio -INTERMISSION- r til ges From The Heart" "Messagesfrom the Heart"is an evening-length presentation, conceivedby Joan (excerpts) Myers Brown,Artistic Directorof PH/LADANCO. These excerpts representan forld Premiere,2001) integration of modern dance andfolk traditions into work encompassingissues of class,gender, race and spirit;cultural traditions that impact the veryhearts and the souls of women. "MY SCIENCE" Choreographe r: Bebe Miller •anyPremiere - 2001) Music: La Voix Bulgare & Led Zeppelin Costume Design/E xecution: Natasha Guruleva Ligh t ing Design/Execution: William H. Grant, Ill Francisco Gella, Roxanne Lyst, Odara Nefert iti Jabali -Nash , Mar c Aurel Nelles, Antonio Sisk, Allyson Triplett, Tracy Vogt, Dawn Marie Watson, Hollie Wright The imagination and scienceand how we act as cotatystsfor each other inspire this work.Set to the music of La VoixBulgare and LedZeppelin, the piece plays with the image of heavy water, the collisionof matter and the mechanics of relationship.After reading the biography of physicist RichardFeynman, I was inspiredby the kineticsof his ideasand how the sameflexibility of the imagination 1usta occursin life. I'm also inspiredby the passion and energy of Philadancoand use 1imp,~ their kinetic style to shape this. 1ons1 -/roilID SINGING SONGC>" Choreogra pher: Jawo le Willa Jo Zollar ma.~,any Premiere•2001) Assistant t o the Choreographer: Allyso n Triplett Original Score: M ichae l Wimberly Costume Design/Execution: Jackson Lowell Lighting Design/Execution: William H. Grant, 111 Francisco Gella , Warren B. Griffin , Ill , Kristen J.S. Irby, Ahmad Lemons , Roxan ne Lyst , Odara Nefertiti Jabali -Nash, Marc Aurel Nelles , Antonio Sisk, Gabriele Tesfaguma , Allyson Triplett, Dawn Ma rie Wat son, Hollie W ri ght Hand SingingSong., is a work that explores the use and idea of hand gestures, specificallythe "dap';In a symbolic manner expressingthe political and cultural aspects of a people, specificallythe AfricanAmerican. The "dap"is a name given to the hand to fist greeting during the BlackPower Movement to affirm African American identity and solidarity. Hand Singing Song0 was originally commissioned by the American Dance Festivalthrough the Doris Dul<eAwards for New Work. with additional support from the Phlhp Morris New Work Fund. This new version was commissioned for PHILADA NCO, 1998 Jawole Willa Jo Zollar All rights reserved. Initial funding by the Philip Morris New Works Fund. Subsequent funding by Dance Advance of the Pew Charitable Trusts. Additional funding was made possible through the Doris Duke Fund for dance of the National Dance Project administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Additional touring support provided by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arb and the British Council. THIS PROGRAMIS SUBJECTTO CHANGE. 2 ABOUT THE ARTISTS Joan Myers Brown Ms. Brown is the founder of thePhiladelphia Dance Company {PHIIADANCO) and The for the International Executive/Artistic Director Philadelphia School of Dance Arts. She serves as honorarychairperson Association of Blocks In Dance, organizationan she establlshed in 1991. She is also founder of the International Conference of Block Dance Companies. She Is a Distmgulshed Visiting Professor ot the University of the Arts, which bestowed upon her an honoraryDoctbrote of Fine Arts,and is a member of the donce faculty at Howard University in Washington. DC.Listed in Who's Who inAmerica and described as an "innovotorandcommunicator." Ms. Brown hasmade significant contributions to the national and internationalart> communities. Joan Myers Brownhas seNed a broad rangeof regional and national organizations. including NEFA's National Dance Project,the United States InformationAgency, Arts America, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arts Councils of Pennsylvania,New Jersey. Michigan, Nevada, and Ohio and the National Forum for Female Executives. Locally, she has been a part of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Minority ResourceArts Council, the Philadelphia Mayor's Cultural AdvisoryCouncil, the Philadelphia Dance Alliance, The Women's Heritage Society. Dance/USA and the Coalition of African American Cultural Organizations, which sheseNed as vice president. Ms. Brown'sexpertise and counsel have been sought by many organizations, including the RockefellerFoundation's Arts& Humanities Program. SheseNes as a trusteeof the Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation andthe Media Performing Arts Center. Ms. Brown is a member of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Arts& Business Council and other nan-profit organizations. She has convenedthree International Conferences of Black Dance Companies.facilitated the Smithsonian Institution's Conference of Black Dance Companies ond served as a consultant to East Coast Committee of Festivalwoo, the San Francisco Bay AreaCultural Initiative, the NEA "Dance on Tour" ad hoc committeeand the Kennedy CenterAdult Education Task Force. Ms. Brown was recently honored as one of the "Dance Women;Living Legends" during a four-day series sponsored by New York area presenters, in tribute to five AfricanAmerican pioneer women whofounded distinguishedmodern dance companieswith deep roots in black communities around the country. Ms. Brown's efforts on behalf of dance excellence belie a much larger contribution to the arts and the community. She remains a tireless advocate and spokesperson and 1s a model of tenacity, hope and discipline. She is the proud mother of daughters Mar/isa and Dannielle, who teach at her school, The Philadelphia School of Dance Arts, and grandmother of Jade Greene. Francisco Gella Francisco graduated from the University of Washington with8.A. a in Dance. While/1, • Bacolod City. Philippines school, he performed with the Chamber Dance Company, Leaving/Ground Dance,Speqrum Dance Theater andthe Seattle Opera. Before joining Philadanco in 1998, Franciscodt['Pced with RepertoryDance Theater inSalt lake City, Utah. He has worked with many prominent choreographers: David Parsons, Shapiro and Smith, Zvi Gotheiner.Sharir, YacovBill Evans and LucindaChilds. Francisco alsoperformed at the Nagano Olympic closing ceremonies. This is his fourth season with Philadanco. Romnee Marisa Hayes Romnee studied ballet extensively withBarbara Walczak who is a soloist with New York • New York, NY City Ballet.She graduatedfrom laGuardia High Schoolof Performing Arts inNew York City and continued her education. earning a 8.F.A.from Ohio State University. At OSU she had the opportunity to perform choreography by the dance department faculty,her peers and her own choreography.Romnee has also performed works byRoger (.Jeffrey.Nathan Trice, 3 Jamel Gaines and Laila Sa.les. This is her first seasonPhiladanco. with Warren 8. Griffin, Ill Warren began his dance tro,ning under the direction of his uncle, Stephen Love.Mr Criffin -Camden, NJ latercontinued his studies and performed with 'Oh' {Danco /If• formerly The Next Generation Dance Company.Mr. Griffin attended the High S(hool of Creatwe & Performing Arts. Upon graduating. Warren toured the Un,ted States os a dancer with Pr,ncessCruise Lines.Warren also attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. PA He hos worked with world-renowned choreographer George Faisonon severalprojects and performed with the £/eone Dance Theater.This is Warren'sfirst season with Philadanco. Kristen J.S. Irby Kristen began his theater and dance training ot the age of 13while on scholarship at the - Chicago, fl ETACreative Arts Foundation. He Jatn become a scholonhip student ot thl' JosephHolmes Chicago Dance Theatre, Columbia CollegeChicago. Houstor! Bo/let Academy. Homer Hans Bryant Ballet, Deeply Rooted Productions and the Barat College